tains, clouds, mist, the moon, water,
stones, or other similar objects. This
method has very often been resorted to
by Japanese artists in industrial designs.
The reader is referred to the sword
guard, here reproduced (p. 127), which
was carved by Shigeyoshi Umetada, a
celebrated worker in metals who lived
about the middle of the seventeenth
century. Here in this single piece are
carved views of the three noted rivers,
the Yoshino, the Tasuta, and the Three
Tamagawas. First, the idea of rivers
is suggested by the waves shown at the
top and bottom of the piece, then, on
the right and left sides respectively are
inserted a maple leaf and a cherry
flower. These are meant to indicate
the Yoshino and the Tatsuta, one being
noted for its cherry trees, and the other
for its maples. Then there are repre-
130



BOX WITH **YATSU-HASHI" DESIGN BY KORIN OGATA

( 7'dk) 6 IwfericU Museum)



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SIDE VIEW OF BOX WITH ** YATSU-HASHl' DESIGN

about the early seventeenth century, and who
introduced purely Japanese designs into pottery
in lieu of Chinese and Korean models of which
the keramic wares produced up to then were
imitations. The ornamental nail coverings in
question most fitly disclose the characteristics of
his craft. These porcelain pieces, though uniformly
alike in colouring, display each a different design,
some geometrical figures, some natural objects.
Especially where a mountain, mist, or waves are
represented, the idea of indicating scenery is clearly
seen, a point which adds much to the charm of
such designs. Indeed, this kind of designing has
been for long popularly used in Japanese arts and
crafts.

The examples so far cited, excellent as they are
in their way, cannot be said to represent the
ideal designing which produces the impression of
scenery. There is another kind which more entirely
fulfils the purpose under discussion, since instead
of simply indicating some special scene by means
of some natural object, as in
the cases already considered,
we find a design itself form-
ing a connected scenery.
This is the most noteworthy
point in this style of design-
ing, which, in a word, stands
midway between painting
and decorative art. In de-
signs of this description one
can realise the characteristic
superiority of purely Japanese
conceptions. As examples,
I may first of all call atten-
tion to the so-called Asht'de-
ye^ a generic name for those
designs which are composed



BY k5rIN OGATA



of pictures and calligraphy,
in most cases transcribing
some familiar verses. Since
the poems chosen for such
purposes are usually those
dedicated to natural scenery,
it is generally demanded of
the Ashide-ye that it shall
represent, over and above
its immediate purpose as a
design, the scenery related
to the poem selected. In
Ashide-ye designs, pictures of
natural objects are accom-
panied by native kana letters
and Chinese characters
written fancifully in the form of some object, say,
a stone, a wave, or mist Moreover, these lines
of calligraphy serve the additional purpose of
connecting the pictorial parts. I give here a
specimen of the Ashideye (p. 128), in which both
stones and birds are represented by kana script.
This specific designing was a peculiar product of
the Japanese mind, absolutely no exotic influence
being noticeable.

The Ashide-ye came into vogue about the close
of the tenth century, but it was especially promi-
nent in the succeeding two centuries. It was then
used for the decoration of lacquer ware as well as
for dress patterns. Subsequently it went out of
fashion, but about the sixteenth century it was
revived and became even more popular than in
former times. We should not wonder at this,
because at that time Koetsu loomed upon the
horizon, and he cleverly made use of and greatly
improved upon the already existing Ashide-ye. His
example was followed by the immortal Korin, and



SIDE VIEW OF BOX WITH ** YATSU-HASHI " DESIGN



BY KORIN OGATA



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**MIDAREBAKO" OR TRAY (INSIDE)



BY KENZAN OGATA



Nature Subjects in Japanese Design

borrowed its conception from the
Ashide-ye, Among the host of
ancient masterpieces in lacquer,
few can rival this in grace and
suggestiveness. Tradition erron-
eously alleges this production to
have been brought from China by
the priest Koho-Daishl But on
the face of it this is not a Chinese
work; both in the mode of lac-
quering and in conception it is
wholly Japanese. By consensus
of opinion, this remarkable piece
of work is now accepted as a
Japanese product, of between the
eleventh and the twelfth centuries.
Coming down the later ages,
we find Koetsu, who may be called
the first who adopted Japanese
designs in the industrial arts, had
unusual talent in executing scenic
designs. He turned out a host of
masterpieces both in lacquer and
keramics, but his choice works
extant are mostly lacquer. Among
the Ashide-ye thus developed has been bequeathed these, the one most reputed is the writing case
to the present generation, which still appreciates with Sana-no-Funahashi design (p. 130). It is
it with unabated interest. The Ashide-ye is not, a kind of Ashide-ye^ the whole conception being
of course, the only industrial designing of native based on the famous poem of antiquity on the
origin ; there may be several others,
but none has asserted its influence
on other kinds of design so power-
fully as the Ashide-ye^ because of
its wide and enduring prevalence
as designing of an exceptionally
unique character. In other words,
even those designs which are
devoid of calligraphic ornamenta-
tion have been made to give an
effect similar to that produced by
the Ashide-ye, The lacquered
Karabitsu chest (p. 129), in the
collection of the Kongobu-ji temple
on Mount Koya, is a capital illus-
tration of this. The design thereon
consists of aquatic plants (partly
bathed in mist), flying birds, and
rocks, and is intended to present
a riverside scene. This design
may not be property called Ashide-
yey, because calligraphic elements
are wanting in it, but neverthe-
less the way the plants and stones
are distributed shows that it outside of "MinARE-BAKo" or tray



BY KENZAN OGATA



132



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of old, Yatsu-hashi, in the province of
Mikawa, was famous for its iris flowers.
This place was immortalised by Narihira
Ariwara, who in one of his poems sung
of the beauty of these blossoms. After
him many other poets contributed their
quota of praise until the subject was taken
up by artists, foremost of all by Korin.

Kenzan, the brother of Korin, is yet
another artist who won fame by his
characteristic designs of the purely Jap-
anese type, designs which are similar to,
only more striking than K5rin's. As an
example may be mentioned his masterly
Mldare-bako (p. 132), a sort of large tray
TEA BOWL KTokyo Imperial Museum) BY KENZAN OGATA ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ P"^ ^^^^ garments. Both

inside and out the object is adorned with
pictorial designs exquisitely conceived, the

subjectof the i^//«^i-^j>4/ (Pontoon Bridge) at Sano. one on the inside representing 2, jakago (a cylin-

Here, every word of the verse, excepting the char- drical bamboo basket filled with stones and used

acters for Funorhashi^ is represented by letters, for damming up water) and flying sanderlings.

The ferry-boat and waves are done in gold, and The jakago and waves are rendered in a simple

the pontoon bridge in lead. The letters are so and bold manner by black lines, and the birds

distributed as to cause one to think of scattering with equal audacity in gold. Simple as the con-
flowers, and what }% more, the graceful curves of ception is, it forcibly suggests to our imagination

the letters harmonise cliarmingly with picr

tures so strikingly treated. At least the

conception is altogether out of the ordinary

for the subject itself is exceptional and far

above the hackneyed bird and flower themes,

so affected by common artisans. No doubt

the artist hit upon this happy conception,

thinking that such a suggestive poem might

also be represented in art with equal effect.

He succeeded, and the result of his ,

effort has remained, and will remain, as a

triumph of truly national designing. The

use of lead in gold-lac ware was started by

K5etsu, a very happy device, since the effect

of the contrast in colour of gold and lead is

extremely attractive.

Next to Koetsu, Korin displayed a similar

superiority in his lacquer productions. Of

these the one most worthy of special con-
sideration is a box with a Yatsu-hashi design

(pp. 130, 131), preserved in theTokyo Imperial

Museum. The scene represents an iris pond

with bridges across it. Here on black ground

are executed iris plants in gold with flower

inlaid with green shells, and the bridges,

as in the case of Koetsu's work already

described, are encrusted with lead. Water

is here intentionally omitted, being reserved

^ ... T J PORCELAtN TEA CADDY WITH VIEW OF MOUNT YOSHINO

for the decoration of an mside box. In days by ninsei nomura

133



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LACQUER PAINTINGS ON DOORS



BY ZESHIN SHIBATA



a broad river sceiie. The design on the outside
displays the Susuki (Eularia Japonica) growing at
random, rendered with great delicacy and showing
a remarkable combination of curved lines. Kenzan
was even more adept in keramics than in other
lines of art, and though in this field he followed
Ninsei, he developed qualities distinctly his own.
The accompanying tea-bowl with a Kikyo plant
design (p. 133) is from the collection of the Tokyo
Imperial Museum, and exemplifies his talent in
the line of keramics. In this instance it is his aim
not simply to represent the form of the plant, but
by the addition of a few blades of grass to suggest
a scene in an autumn field.

The masterly examples, so far noted, may be
taken as typical representations of Japanese indus-
trial, designing. A careful study of these specimens
will, I trust, give an insight into the particular
phase of Japanese art treated in this paper. In
this connection, I must again compare Japanese
and Chinese art with regard to the treatment of
nature. Like the Japanese, the Chinese also make
it their aim to represent nature broadly and with
deep sentiment. Landscape is in fact \ki^ forte of
134



the Chinese artist. And it is true that since the
middle ages, Japanese landscape painting has re-
ceived no small influence and inspiration from that
of China ; and this went to such an extent in the
Ashikaga era, that the captivating landscape art of
the classic Yamaio-ye style was well nigh sup-
pressed for the time being by the then dominant
Chinese art. However, after a while a new tide
supervened in favour of the Yamaio-ye^ and in
the end even the landscape works of the Chinese
type became infused with traits more conformable
to the native taste. This fact is often evidenced
by the creations of Tannyu and Morikage. More
than in any other theme, is the Japanese pecu-
liarity (which has no trace of Chinese art) mani-
fested in animal and tree studies. Ancient Chinese
paintings of the same nature, say, those produced
in the Sung and the YGan dynasties or in still
earlier ages, had as their primary end the presen-
tation of formal beauty, and very seldom appeared
in the form of landscapes or suggested any poetic
sentiment. But since the Ming period there have
been produced bird and tree paintings with har-
monizing landscapes. In most cases they represent



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only a comer of a garden, and this very conven-
tionally. After all, Chinese paintings of natural
objects fall below those of Japan in point of sug-
gestiveness. Then Chinese industrial designs,
though they often draw upon landscapes, are alto-
gether too involved, and, in consequence of limited
applicability to such purposes, for the reason that
pictorial designs are used without any modifica-
tion on industrial works. We have yet to come
across Chinese industrial designs which are so
simple in form and so expressive of landscape
effect as those of Japanese invention. However,
there have been many Japanese designs which are
professedly made after the Chinese manner. For
example, here is presented a porcelain tea caddy
designed and made by Ninsei (p. 133). Here the
view of Mount Yoshino, of cherry fame, is executed
as if it were painted on silk. This is unquestion-
ably the Chinese style of designing. It must, how-
ever, be noted that Ninsei, though in this case he
avowedly adopted the Chinese style, brought to
relief, notably in colouring, the graceful qualities of
the native style, for he, as already stated, was the
first to introduce Japanese designs into pottery.
A comparative study of this last example, with
those previously com-
ipented on, will throw
light on the distinction
between Japanese and
Chinese art in the appli-
cation of nature motives.
More might be said on
this point, but what has
been mentioned above is
sufficient for the present
purpose. In spite of the
constant Chinese influence
received, both in pure
and applied arts, the
Japanese fine arts have
fortunately kept their in-
digenous characteristics
intact At least, the pro-
ductions of former genera-
tions freely reveal the
peculiar national superi-
ority in the application of
natural things to art
designing. The illustra-
tive masterpieces repro-
duced in the foregoing
pages are with one excep-
tion, not more than three
hundred years old.



But how about the creations of the present age ?
The contemporary art of Japan, as is known to all,
under the aggressive inroad of Western culture,
is in a rather bewildered, if not chaotic, state. The
artist is at a loss how to conduct himself in such a
confused state of affairs. At present there prevail
two different opinions as to what the coming Japanese
art ought to be ; one conservative, which insists
on having the traditional characteristics retained at
all costs ; the other progressive, which advocates
the adoption of a style abreast of the times against
all odds. These two opinions are ever conflicting,
with the result that contemporary productions are
either excessively hackneyed, or equally excessively
novel. While art should adapt itself to the
changed conditions of the age, at the same time it
should not do away with its historic characteristics
developed in the course of centuries. To change
such characteristics is inadvisable, and perhaps
impossible. Even in the productions of the present
age, it is found that those of superior order are
designed in conformity with old-established usage.
For instance, look at the accompanying lacquer
paintings executed by Zeshin Shibata (d. 1892)
on a pair of doors (p. 134). Here we see scattered



TABLE-CLOTH FROM THE LOOM OF MR. JIMBBI KAWASHIMA



13s



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fans, decorated, some with geometrical designs,
some with animals and plants, some with land-
scapes. In the last kind of designing the artist
was decidedly in his element, and unlike some of
the present-day artists, he strove to give more than
a repetition of old models. The design on
one of the fans showing a group of birds flying
over waves, is the most successful of all because of
its being peculiarly national in idea. The special
mode of painting waves adopted here is what is
known as Seigaiha^ a style of lacquering which
once became a lost art, but which was revived by
Zeshin. Another example here shown is a table-
cloth of the Gobelin type, a recent work from the
loom of Mr. Jimbei Kawashima (p. 135). This
is of course intended to decorate a foreign house,
and though it cannot be called a masterpiece,
it at least deserves notice for its design, essentially
Japanese in character.

To summarise : the
Japanese fine arts are
possessed of the most
distinguished character-
istics in the treatment
of objects of nature. Not
content with merely re-
presenting them in all
their beauties of form
and colour, the Japanese
artist treats them as
component parts of a
landscape, and thereby
suggests something be-
yond what appeals to
the eye. Then, in re-
presenting nature as
scenery, Japanese artists
follow both in painting
and industrial designing,
a method different from
that practised by Chinese
artists.

Before closing this ar-
ticle, I must say a few
words on the Ukiyo-ye,
in reference to my argu-
ment. Though most
popular with Westerners,
the Ukiyo-ye, with few
exceptions, is lacking in
suggestiveness, excelling
only in beauty of form
and colour. It runs too
much to a display of
136



technical details and can never be looked upon asi
the flower of Japanese art. Generally speaking,
the art of Japan lays most stress on the sentiment
of the whole ^ and consequently makes much of
economy of strokes, or omission of details. This-
fact has brought on Japanese pictures the criticism
that they are too careless and slovenly in the repre-
sentation of form. But after all, that singular scenic
effect of Japanese works of art based on nature
subjects is the outcome of the importance attached
to the expression of the sentiment of the whole.



R



ECENT DESIGNS IN DOMES-
TIC ARCHITECTURE.



Ardenrun Placf, in Surrey, of which,
we give two illustrations, reproduced from drawings-
which were shown at the last Royal Academy
exhibition, is a structure erected from the designs



ARDENRUN PLACE, SURREY: THE GARDEN FRONT. EKNIST NEWTON, ARCHITECT"



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9>




ERNEST NEWTON, F.R.I.B.A., architect.



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of Mr. Ernest Newton, F.R.I.B.A. It is situated
between Lingfield and Godstone on ground gently
sloping to the south, and is built of Chichester
clamp bricks and Portland stone, with bright red
Wrolham bricks round the windows, deep red
Wrotham tiles being used for the roof. The
principal and central feature of the entrance front,
which faces north, is the car\^ed stone porch shown
in the accompanying coloured illustration. On
the south side the central
feature is a semicircular
portico with Ionic columns,
which also serves as a
balcony to a sitting- room
above. In other respects




the north and south elevations are nearly identical.
A flat portion of the roof, shown in the coloured
illustration, is enclosed by a wooden balustrade to
form a balcony. The garden is laid out in a
series of terraces connected by wide flights of
stone steps placed axially with the house and
terminating in a fan-shaped plantation with radial
grass paths. Internally, the central portion of
the south front is occupied by a hall furnished with
panels of tapestry framed in oak, and communi-
cating by a wide corridor with the front entrance.
The dming-room and drawing-room on the same
side are both panelled in wood to the ceiling, and
on the north side the billiard-room has large
tapestry panels framed in deal painted white.
The ground floor also con-
tains a smoking-room, lava-
tory, and the usual suite of
domestic offices, which form
a one story wing. The first
floor contains a sitting-room,
eight bed and dressing-rooms,
bath-rooms, etc., and there
are eight bed-rooms in the
attic story. The general con-
tractors for the building
were Messrs. Trollope &



I'LAN AND PERSrECTlVE OK PROTOSED HOUSE AT HAMPSTEAD



R. F. JOHNSTON, ARCHITECT



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Sons; Mr. Bankart supplied the lead rain-water
heads ; the stone carving was done by Messrs.
Aumonier, who also carved the lime-tree panels of
the staircase. Mr. Shirley was responsible for the
iron balconies.

The house of which an illustration is given on
page 139 has been designed by Mr. Robert F.
Johnston, of Gray's Inn, for erection on the
Meadway at Hampstead. The house is being
built of small red bricks, tiles of a darker shade
being used for the roof; while all exterior wood-
work will be painted white. All the floors are
being laid on solid concrete foundations, and a
special feature has been made of the chimneys
The house is T-shaped in plan, its principal eleva-
tion facing south. On the north side, directly
accessible from the drawing-room (21 feet by
16 feet), and not overlooked by the domestic
quarters, are a tennis lawn and garden. The
dining-room (18 feet by 16 feet) is to have its
walls panelled in dark oak, and beams of the
same are to be used for the ceiling. The floor
above, approached by a spacious staircase, contains
four bedrooms and one for servants (reached



by separate stairs), and both floors will have ample
lavatory accommodation and other conveniences.

The music-room and library of the Mount,
Compton, Wolverhampton, of which two illustra-
tions are given, was designed by the recently
deceased architect, Mr. E. A. Ould, F.R.I.B.A.,
of the firm of Messrs. Grayson & Ould, Liverpool.
The work, just completed, has been carried out
in the most satisfactory manner by Mr. James
Parkinson, architectural wood-worker of Liverpool.
Refinement and distinction, reminiscent of the
stately halls of Tudor times, characterises this and
similar interiors designed by Mr. Ould; another
example being that of the music-room at Thornton
Manor, Cheshire, for Mr. W. H. Lever, M.P.
Mr. Ould has left an indelible mark of his
distinctive quality of design upon the picturesque
architecture oi the unique villages of Port Sunlight
and Thornton Hough, Cheshire, where his
cottages, schools and other buildings form a
numerous group scattered over these estates. Mr.
Ould filled the office of President of the Liver-
pool Architectural Society, and in that capacity
gave several scholarly addresses. As an author



MUSIC ROOM AND LIBRARY AT THE MOUNT, COMPTON, WOLVERHAMPTON
140



DESIGNED BY E. A. OULD, F.R.I.B.A.



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STUDIO-TALK. '
(From Our Own Correspondents,)



L



MUSIC ROOM AND LIBRARY AT THE MOUNT, COMPTON, WOLVER-
HAMPTON DESIGNED BY E. A. OULD, F.R.I.B.A.



he produced, in conjunction with Mr. James
Parkinson, a volume dealing with old cottages and
farmhouses and other half-timbered buildings in
Shropshire, Herefordshire
and Cheshire, his notes
showing a very intimate
acquaintance with the con-
structive details of these
fine old buildings.



ONDON.— The National Loan
Exhibition at the Grafton
Galleries, which was formally
opened on October the yih,
the Duke of Abercorn presiding, is an
event of great historic importance in
the annals of art, not only because of
the aim which its organisers have in
view, viz., to raise a fund for securing
the acquisition of works of art for the
national collections, but also because
the collection brought together includes
more really great masterpieces than
have ever been temporarily brought to-
gether in this country or perhaps in
any country. Mr. Lewis Harcourt, the
First Commissioner of Works, an-
nounced the intention of the Govern-
ment to enlarge the area within which
art treasures should be exempt from
death duties. It is hoped by this to
do something to arrest the drain upon
our national and private collections
through works going abroad. The
Right Hon. A. J. Balfour in his speech
impressed upon the public the necessity
of doing something by the patronage of
this exhibition towards providing those funds
which must be forthcoming if Britain is to retain
its present position as the greatest repository of



Mr. Banister Fletcher,
F.R.I.B.A., is delivering a
course of twenty-four Uni-
versity Extension lectures
on Ancient Architecture,
at the British Museum, on
Tuesday afternoons. The
lectures deal with Egyptian,
Assyrian, Persian, Greek,
Roman, Early Christian and
Byzantine Architecture, and
are fully illustrated with
lantern slides and photo-
graphs.



'PICQUIGNY SUR SOMME" BY FRED MILNER, R.B.A.

(RoycU Society of British Artists, See /. 145)

141



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later development of
Western art; but so far
no really representative
exhibition of its remark-
able productions has been
seen in these parts, and
even in Japyan some of