The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-21
K. SANO, AN ARTIST OF JAPAN.
A FOE OF THE CONVENTIONAL
HERE FROM THE EAST.

He Adheres TO Ills Native Ideas, hut With
American MOtincst iOnS-FcelnS Whnt
| He Seeks. Not Technical Cleverness- -
| Work Not Vet Exhibit d In New York.
| On a crosstown street which is much
travelled, but in block of 1t where pedes-
TRANS are comparatively few. there Is TO
be seen a small sign announcing that within
the building Japanese artist may be
found. The pursuit of him has only begun
, when one enters the building, however.
1t Is an old-fashioned building, and the
stairways ~ 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.
few more abrupt right and left turns,
when he can go no higher, and he reaches
the Japanese studio and sees daylight
again.
1t is almost Japanese daylight, for athwart
the shaded window stands n man with
straight black hair and brilliant eyes, with
an expression intent az that fixed in an
ancient bronze Of the island realm.
II am Sano. he says, and remains still.
For three years Sano has lived secluded
artists life in New York. He was not
always an artist In his native land he
WAS graduated with honors from the univer-
sity, and held the dignity of a professor.
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
teaching, and the Juggling OF the longing
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
one 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 chance to know him.
He has not yet exhibited in New York.
which in some astigmatic eyes would be
a distinction.
-But perhaps l may. next Christmas
season." he says.
Sano, Keokichi Sano, according to MS
brief biography, was graduated from the
Imperial College at Toxic and became
principal of provincial normal school,
and afterward professor OF psychology
and pedagogy at the Kobe Normal school.
Thence he went to San Francisco and pub
lished Japanese American 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 do not understand he said
Yesterday. They fall such ready and
willing victims to convention and facile
technique.
"They say to me- Well. We must turn
ont what il wanta ed and we know will sell
But cannot see II So.
Il do not mean only American artists.
Go TO hig store where the art OF japan
Is exploited, for instance. and you may
see flight OF birds in familiar series and
all will be done exactly alike, although
they may be in different positions toward
the spectator.
-See the flowers in clever conventionality.
admire the cleverness, but | sigh for the
lack Of feeling.
Il 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 All the measure, l cannot believe in
Mr. Gerome's contention that on" must
paint with compass for guide. and have
mel SO many Of his pupils here who'puzzle
ME with their acceptance Of that dictum.
III may speak personally a. you have
asked me to, let me mention the cherry
blossoms which are so familiar to all in
and especially Of those here: Are they
not pretty conventionality? Technical
cleverness?
Il like to see feeling in flowers and bios
SONS. II | wish TO paint peonies | per
sonify the peony for tho time: while paint
Ing feel that am flower.
-Do you laugh? You are not Japanese.
] wish to paint a swallow, or two or three
OF them, flying in different positions; for
the time feel that am swallow. | wish
q
figures expression In strong line and in
dividuality. not leave them empty forms
Il call 1t psychological painting. Many
times l make mistakes, but / am not going
TO sink nv personal point Of view in The
conventonalism of those who trust all to
| technique, however slow may he my way
Sano believes In n japanese art modified
by some principles OF American art, and
| he thinks that American art may he bene
fitted by some japanese spirit He has
| made sketch of Riverside Park and Grants
| Tomb in which there is a curious mingling
| OF Japanese method and America features
but it il not the best or the most interesting
| work that he has done.
| Here and there in his studio are memories
! OF Dwarf Osaka, the cherry blossoms and
nine trees and mountains OF familiar Japan
and again posters and figure illus, rations
| in which American influences on the Japan
ese artist appear entertainingly.
| There is an odd trait about Sano. II
ia not his frank admission. so familiar
among the painters, even those who some
! times are in aff1uence, that AN artist is so
often hard up" 1t is. that in spite Of that.
and in harmony with his striving. to be, In
imaginative feeling a flower or swallow
while he in painting the one or the other.
he will not AK price Cor his drawings;
but he will not sell them to a publisher
whom he knows to have been n patron of
Japanese artists that are slaves of the
conventional unless the publisher will
nav him more than he paid for the sun
yelling" work Of the other fellow,