Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-25
AN ARTIST IN JAPAN
FOE OF THE CONVENTIONAL HERE
FROM THE EAST.
He Adheres to His Native Ideas, but
With American Modihcs-
lions.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
On cr0sstown street which 10 much
Travelled. but In a block of II where pedes-
TRANS are comparatively few there is to
be seen a small sign announcing that with
In the building Japanese artist may be
found. The pursuit of him has only begun
when one enters the building, however. It
Is an old-fashioned building and the stair
ways as they go higher up become more
crooked and narrow. and the halls grow
dark until the stranger feels his way as
among the bunkholes OF Chinatown. A few
more abrupt right and left turns. when he
can go no higher. and he reaches the Jap
anese studio and sees daylight again
1t Is almost a Japanese daylight. for
| athwart the shaded window stands a man
with straight black hair and brilliant eyes,
with an expression Intent as that fixed in
an ancient bronze OF the island realm.
L am Sano, he says, and remains STILL
For three years Sano has lived a seciud-
ed artists life in New York. He was not
always an artist. In his native land he was
graduated with honors from the university
and held the dignity Of professor.
Once an Editor.
He came to America and became an
editor. But In his boyhood days he had
longed TO paint and he had drawn and
painted in the Intervals of his studies and
at his heartstrings here in the land of his
pilgrimage would not let him rest until he
again took to his brush.
Occasionally an artist has discovered him
and exchanged with him the teachings of
American and Japanese art Lately
of the biggest and oldest publishing houses
has found him and may make him famous,
but the public does not yet know him.
has not had a chance TO know him. He has
not yet exhibited in New York. which in
some astigmatic eyes would be a distinc-
ton.
But perhaps may, next Christmas sea-
Sano. Keokichi Sano. according to his
brief biography. was graduated from the
Imperial College at Toxic and became
principal of a provincial normal school,
and afterwards professor of psychology
and pedagogy at the Kobe Normal School.
Thence he went to San Francisco and pub
lished a representation paper and
came finally to New York. where he has
been quietly and patiently developing the
art that seized upon him in boyhood.
There are so many so-called artists
here whom l do not understand" he said
, yesterday. They fall such ready and
willing victims to convention and a facile
technique. They say to me, Well we
must turn out what is wanted and we know
will SELL But cannot see 1t SO.
Il do not mean only American artists.
Go to big store when the art CT Japan
| is exploited. for instance. and you may
see a flight of birds in familiar series and
1
they may be different positions toward the
spectator. See the flowers in clever con-
ventionality. l admire the cleverness but
l sigh for the lack of feeling.
Gerome's Dictum.
II do not mean to put myself above them.
but my sympathy is with the artists of any
country who create. not with those who
| measure and then use their technical skill
to fill the measure. 1 cannot believe in
Mr.. Gerome's contention that one must
paint with a compass for guide, and 1 have
met so many of his pupils here who puzzle
me with their acceptance of that dictum.
IF 1 may speak personally as you have
asked me to. let me mention the cherry
blossoms which familiar to all In
the work of any Japanese artist. almost.
and especially of those hero. Are they
not pretty conventionality? Technical
cleverneSs? / like to see feeling in flowers
and blossoms If l wish to paint peonies
l personify the peony for the time: while
painting feel that l am a flower Do you
laugh? You are not Japanese / wish to
paint swallow or two or three of them,
flying In different positions: for the time
l feel that l am a swallow. / wish to give
the birds and flowers and human figures
expression in strong line and individuality,
not leave them empty forms upon the pa
per.
Il call it psychological painting Many
times L make mistakes. but | am not going
to sink my personal point of view in the
conventionalism of those who trust all to
technique. however slow may be my way"