Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
JAPANESE MTSUKES
interesting Examples of Cary
ing on Exhibition
AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Collection Of Miniature Pieces Of
Sculpture Described.
TREATS OF MANY SUBJECTS
In the Netsukes is Set Forth the
Whole japanese World Of
Legendary Folk Lore.
AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
TREATS OF MANY SUBJECTS

UMuch attention is being attracted by the
japanese prints. illustrated books and art
objects gotten together by Mr.. Crosby s.
Noyes. and now on exhibition at the Libra
ry of Congress. The events OF recent years
have turned the eyes OF the western world
upon this little kingdom of the east. It is
difficult for the occidental mind to COM
prehend how people can at the same time
be both SO valiant and so artistic. Because
art In other nations has reached les highest
development after their decline, 1t has been
enormously associated with those iuxuries
which inherently tend to dissipate moral
Drawn. That 1t could be part and parcel
of warriors fiber; that 1t could be deep
rooted in the life Of a practical. progressive
people, was not considered probable.
The art of Japan is as viriie as her war;
craft, and 1t holds as significant place
among her Institutions. Until recently
Japan was to the west closed book, and
even now the sources of information con-
corning her history. social and political and
the intimate life of her people, are meager,
so that each inquirer Is stu a potential
pioneer and each opportunity for original
research an invitation to discovery For
these reasons Mr. Noyes' gift to the Libra
ry of Congress is regarded as peculiarly
timely and his collection naturally of spe-
ciai interest.
1t is impossible to divorce the art OF
people from their life, and therefore some
knowledge of the one Is necessary for a
comprehension of the other. This is why
in the study of Japanese art many Euro
peans have failed and why much of 1t
still seems distorted to western vision.
In modes of expression it is oftentimes
Numerically opposed to the art of our
hemisphere. and yet In fundamental prin-
ciples it is virtually the same.
Art was first fostered in Japan by
son primarily symboltstic. The bronze
statues still found in the temples stood not
for individuals but for the divinity Of an
IDEA: the paintings which adorned the walls
or the palaces were poetical suggestions
rather than pictorial themes. The Japanese
were an imaginative, aesthetic people who
given hint, were capable OF formulating
their own imagery And yet they were
the authors of the most democratic form
o. art that is known-realists of the most
pronounced type. Their prints reflected
with unvarnisheed truth the everyday life
OF the common people, and the netsukes
reproduced with almost. slavish imitation
forms in fact and legend.
Curfously enough while all concede that
none are more keenly artistic than the Jap
anese, 1t Is undeniably true that In the
fiowery kingdom art for arts sake is lit
tie practiced. Every expression Of Japan
csc art, has behind 1T definite idea It
may be q universal sentiment. or a legend
or an historical event, but 1t is always
something more than clever piece of tech
nique.
The Netsukes.
The netsukes occupy the same relative po-
sition to sculpture in Japan that the prints
do to painting. They are a reversion from
the ideal to the reaI-no matter how clever
ly rendered, they are always distinctly ma
teriaistic. Their appearance is that of
large button, and their purpose is to fasten
to the belt the pipe and tobacco pouch the
inro or medicine box, and other small OBJ
Jects suspended by slken cords. The Jap
anese gentleman In native costume has no
pockets except in his sleeves, and thus Is
forced to carry his sundry small possessions
after the fashion of a chatelaine They are
made as a rule either of wood or ivory, and
are often deliberately carved and richly en-
bellished AS wood is the more plant ma
terlal, those In this medium show COM
monty the more spirited carving, and are
for this reason especially esteemed but
many Of the ivory ones are likewise ex-
quisitely rendered and much PRICED as
works of art by astute collectors.
The use of the netsuke dates, 1t is SAID.
from the fifteenth century, but according
to expert opinion the best have been pro-
duced during the past two hundred years.
The Tokugawa period. which covers about
that time-16O3 to 1867-was one long reign
OF peace in which the minor arts arrived
at their llRneSI state OIL u6FeiOpu1eut. Inc
Daimios. feudal lords, took pride in fos-
terng the arts and crafts Artisans were
retained on their estates and every facility
for the best work afforded COMPETE
lions were instituted and a mild rivalry
sprung up between the provinces, when
each year specimens Of their handicraft
were sent to the Shotgun and mikado.
Worked Under Advantageous Condi-
tons.
tronage of the barons were, moreover, re-
lieved from all financial care. All their
needs were generously provided for and
they were merely hidden to do their best.
Time was not taken into account. but per-
lection of detail was consistently demand
ed. To do one thing well was accounted
better than many fairly, and years were
sometimes spent ungrudgingly in the max
ing of a trile This in measure explains
the technical perfection which then was
attained and may indicate to modern arti-
sans the cause of recent failure.
1t has been saaid that ''the Japanese ge-
MUS touches perfection In small things;
that no other nation ever understood half
so well how to twist spray OF flowers into
artistic line, how to transform little knob
of ivory into nicrocosm of quaint hnm0r
or how to express a fugitive thought IN
half a dozen strokes of q pencil. and 1t Is
true Size seemingly never signif1ed with
them nor did numbers. To make work
they must make 1t large. or because one
thing was good to think that dozen would
be better This Is demonstrated not only
In their works of art, but in the furnishing
of their houses and their arrangement or
flowers and ornaments. Their motto seems
to have been moderation In all things"
save in the expenditure of labor, and even
That was never feverishly done.
1t has been suggested that the earth-
ouakes which necessitated the building of
low. fragile houses in Japan were largely
accountable for this national trait. and In
the light of reason 1t is highly probable.
Paper partitions forbid heavy frames. and
household gods which manifest perennial
inclination to descend upon their owners
head would presumably be small and few.
But whether Japan owes debt of gratitude
to her cid enemy or not, her Fart In little
things" is none the less worthy of enlight-
ening.
In no class of objects is this better DEM
onstrated than In the netsukes. Each in its
way is a perfect work of art genuine
piece of sculpture. leasing says, in his es-
say on the LAGOON. that 1t does no. hurt
a good piece Of sculpture to roll down hill
that only the unnecessary detail will be
broken on, and following the law of neces-
sity 1t was found long since that for