International studio (51.1913/1914)

Art School Notes

received by far the highest bid at the sales—105,000
yen (^10,500), and it is understood that they have
been presented to the temple. An autograph poem
by Saigyo, a famous priest of old, another famous
autograph poem by Ogura, an historic small tea
jar with a romantic name and a small bronze water-
jar once in the Imperial use, brought enormous
prices. Maruyama Okyo’s Music and the Moon,
a kakemono of ordinary size, fetched more than
^1000, and there was some good work from the
brushes of Sesshu, Cho-densu, Shubun, Rosetsu,
Kokei and other Japanese artists of note, as
well as some excellent paintings by old Chinese
masters, such as Shen Nan-P’in, Chiang Chia-Pu,
Pien Ching-Chao, among others. It was generally
conceded, however, that the authenticity of some
of the paintings sold in this sale (which only com-
prised a part of the treasures of the temple) would
have been doubted had they been displayed else-
where, and also that religious sentiment rather
than the intrinsic value of the works had a good
deal to do with the heavy bidding.

The Lord-Abbot of the Nishi Hongwanji, who
has just retired from the active control of the affairs
of the temple, is an enterprising man of great
calibre. He is said to have lost heavily in specula-
tion, and having got into debt was obliged to sell
his treasures. He contributed large sums towards
an expedition to Thibet, for the purpose of ascertain-
ing, if possible, the exact relation of the old
Buddhism of that country to that of Japan, and a
large number of pieces of fresco, earthen sculpture,
paintings on silk, textile fabrics, and other interest-
ing bits, brought back from there about a year ago,
are now at Nirakuso, his former residence, high
upon Rokkozan, overlooking Osaka Bay, which has
been turned into a sort of museum.
Harada Jiro.
ART SCHOOL NOTES.
LONDON.—The London County Council
offers three prizes, one of ^10 and two of
^5 each, for drawings of buildings or
-J artistic objects in museums, and especially
the South Kensington Museum and the British
Museum. The competition is open to students in
art schools or technical institutes maintained or
aided by the Council and to holders of the Council’s
full-time art scholarships, but they must be resident
in the County of London. The competition closes
on Saturday, November 8, and full particulars and
forms of application can be obtained from the
84

Council’s Education Offices, Victoria Embank-
ment, W.C. _
At the Council’s Central School of Arts and
Crafts, Southampton Row, a well-arranged exhi-
bition of students’ work was held last month. The
various departments of craft work carried on at the
school were represented, of especial interest being
the numerous exhibits concerned with book pro-
duction, writing and illuminating, lithography and
etching. In connection with these subjects a course
of seventeen lectures is to be given at the school on
Wednesday evenings beginning on January 14 by
recognised authorities such as Mr. Strange, Mr. A.
M. Hind, Mr. Herbert, Mr. E. B. Havell, Prof.
Arnold and others.

Two interesting series of lectures by Mr. Kaines
Smith, M.A., are announced to be given in London
during the present and ensuing months, in connec-
tion with the London University Extension move-
ment. One series, to be given at the British
Museum on Tuesdays, is on “Greek Art and
National Life,” the aim being to show the close
bond that exists between the artist and his times;
the other series will be given at the Victoria and
Albert Museum on Thursdays on “The Nature of
Beauty,” the aim in this case being to analyse and
define the constituent elements of various accepted
standards of beauty in the arts. Both series will be
illustrated by means of lantern slides. The Hon.
Secretary for these lecture courses is Miss C.
Gaudet, 120 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea.
The President of the Board of Education has
appointed Sir Frank Short, R.A., P.R.E., to be
Professor (supernumerary) of Etching and En-
graving in the Royal College of Art.
REVIEWS AND NOTICES.
Heraldry for Craftsmen and Designers. By
W. H. St. John Hope, Litt.D., D.C.L. (London :
John Hogg.) 75. 6V net.—The learned author of
this latest addition to the “ Artistic Crafts ” Series
of Technical Handbooks—a very excellent series
which we can heartily commend to designers and
craftsmen—deplores the imperfect understanding
of the true principles of ancient heraldry displayed
in their works by so many artists and craftsmen of
every degree. “Year after year,’ he says, “in
paintings and sculpture at the Royal Academy and
other exhibitions, in the architecture and decora-
tions of our churches and public buildings, on