The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-23

az OF painting In the second hair OF TIE
nth century there came 70 the court OF
japan Chinese painter % imperial birth
by name Nanriu who took up his abods
there permanently We also know OF
Corean painters Of the sixth and seventh
centuries who were employed at the
Japane-s court
Th~S. Corran painters introduced not
only the Chinese tradition but also an
other destined Ia have an equally lasting
infiu@nc" upon thu formation Of Japanese
painting namely the Buddhistic. This
latter. n u seams. originated under lat"
Greek infiusnces In the northwest Of
India and had found ia way to Corea
through Central Asia and China Gonss
had already pointed out that the earl .
'st productions Of this Buddhistic art in
japan are surprisingly like such works as
the ruins Of Borobudhur in Java. and
especially those Of AngLor in CambOdia.
and are accordingly much more Indian
than Chinese in character. Friedrich
lIirth has since then traced for ~ the
probable path which this art tradition
took The painter Wai-Tschi l-sonR.
whose works served the Corsans as models
for their Buddhistic paintings, came from
khoten IN Central Asia. where the pTincely
court was noted for it's love 81 art Pre-
HumRbly tha art which had hs~n brought
thither from India he transported to
TschanR -an-fu. the capital Of the sew
.nth century and from there u was
propagated further 10 CoTea Buddhism
was introduced into japan IN IS: and
became the religion Of the establishment
In o2I Under the Emperor kotoku OoA5-
1SD Japan eCeiVei Constitution after
the Chinese model
Beginning with Mana Okla. the founder "
tn" first national school ~ Japanese
IaIntlng. the kOse-riu. so-Called from his
family name. Prof won Seidlitz makes
survey - ths entire art field down to ia.
present day Thsn tho beginnings 81
black and white. Moronobu and his
contemporaries. are given in special
chapter Follows the development Of
color printing u7IS-eS,. tho two and
three color print and tho polychrom"
print Chapter v. IL devoted To the first
Towering Of tho polychroms print Haru-
nobu Shigsmasa and Shunso. The "ul-
minAtion represented by Kiyonhga comes
next and the period Of Utamaro. Nsishi.
Toyokuni Hokusai receives specinl
chsptsr. though the student will note
that a wave 81 repression from the heated
H"k usai worship Of twsniy-fivs year,
ago has begun to show itself among
critics and connoia~eurs Ths FINAL chap
ter 81 this fasc mating book deals with the
remaining artists Of the nineteenth cen
fury Hokusai died in iSis a. the age
81 ninety
Prof Won Ssidlitz IL not optimistic
concerning tho artistic future OF japan
He writes that since tho opening up -
Japan 80 Europeans and the spread Of
anti-national views the art ~ the country
has entirely rec.,ied and has preserved
only thin thread - purely technical
tradition. II IL not from petrifa ction.
- in China. but owing to tho unfa vorabs
conditions. the dissolution Of tho rela-
tiunship which binds tho artist 10 his
public. that japanese art has persisted.
There was no lack u talent that could
have advanced art just a. we'll in the
eighteenth century, tentative efforts had
made toward new formations. toward
sNt' ndinR the circle 81 representation
aud oy-ning up new modes 81 conception.
The public however. which alone could
have furth such tendencies vas
waning " fbni~hIeb lf%"U WIN ial
actor llkene-s.s and was amused 10y IN
different illustrations. Therefore ~ ~
Coiy.d hs arr that 1, deserved II n
should h. asked whether IL 10 CONCEIVABLE.
that the Japanese will ever again attain
a characteristic and important art on the
ha-l= ~ tho ancient traditions the answer
u would seem must he in the negative
Anrisnt culture and modern civilization
ar" mutually exclusive notions. Japan
has chosen the latter path. and inda.d
Was probably bound To choo~s II II She
did not wish 10 he crushed out Of existence
IN the strife Of the nations. That choice
comp.lle-t her 20 r~nounca her past com
plst"ly. more completely even than
Europe. which has been spared 'ha iron
necessity ~ such abrupt transitions
new Japa nese art would have 10 Ia founded
on an entirely nsw rSthstIc. ons that
could certainly not h. European Cos
has it- drawbacks
This history ~ handsomely adeltIai sly
illustrated m color A. we'll 49, black and
white III" Masterpiece - Japan--a
at ara not missing