DOI Heft:
Studio-Talk
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43455#0267
Studio-Talk
It was now Okyo’s turn to perform a feat. He
gave lessons to his pupils as usual, but he spent
every available minute in his private atelier, where
he shut himself up until late every night. All his
monjin thought' their master was engaged in pro-
ducing some great work. The wrestler called on
Okyo after about a fortnight, but the work was not
yet finished. Tanikaze was disappointed like this
three or four times. Finally, at the end of two
months, the wrestler came to receive the picture as
he was going away on an extended tour. But the
picture was not yet ready, and Okyo begged him to
wait until his return, for he would do his utmost to
complete it before then. The wrestler went away
and Okyo set himself to work harder than ever.
Sometimes he sat up all night, and worried his
monjin, lest his health should be impaired. Another
month passed and still another before he completed
his picture. _
After an absence of over two months, Tanikaze
returned and called on the artist at Maruyama.
“ I have come here to-day for the last time,” said
the wrestler. “ It is now more than four months
since I showed you the extent of my strength. If
you cannot show me your work to-day, I think it is
but fair to consider myself the winner of this contest.
I came here to-day prepared to take the rock back
to the mountain.” _
“You are spared from that task : I have finished
the work,” returned Okyo with a smile. His
manner, though humble, betrayed his confidence in
the work he had accomplished after so many months
of hard labour. Okyo fetched a roll of silk and
presented it to Tanikaze, who received it with both
hands, his eyes sparkling with expectation. He
slowly unrolled the silk seven feet long. As he did
so, his tension relaxed, a shadow of disappointment
crept over his face, then doubt overcame him.
“ Has this taken you four months to paint ? Does
this represent your greatest skill ? ” he asked of
Okyo. The wrestler was at a loss to understand.
His query was not without reason, for the artist had
merely drawn a stringed bow in its actual size and
nothing more._
“ This,” calmly explained Okyo, “ is a picture
of the bow you received from the Emperor when
you had the honour of wrestling in the palace
grounds a few months ago. The greatest achieve-
ment in it is in the drawing of this cord. To
A PAIR OF SCREENS
252
( Owned by S. Nishimura, Esq., Kyoto)
BY MARUYAMA OKYO
It was now Okyo’s turn to perform a feat. He
gave lessons to his pupils as usual, but he spent
every available minute in his private atelier, where
he shut himself up until late every night. All his
monjin thought' their master was engaged in pro-
ducing some great work. The wrestler called on
Okyo after about a fortnight, but the work was not
yet finished. Tanikaze was disappointed like this
three or four times. Finally, at the end of two
months, the wrestler came to receive the picture as
he was going away on an extended tour. But the
picture was not yet ready, and Okyo begged him to
wait until his return, for he would do his utmost to
complete it before then. The wrestler went away
and Okyo set himself to work harder than ever.
Sometimes he sat up all night, and worried his
monjin, lest his health should be impaired. Another
month passed and still another before he completed
his picture. _
After an absence of over two months, Tanikaze
returned and called on the artist at Maruyama.
“ I have come here to-day for the last time,” said
the wrestler. “ It is now more than four months
since I showed you the extent of my strength. If
you cannot show me your work to-day, I think it is
but fair to consider myself the winner of this contest.
I came here to-day prepared to take the rock back
to the mountain.” _
“You are spared from that task : I have finished
the work,” returned Okyo with a smile. His
manner, though humble, betrayed his confidence in
the work he had accomplished after so many months
of hard labour. Okyo fetched a roll of silk and
presented it to Tanikaze, who received it with both
hands, his eyes sparkling with expectation. He
slowly unrolled the silk seven feet long. As he did
so, his tension relaxed, a shadow of disappointment
crept over his face, then doubt overcame him.
“ Has this taken you four months to paint ? Does
this represent your greatest skill ? ” he asked of
Okyo. The wrestler was at a loss to understand.
His query was not without reason, for the artist had
merely drawn a stringed bow in its actual size and
nothing more._
“ This,” calmly explained Okyo, “ is a picture
of the bow you received from the Emperor when
you had the honour of wrestling in the palace
grounds a few months ago. The greatest achieve-
ment in it is in the drawing of this cord. To
A PAIR OF SCREENS
252
( Owned by S. Nishimura, Esq., Kyoto)
BY MARUYAMA OKYO