International studio (42.1910)

Japanese Art and Artists of To-day.—IV. Wood and Ivory Carving

engrained in their taste and saturated in their Japanese find and appreciate the subtle artistic
character. beauty.

Let us note one or two facts in this connection The history of the nation is full of incidents
before proceeding to give an account of the carrying their own artistic suggestions. Every child
evolution of this artistic talent along one of its in Japan goes wild with delight over the story
many channels, namely, wood and ivory carving. of the Forty-Seven Romins, who endured every-
Take, for example, the Spirit of Yamato, " the thing in order to carry out the wish of their feudal
Soul of Japan," which, beginning first as the glory lord, and who, when the deed was done, all knelt
of the elite, became in time the aspiration and before his tombstone and committed seppuku.
inspiration of the nation, and permeated the veins The love, the faithfulness and devotion to their
of every true Japanese. It is claimed, among master, the beautiful and simple manner in which
others by Dr. Nitobe, that " few ethical systems they faced their end, with a smile, a readiness,
are better entitled to the rank of religion than even as that of the cherry blossom—an intensely
Bushido," if religion is no more than " morality artistic touch—captivate the Japanese mind,
touched by emotion," as Matthew Arnold defines Someone has observed that in Japan the sense
it. This spirit, called by the Japanese " Yamato of sight for beauty is developed to a much greater
damashii," the life of Bushido, is likened to extent than the other senses, the "common''

" Scenting morn's sunlit air, sense not excluded. As a race we seem to enjoy

(Which) blows the cherry wild and fair." the subtle beauty in forms, colour, and effect to a

For ages the cherry
blossom has been the
favourite object of our
people and the emblem
of our national character.
Thousands from far and
near have journeyed to
out-of-the-way Yoshino
and other spots every
year to see the cherry in
blossom—a bloom that
rarely lasts twenty-four
hours. Surely it must be
strange to Western people
to find, not only artists
and men of letters, but
common labourers and
peasants as well, going
into ecstasy over this
flower, so that " their
limbs forget their toil and
moil, and their hearts
their pangs and sorrows."
The simplicity, refine-
ment, grace and beauty
of this blossom appeal to
our aesthetic sense as no
other flower could. It
carries no thorn like the
rose, nor does it show the
rose's tenacity to cling to
life as though afraid to
die. It is ever ready to
depart at the call of

nature, and herein the ivory carving: "noon-day rest" by yoshida homei