The sun., 1902-03-14
AROUND THE GALLERIES.
The samuel Coleman Collection Of Orien.
tai Art.


At the American Art Galleries an impor-
tant collection Of Oriental art will remain
on view until the sale which commences
March 10. IL consists OF old Chinese and
japanese pottery and porcelains, Ukiyoye
prints, lacquers, bronzes, embroideries and
textiles and other objects Of art belonging
TO MIR. Samuel Coleman. This gentleman,
himself an artist and a member Of the
National Aoadcmy. has long been known
as collector Of Oriental art Of exceptional
knowledge and of very discriminating
taste. He is not on this occasion parting
with all his treasures. IPIt with a sufficient
number to form a remarkably fascinating
exhibition.
And one Of the reasons OF the fascination
Is that In this case the collectors instinct
for rare and choice objects. often choice
In a measure by reason Of their rarity.
has been mingled with an artists JOY In
the mere beauty Of an object. Independently
Of it's particular status In the history OF
the art. The collection Is full Of examples
that one might call by distinction artists
pieces'-pieces OF extraordinarily personal
appeal, partly by reason Of their exquisite
technique. but almost more because OF
some marked individuality in the design
and treatment. One will find such pieces
among the lacquers. There are examples.
for instance. by Ritsuo. the great master
Of the great period Of Genrokou Qoss to
l704), a period Of decorative art at Nippon
which corresponds, as a Frenchman would
say. to the epoch Of Louis XIV.
1t produced also some great poets, a
sculptor and chaser so renowned d as Somin,
a ceramic artist OF the stamp Of Kenzaw.
and a lscquerer and draughtsman like
Korin. But TO return to Ritsuo; there is
an inro by him $500, n marvel OF mother
of pearl incr,lsted flowers and lacquer
painting; a piece that among any collec-
ton OF exquisite inros would make itself
felt by reason Of It's extraordinary audac-
ity Of invention, and the big robust inti-
macy Of feeling that underlies its extreme
delicacy Of execution. BY the same mas
ter is q black lacquer tray (o3S), with a
raised decoration Of pottery, lead and
mother-of-pearl inlay; piece OF remark
able individuality and originality. Another
wooden tray (6s4) Of Keyaki wood is sim
liar In character, though not attributed
in the catalogue to Ritsuo, decorated with
a most virile design Of pomegranates in
stone incrustation. Once more by this
artist Ia a superb cabinet (65s), and then
one may turn to tea caddy by Korin.
an exquisite example Of powdered gold
lacquer, with incrusted leaves Of mother-of-
pearl. Perhaps as interesting as any is
No. $50, described not inaptly In the cata-
logue as magnificent gold lacquer table,
for it combines several varieties Of lacquer:
the so-called aventurine in imitation OF
TIE polished quartz, the powdered lacquer;
and the gold inserted in minute mosaic;
the polished gold and the dull surface.
And the design involves fine free treat
ment OF the pine tree and OF the tsubaki
flowers, with rocks and .ivulets and noun
tain peaks. II is a piece Of the best pc
Rod, involving a great many OF its most
distinguishing characteristics.
But one must linger not too long over
this display case; moreover, in 80 varied
a collection il is difficult to maintain any
sequence Of study. wherefore. let US turn
to the ad joining room, because 1t is nearest
in which the prints are hung. At once
we shall notice that the distinctive feature
Of this collection is the number OF the black
and-white prints. There are few which
link themselves on to the grand period,
some Korins and Morikunis Of the seven
teenth century: some OF the most enectlve
OF the latter being those which follow the
great school OF Kano; rat. crow, stork,
for instance, executed with that superb
sweep Of line and arresting force OF mass,
al once so authoritative. pregnant and
handsome, which distin guishes the masters
OF the calligraphic style, wherein the char
acter of the stroke is not only pregnant
with meaning, hut full of stately beauty,
as in Masau obus God Of Plenty ,S29).
For the rest these prints holong 10 the
Ukiyoyc school, the so-called vulgar school,
which gathered it's subjects from the life
which passes around u. Moronobu. pupil
of Matahei, was practically the creator of
this school, and he il represented here, as
slso are the masters Hsrunobu and Shunsho.
whose work is among the most noble, most
human and most elegant OF THIS school.
II was Harunobu, essentially the artist OF
sweet girlish innocence as Outamaro was
OF the more seductive charms of woman
hood, who said: ] am Yamato Sestro
(painter Of the customs of Japan, and
will never descend to the role Of kavara
Mono (painter OF actorsl Sianch real
lists all OF y eso with high regard FOR the
dignity OF realism IN art And let us m
cllde with these artists Kivonaga, a most
powerful and original master, and Suke-
nobu painter particularly of the women or
Japan, in their diversions and occupations.
How charming is the grace OF the two
semi figures in The Toilet and lhe
Making Fans and Spinning Cord, and of
gracious bonhommie The Present, where
women and children are grouped in cere-.
monious admiration before tree in vase
Bv Shunsho is a very interesting trial
proof, the keyplate, probably, to colored
print, showing block AT the bottom. which
serves to secure the correct registration
of the prints OF the different colors. One
NAV mention that there are several exam
Piles by his pupil. Koriosai, and then turn
TO his other pupil, Hokusni. The great
master is represented here by many vari-
ations In bleck and whit OF his extraordi-
nary versatility. among which should not
be overlooked a Daimio' Ql2p and The
Cock ll3O,. You will also find here tve
examples OF his Surinomos. These little
New Year cards were much in vogue at
Yeddo at the end OF the eighteenth and the
beginning Of the nineteenth century, being
designed and engraved by members OF
societies of artists, of poets and Of drinkers
Of tea. Their purpose was very intimate
and personal, so that the number oi prints
I'm each case was limited.
Among the pottery are some fine ex-
amples OF old Korean. such a. ne globular-
shaped vase (i0l, a rare and beautiful 5peci-
mems; a still earlier piece (i09), also globular-
in shape, with decoration OF dragons and
other designs, a specimen which the clta-
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