The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-12
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world is a constantly increasing ad-
miration for japanese art. especially
as expressed thru prints
The greatest sale of Japanese prints
in the history of America was that
held at DeIpaonico's in New York CITY
during the month of January. 1921.
The sale was conducted by the Wal
pole Galleries. The record price PAID
was $3.50 for diptych by Kiyonaga
| Another print by Kiponaga, sold 1or
10000. The total amount realized
from the sale of 692 prints was VIZ
I775.OO, making an average Of $4,000
per print.
The collection represented thirty
wears work of a. prominent French art
| connoisseur whose name was not DIS
closed.
/ The finest collection of Japanese
prints in the United States II not In
the entire world, is owned by a citizen
of Boston.
| 1t was an American, Ernest F. Fen.
ollosa of Boston, who first brousht
the "uhiyo-ye" or japanese wood
block print, to the appreciation of the
western world, and indeed, TO the
japanese themselves.
| Fenollosa, a distinguished Harvard
graduate and the winner or traVel-
| ling scholarship from that institution,
accepted about the year 1876. the
|
ence in the University of Tokyo, ana
a little later was made Imperial Com
missioner of Fine Arts.
| 1t is said that the cultured Japanese
of that period were impressed with
| the pre-eminence of European ART ana
looked upon their native art as cruoe
and barbaric. Fenollosa thought other
WISE and strove to impress the Jap
anese with the true beauty and excel
/ lence of their national style. He en-
deavored to show them that the hum
| BILE block print that they affected TO
despise, constituted a true grammar OF
| art, and. generally speaking, was an
example of color harmony of which
any nation should be proud. Even
tually he succeeded.
Soon, Japanese art expressed thru
prints and otherwise, began to De
studied and appreciated by the wesf-
ern world, and it's cause was warmly
| espoused by Whistler and others of
| equal importance. Since that time It's
popularity has steadily increased.
| For many years the Japanese artists
! endeavored to break loose from the
| traditions and methods of their IA
tional style, and studied European art
exclusively. Now there seems to be
change They have come to look upon
their native art with proper pride and
| appreciation, many of them painting
| in the native style with just enough of
occidental knowledge injected to cor
rect the weaknesses and errors OF the
ancient school, caused by the pro-
vincialis1n and isolation of the older
Japanese masters.
| Mrs Charles Hoyt, of New York
| City, who was until a few months ago,
! Miss Maym Parson of Topeka, and
most promising student of the Wash
burn college fine arts department, is
| now studying with the Students Art
| league of New York, and has for in
| structors, some of the best known
| illustrators and artists of the United
| States, including Morgan, who draws
| for the Saturday Evening Post. 1t is
\ said that Mrs. Hoyt's work is receiv-
| ing much encouraging notice from her
| teachers and fellow students.
About six years ago some fantastic
but strangely beautiful drawings were
put on exhibition at the Kansas Free
| Fair by a 12-year-old girl named Vir-
GINA Frances Sterrett.
| The drawings attracted the attention
| of Albert r. Reid and George NJ. Stone,
| both of whom recognizing her prom
Using talent, did all in their power to
help and encourage her. But so
| strongly original were her ideas and
her way of expressing them. that their
practical instruction, according to the
accepted canons of art, were of little
heip to her.
! She alleged that pictures came to
her as visions, that she drew and
painted exactly what her mind saw,
| and could not do otherwise. All that
| instruction could do for her was to
supply certain hints and suggestions
| which gave greater facility of express
| sion. Later Miss Sterrett was enabled
! to study at the Chicago Art Institute.
She now lives in st. Louis and re-
Gently Miss Marie Witwer, of the
What-Not Shop, received letter from
/ the young 1ady's aunt, which letter
was accompanied by a copy of book
entitled "Old French Fairy Tales" by
! Countess de Segur, and illustrated by
| Virginia Frances Sterrett.
| The book is beautiful volume
about nine by twelve inches and two
and half inches thick, richly bound
and handsomely illustrated with nu-
merous co1ored, full page plates and
many small black and white cuts and
head and tail pieces.
| The pictures are finely adapted to
the handsome book they adorn. The
| publishers are the Penn Publishing
company of Philadelphia.
The letter stated that Miss Sterrett
] is now working on a set of illustra-
lions for an edition of Hawthorne's
Tanglewood Tales for the Penn Pub
| fishing company, and that this concern
| has more than years supply of work
| laid out for Miss Sterrett.
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