DOI Heft:
No. 189 (November, 1912)
DOI Artikel:P., C. M.: The house beautiful of Japan
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43451#0380
The House Beautiful of Japan
A DETAIL OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN
AT TUXEDO PARK, N. Y.
a bit of cloisonne may grace a simple teak-wood
stand. The windows are treated with semi-
opaque paper and light teak lattice, obscuring
any jarring note from outside. On a wall of soft
gray or dull gold, delicately decorated with grace-
ful flowers or charming landscape, what need of
picture? On a wall not treated thus, let there
be one beautiful print, or a rare kakemono. If
there is a large collection of porcelains, ivories or
bronzes, the Japanese does
not tire himself and his
friends of them by keeping
the entire collection con-
stantly in view. All but
one or two are put away
behind invisible sliding
doors in the wall, or in the
many compartments of a
closed cabinet and taken
out only for those who may
appreciate.
The interior illustrated,
one of many in a house at
Tuxedo Park recently dec-
orated by a Japanese firm,
well known for its taste,
the simplicity and adequacy
of the treatment is worthy
of serious study. The wood¬
work, simple and free of
meaningless mouldings, is of
natural mahogany. The
walls are of a curious neutral
tint, somewhere in a chro-
matic value between gray
and tan, while the panels of
the ceiling are again in a
neutral between green and
tan, painted with dull brown
patterns? The walls are deli-
cately1 decorated, and the
doors do not disturb the
quiet harmony of the room,
being treated in a manner
similar to the walls, and in
the same coldrings.
Such interiors make the
instant impression that is
felt at the sight of any work
of art. Here is the tangible
evidence of the hand of a
master-decorator—and who
in the history of the civilized
world have proved them-
selves in any measure equal to the Japanese in
this art?
Everything the Japanese touches he beautifies
—in no case has his handiwork been superficial,
vulgar or stupid—and in these three detrimental
particulars many other schools have been con-
spicuous. And that all things Japanese have
this quality of refined and delicate beauty is
traceable not to any studied effort on the part of
DESIGNED BY
s. MORI
A DETAIL OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN
AT TUXEDO PARK, N. Y.
DESIGNED BY
S. MORI
XVI
A DETAIL OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN
AT TUXEDO PARK, N. Y.
a bit of cloisonne may grace a simple teak-wood
stand. The windows are treated with semi-
opaque paper and light teak lattice, obscuring
any jarring note from outside. On a wall of soft
gray or dull gold, delicately decorated with grace-
ful flowers or charming landscape, what need of
picture? On a wall not treated thus, let there
be one beautiful print, or a rare kakemono. If
there is a large collection of porcelains, ivories or
bronzes, the Japanese does
not tire himself and his
friends of them by keeping
the entire collection con-
stantly in view. All but
one or two are put away
behind invisible sliding
doors in the wall, or in the
many compartments of a
closed cabinet and taken
out only for those who may
appreciate.
The interior illustrated,
one of many in a house at
Tuxedo Park recently dec-
orated by a Japanese firm,
well known for its taste,
the simplicity and adequacy
of the treatment is worthy
of serious study. The wood¬
work, simple and free of
meaningless mouldings, is of
natural mahogany. The
walls are of a curious neutral
tint, somewhere in a chro-
matic value between gray
and tan, while the panels of
the ceiling are again in a
neutral between green and
tan, painted with dull brown
patterns? The walls are deli-
cately1 decorated, and the
doors do not disturb the
quiet harmony of the room,
being treated in a manner
similar to the walls, and in
the same coldrings.
Such interiors make the
instant impression that is
felt at the sight of any work
of art. Here is the tangible
evidence of the hand of a
master-decorator—and who
in the history of the civilized
world have proved them-
selves in any measure equal to the Japanese in
this art?
Everything the Japanese touches he beautifies
—in no case has his handiwork been superficial,
vulgar or stupid—and in these three detrimental
particulars many other schools have been con-
spicuous. And that all things Japanese have
this quality of refined and delicate beauty is
traceable not to any studied effort on the part of
DESIGNED BY
s. MORI
A DETAIL OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN
AT TUXEDO PARK, N. Y.
DESIGNED BY
S. MORI
XVI