The Washington weekly post., 1900-08-14

matter and pointing out so far as might
be the Disadvantages Of the effort 70 irli-
tate the European instead OF developihs
his OWN arr. and | vas gratifled When
Makudza said that he thought that In u
ture he would have his men connne tneni-
selves 10 the native forms
one OF the things that struck me IN 60
ing through TIE workshops OF TIE 10 pau
ese artists was the number OF boys en-
ployed. Boys OF twelve years or here
sbouts were put at decorating fine vases
or doing the initial work on fine IVORY
carvings, the finishing being done by the
artist himself, OF course, or the whole
work oyerseen and directed by him. 20
be sure. the older artists had boys. 700. a.
this wosk, just as the sculptors to-day set
young men 20 do certain parts or the
work on their statues
Outside MakudZa' place was garden
with flowers growing. and in pond man
DARN ducks and nearby, cranes. all
there for the decorators Of the poreelains
70 look upon and copy from nature; there
was no drawing from stereotyped designs.
II flowers were tG be drawn vase Df
flowers stood before the decorator, as IN
this picture here" exhibiting one OF the
marveIOusly well-colOTed photographs
made by the JapaneSe).
Impossible 10 Duplicate the Pottery
The japanese potters are initiating (as
are others the Chinese sang De boeuf,
but as even the modern Celestials are
unable to produce the ox-bloOd red Of the
ancient artists Of their land. II is not
surprising that their Japanese neighbors
fall short. as Mr.. Kirby was bound as
others have beer bound, 10 confess that
they did. when their work was shown
him.
Many people Of New York and else
where have heard AIr. Kirby say, when
in the aucJiOneer's box at the American
Art Galleries. that there were no more
of the finest specimens Of antique Or;en-
tai art to be had. except as some other
private collection than the one then in
hand might come under the hammer.
Some Of these many people. it may be
said without affront to the genial dis
penser of art treasures. have taken MS
words at a complimentary discount, al
though they would be unable TO show
duplicates of the treasures or purchas-
able equivalents of them.
MY trip showed me that l have been
right in my Conjectures as to the impoSsi-
bfiity Of duplicating many of the choice
examples Of art from the Orient Mr..
Kirby said in one Of his chats. 1T is too
late to get these things. In the first place,
when specimens are Offered there are the
local collectors to take them. Then there
are the museums. Then the diplomatic
officers. like the missionaries. sooner or
later develop a taste for and knowledge
Of the works of art of the 0Tientals and
become 20 a greater or less extent han
dIers Of this merchandise. But even leaV-
ing these all out Of consideration. the na-
tions themselves find that il is too late %
secure the finest examples except under
rarely favorable circumstances In one
way and another the pieces have gone
from the lands. In the matter of lacquers,
for instance, did not see in all Japan, IN
either the public museums OF private col
lections. a collection equalins that of Mr..
William Churchill Oastler. which wes
sold here last season.
And when a particularly fine specimen
was to be had the price put on it was o"e
that would have frightened a Western
collector l saw one KOrin box (black
lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay tEat
was held al a thousand yen $500. a price
at which Western collectors would have
stood aghaSt, generally speaking, aId
which would have brought not over 500
or $500 at public sale. The museums Of the
JapaneSe are without the best specimens,
and the exhibits they have are not dis
posed TO the best advantage, this largely
because the administration of the mu-
seUms are of political origin. Even in the
workshops the pieces were not arranged
TO the best advantage. Among the pOr-
celain shops Makudzas was an exception
20 this general condition"
Mr. Kirbys well-known natural cheer
fuIness prevents him from deplorinS the
fortune that kept him out Of Gilman
some ways a most kindly fortune-bUt
collectors may guess at his.feelings at the
thought of the things which Will come
from China as a result of the upheavals
there Consolation TO all comes in the
thought that, after all. it will be brOnzes
rather than pOrce!ains which survive the
period of storm.