Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-30
iAPAh'S HONOR TO
RUSSIAN ARTIST.
Vereschagin Allowed to Sketch
at the Nikko Temples.
MADE GUEST OF THE EMPEROR.

! spccfc-I Attention shown to the
Painter, Who Had n House Given
Him Close to One of the Temples.
al Treasures Displayed and Sacred
Rooms Opened Up-SketchinE Tour
| Cut Short.
The most interesting visitor TO Japan
| III 1903 recently left it and admitted
that lie was leaving in hurry-forced
TO cut short his visit by some months,
says Eliza r. Scidmore, the Tokyo cor
| respondent of the Chicago Tribune.
VasSili Vereschagin, the Russian paint
er, came by the Transsiberian road last
summer, unheraldcd and without oS-
tentation, and went Immediately to
work sketching in the courts of the
Nikko temples. With the usual hospi-
tality to visitors of such calling and
quality, the Japanese officials showed
every usual attention TO the distin-
guished painter. and because of his ma
tionality yet more was done for him.
Noblesse oblige.
NercSchagin was made the guest of
the emperor, a house was given him
close beside the Iyeyasu temple, and
the household department attached an
official to him during his stay to at
tend his movements and provide for
him in every way.
The lord abbot opened up all the
treasures. all the. inner and most sa-
cred rooms. brought forth costumes
and paraphernalia of festival times
and had acolytes and servitors pose for
him
pathy and mutual admiration as ex-
listed between Nereschagin and the
priestly community at Nikko for the
month that he remained there. That
charming. courtly and courteous man
of the world, the polished boulevardier
and big bearded cosmopolitan, appealed
TO them strongly, disarmed them so
completely by his friendliness, his
amiability, his appreciation and, above
all, by his professional genius, that the
name of Russian was held in different
esteem in Nilko.
Vereschagin remained in Nikko for
a month. making Il whole series of
small sketches-small for Nereschagin
as we know his canvasses in great eX-
hibitiOns-and taking voluminous notes
in small sketchbookS and in pencil
memoranda. He allowed no one to
see his canvas sketches and studies nor
to overlook him while he worked. Ev-
cry morning at daylight lie went to
the temple courts and worked with
swift intentness until the hour for adj
uniting visitors. when he dropped the
palette and brushes and became u Wis
itOr. too, roaming with notebook and
InfNa H., iii,
some next viewpoint.
BY 4 o'clock, when visitors had left
the temples, he set to work again and
made the most of fading daylight, sun
set glow and early moonlight. Now we
may look for q great series of paint
ings wOrthily declaring the splendor
and picturesQueness of the Tolzugawa
shrines. pendants for his great series
of paintings of Indian temples and
central Asian mosques, paintings SO
widely scattered now that one can only
see n considerable number of them to-
gethCr in the Tretiakoff's gallery at
Moscow.
NereSchagin was most interested in
the ancient art of Japan-the architec- !
ture, the colOring, the landscape set |
ting and the splendid interiors of Niliko |
temples and palaces appealed to him, |
and the old pictures and statues. the |
fine metal work captivated him entire |
ly.
In Kioto he worked as induStriouSly |
as at Nikko, but Japanese conservatism |
and reverence for the sanctity of the
imperial person could not be sufficient
~ overcome to permit him to paint the
inferior Of tho old Inf
palace and the MILO castle, where the
shoguns lived, he declared the most
splendid interiors he had seen, and he
made every argument to obtain leave
10 sketch the gold walled rooms, with
their flower paneled ceilings.
Other rooms there are in Kioto near
y like TO those of the palace, and those
ne was free TO work from, but the
home. the living rooms of many sacred
emperors. could not be profaned.
Ncrrschagin put no limit to his
praises OF the japanese people, but
here can be no doubt that his intend
d stay was cut short by the hostile at
itude of his country. And the Japa-
lese must have been greatly relieved,
90. when he got away safely without
my indignity being offered or harm
lone by some crazy patriot.
Vereschagin avoided Tokyo and the
social life and all lionizing. He came
quietly, worked hard and went away
Ifter spending barely two months in
he country he had long dreamed of
listing and where he had intended TO
,ass nearly year.
He was among the japanese entirely.
nd he praised them in his own enthu-
iastic. dramatic way.
II til you they are the best the
:indest, the most refined people in the
world, And how good they have been
o me-
The few foreigners who met him as
e strolled about Mike in the jaunty /
erge suit and panama hat of Trou-
file or the boulevards. or. more pic