New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-27

thor's sudden death in London four
years ago rendered impossible. But
Mrs. Fenollosa, with the aid of Japan
| csc artists and scholars who had been
associated with her husband, has
given to his notes form so convinc-
ing that as one reads these enchant-
ing pages ii seems almost incredible
that the man who projected them did
not make them ready for the press.
1t is a superb book, for which Fenol-
losa. and his wife, too, will long be
held in honor.
In the preface we are told something
of the life and personality of Ernest
Fenollosa, and we make no apology for
few brief notes on his career. He
was the son Of a Spanish musician,
and was born in Salem. Mass.
There he was educated until he was
ready TO enter Harvard where he
made rapid progress, especially in
philosophy. Incidentally, he interested
himself in artistic matters, and when
in the 70s he was appointed a
professor in the University of Toxic
he was strongly attracted by japanese
art. The people of Japan were at that
time disposed to sacrifice their native
traditions to foreign influences. Fen
ollosa was stirred to RECALL them to
their true gods, and as time went on
his activities i'm this direction took on
a high importance. When in 1890 he
was invited 10 become curator of the
newly established department Of ORR
entail art I'm the Boston Museum, and
decided TO accept, the Emperor Of
Japan bestowed upon him one Of the
most treasured orders of the country,
the order of the Sacred Mirror, and
in bidding him farewell before all his
Courticrs the ruler said, You have
taught my people TO know their own
art. in going back to your great coun-
try, / charge you, teach them also"
As Mrs. FenOllOsa shows us, the life
of this enthusiast was dedicated TO the
elucidation OF the history Of ORR
entail art He Journeyed to and fro
between the East and the West, writ
ing and lecturng, and, we may add,
ever learning. In this book it was
his purpose TO pour forth all his ardor
and all his wisdom to the end that
Chinese and japanese art might be
the better understood. II was but
fitting tribute that the Japanese gov
eminent paid to his memory when 1t
saw to the removal Of his ashes from
London to a permanent resting place
in the temple grounds Of Miidera.
OF the closely analytical history
which he set forth in his magnum
opus il is impossible to give in this
place even the baldest summary The
subject is immense. Traversed from
antiquity down to modern times 1t en-
braces tracts so large, and windings
10 and fro so endlessly complicated,
that as we follow the historian we
think OF nothing SO much as OF some
vast Jungle From time TO time we
are on the high road and then we
are almost inextricably entangled in
a thorny thicket But Fenollosa's
path, If difficult, is sure, since he
traces it in the light Of certain I'M
changing principles. For one thing,
he throws overheard the conventional
mode of studying Oriental art from the
point OF view of technique rather than
from that of aesthetic motives, and
furthermore he rightly insists upon
studying the subject in the East as
he would study 1t In the West, as a
subject deep rooted in civilization
History-political, social, philosophical
and religious-is his constant resource.
He is always telling us not simply
how his artists drew or modelled, but
how they felt and thought. When he
treats of masterpiece like the great
wooden image Of Kwannon in the nun
merry Of Chuguji he deals with ii as
"a pure bit OF spiritual Interpretation"
We find much in this book on ques-
tons OF style, on the influences which
have entered the Orient, crossing and
recrossing the field of native inspira-
ton, but it is to the latter that our at