DOI Heft:
No. 14 (May, 1894)
DOI Artikel:Dillon, Frank: Studies by Japanese artists
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17190#0049
Studies by Japanese Artists
lives, and rendered them in this respect worthy excelled, it would be well to point out briefly the
to rank with the most cultured nations of the qualities which elevate their work to a rank to
world. which the subjects treated seem hardly to lay
The encouragement accorded to the native claim. Their treatment of birds and flowers and
artists who flourished under the Shoguns can the smaller forms of animal life, bears evidence of
hardly continue to subsist under a centralised a close observation of their habits and character-
Government which occupies itself with well-meant istics, so that the naturalist as well as the student in
endeavours to emulate the civilisation of the West; art may derive instruction from an attentive study
and the pursuit of art, always somewhat restricted of their works.
by conventional rules, will, it is to be feared, give It is worthy of remark that the Chinese influence
way under the strain to which it is subjected. The so clearly traceable in their more finished composi-
" CHERRY BLOSSOMS '
fragile materials employed in the construction of
Japanese buildings, and the frequent and destruc-
tive fires which occur, naturally tend to render
still more valuable the works which yet remain ■ and
it is much to be desired that some record should
be preserved of many fine specimens of native art
which adorn the Temples. These structures, built
almost entirely of wood, are now often removed to
make way for erections of a debased and mongrel
style in accordance with the growing taste for
foreign designs, a preference that is unfortunately
weaning the people from a reverence for their past
history. As it is in landscape and its subordinate
branches that the artists of Japan have most
36
REDUCED FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING
tions even at the present day, is less apparent in
the careful studies from Nature from which the
present examples are selected. Greatly as the
artists of Japan are indebted to the Chinese for
much that is admirable in their work, in adopting
as their highest standard the maxims of a people
bound down by conventional rules, their energies
have been cramped, and an unbiassed criticism of
their works leads to the conclusion that the art of
Japan has never yet reached its full development.
Simplicity and reticence are apparent in all the
best specimens of Japanese art. No redundant
lines are allowed to interfere with the desired
result, while the appearance of relief is conveyed
lives, and rendered them in this respect worthy excelled, it would be well to point out briefly the
to rank with the most cultured nations of the qualities which elevate their work to a rank to
world. which the subjects treated seem hardly to lay
The encouragement accorded to the native claim. Their treatment of birds and flowers and
artists who flourished under the Shoguns can the smaller forms of animal life, bears evidence of
hardly continue to subsist under a centralised a close observation of their habits and character-
Government which occupies itself with well-meant istics, so that the naturalist as well as the student in
endeavours to emulate the civilisation of the West; art may derive instruction from an attentive study
and the pursuit of art, always somewhat restricted of their works.
by conventional rules, will, it is to be feared, give It is worthy of remark that the Chinese influence
way under the strain to which it is subjected. The so clearly traceable in their more finished composi-
" CHERRY BLOSSOMS '
fragile materials employed in the construction of
Japanese buildings, and the frequent and destruc-
tive fires which occur, naturally tend to render
still more valuable the works which yet remain ■ and
it is much to be desired that some record should
be preserved of many fine specimens of native art
which adorn the Temples. These structures, built
almost entirely of wood, are now often removed to
make way for erections of a debased and mongrel
style in accordance with the growing taste for
foreign designs, a preference that is unfortunately
weaning the people from a reverence for their past
history. As it is in landscape and its subordinate
branches that the artists of Japan have most
36
REDUCED FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING
tions even at the present day, is less apparent in
the careful studies from Nature from which the
present examples are selected. Greatly as the
artists of Japan are indebted to the Chinese for
much that is admirable in their work, in adopting
as their highest standard the maxims of a people
bound down by conventional rules, their energies
have been cramped, and an unbiassed criticism of
their works leads to the conclusion that the art of
Japan has never yet reached its full development.
Simplicity and reticence are apparent in all the
best specimens of Japanese art. No redundant
lines are allowed to interfere with the desired
result, while the appearance of relief is conveyed