DOI issue:
No. 133 (April, 1904)
DOI article:Holme, C. Geoffrey: Japanese flower painting
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0213
Japanese Flower Painting
"spring flowers" by sotatsu
the objects before him, and his system has both study of plant growth and of flowers is still as
advantages and drawbacks. Verisimilitude is valuable to the decorator working upon legitimate
obtainable thereby with greater ease and less study, lines as to the one who follows the false old ones,
but idealisation is to a certain extent thwarted. That the Japanese system of memory-sketching
The highest aims of the painter should not be to is of the greatest advantage to the decorator there
give photographically accurate representations of can be no manner of doubt. His mind and fancy
natural objects. Were it so his days would be are free, and he is able to select the subjects best
numbered, for the camera is bound to win upon adapted to the work he has in hand, and arrange
those lines. The painter's mission is to make them in a fitting manner.
use of nature as a means to an end—to what end I am not acquainted with any Japanese artist
depends upon the objects of his work. As a who can be described as exclusively a flower
flower-painter it may be
that he will discover the
greatest scope for his
talents in decoration.
In that case, if his
training does not extend be-
yond copying from Nature,
he will find it of little
avail. Western people
are beginning to realise
that the true mission of
the decorator is not the
painting of flowers in a
naturalistic manner upon
vases, or panels of doors,
or mirrors. But while
such efforts are in every
way to be deprecated, the flowers in silhouette by korin
196
"spring flowers" by sotatsu
the objects before him, and his system has both study of plant growth and of flowers is still as
advantages and drawbacks. Verisimilitude is valuable to the decorator working upon legitimate
obtainable thereby with greater ease and less study, lines as to the one who follows the false old ones,
but idealisation is to a certain extent thwarted. That the Japanese system of memory-sketching
The highest aims of the painter should not be to is of the greatest advantage to the decorator there
give photographically accurate representations of can be no manner of doubt. His mind and fancy
natural objects. Were it so his days would be are free, and he is able to select the subjects best
numbered, for the camera is bound to win upon adapted to the work he has in hand, and arrange
those lines. The painter's mission is to make them in a fitting manner.
use of nature as a means to an end—to what end I am not acquainted with any Japanese artist
depends upon the objects of his work. As a who can be described as exclusively a flower
flower-painter it may be
that he will discover the
greatest scope for his
talents in decoration.
In that case, if his
training does not extend be-
yond copying from Nature,
he will find it of little
avail. Western people
are beginning to realise
that the true mission of
the decorator is not the
painting of flowers in a
naturalistic manner upon
vases, or panels of doors,
or mirrors. But while
such efforts are in every
way to be deprecated, the flowers in silhouette by korin
196