The New York herald., 1921-02-07
Rare japanese
Color Prints by
Masters Showr1

The important collection of Japanese
color prints belonging to Carl Schraub-
stadter, now on public view in the gal
leries of the American Art Association.
will prove OF great interest to serious
collectors, besides providing much ar
tistic entertainment to the public at
large. AS works or art these prints,
since the days OF Rosetti and Whistler.
have had an enormous influence upon
the work of Western painters. and they
also provide q sure source OF informa-
ton in regard to the habits and ideals Of
a nation that is now more than ever be-
ing studied by us.
All the great Japanese masters of the
art of color printing are represented and
very often by examples o. peculiar in
terest. Mr.. Schraubstadter has been a
great traveller as well as a grSat col
lector and has added to his print oollec-
ton in all ports OF the world, even buy
ing personally in the Toxic auctions,
where the purchaser attends formally In
the capacity of one of the auctioneer's s
guests. He has been enabled In this
way to obtain many Impressions that
seldom appear in the local auctions and
are known only 10 the travelled col
lector.
Some OF these raritles may o~ cited,
although without any pretence at rating
them in the order Of their Importance.
For instance, there is the "Echigoya
Emporium on Suruga Street." by the
famous Kiyonaga. This is not only one
of the largest Japanese color prints that
we're ever made and the only known
example of commercial work by Kiyo-
naga, but II shows his astonishing
knowledge OF perspective and skill In
landscape. BY Kiyon9ga there also is n
diptych. I'm the Riverside Tea House,"
showing a characteristic entertainment
by geishas, q "Sanna Procession" and an
interesting stage scene, with actors and
musicians.
BY Toyokuni there Is the ''Kaomlse," !"
a picture Of the annual performance In
Toxic of the star actors, an occasion
when the new actors also are introduced.
There is unusual animation in the au-
dience and much humorous observation
OF character. The picture is a double
triptych. the only Japanese color print
known that Is in six sheets and shows
both the interior and the exterior of the
theatre. A curious feature Is that the
interior is drawn in European perspec-
tive. while the exterior follows the
Oriental lines.
An imposing group by Utamaro in
cIudes the "Brocade Portrait" a print
that was greatly admired by Aubrey
Beardsley. The face OF the young
beauty, who admires herself in her
gorgeous new robe Is outlined In pink.
but there are no other outlines. The
impression lacks the large scroll that
appears In most copies and Is supposed
to be preliminary proof. There also is
utamaros pentatych. House Cleaning"
which Is seldom seen complete. and his
"Taiko and His Favorites," which latter
is said 10 have caused the imprisonment
and ultimate ruin of the artist though
why the Government took offence at the
caricaturish treatment of O ruler who
was no longer in power is not known.
OF the actor portraits now 90 much
I'm request there are groups OF portrait
prints by Sharaku, Toyokuni, Shunsho,
Kunisada and Shunko. Two OF the Ia
nous series OF PRINTS devoted by Ho-
kusai 10 the Imagery OF the Poets are
included. and there is a very Interesting
modern print by Kimbei copied from the
kakamono painting by Hokusai called
the "Awabi Diver"
The primltives arc more fully repre-
eented In Mr. Schraubstadter's collec-
ton than In most recent dispersals OF
prints. and they are counter balanced
by an unusual set Of modernstic impress
sions. Some of these betray the Euro
pean influence upon the japanese artists
10 a marked degree. and one OF them
even gives n dramatic glimpee OF mod
ern steel steamship at sea. Among the
other masteps who are plentifully rep
resented are Harunobu, Hiroshige. Ma
sonobu Moronobu. Hokkei. Eisen, Ko-
riusai and Shunoho. The sale VIII take