Tibetan Art
criticism and serve to give some idea of his peculiar r | TIBETAN ART. BY MRS. LE
excellencies. The feeling for form, the skilful I MESUR1ER.
draughtsmanship, the earnest" conscientiousness,
even in cases where the subject treated is an *■ The art of the East generally, and of
unfamiliar one, are the most noteworthy charac- India in particular, has of late years found an ever-
teristics of everything from his hand. Some of increasing popularity in the West. Many artistic
his pictures are merely landscape motives treated craftsmen here have paid it the tribute of the
in a decorative manner. In addition to his sincerest flattery, directly and indirectly. So accus-
work in colour he has also produced a large number tomed are we now to the wonderful blending of
of lithographs, in which he has successfully adapted bright colours, to the subdued harmony, and the
to that medium many fine studies of flat country; graceful forms and intricate designs of the Orientals,
with groups of trees breaking the monotony of the that perhaps we hardly realise all we owe artistically
plains. Nor has he scorned to lend his aid to the to the great continent. There is still, however, one
handicraftsman, and to him are due various good Asiatic country the art of which is little known, for
designs for carpets and other textile fabrics. the simple reason that comparatively few visit even
To sum up, in a few final words, the position of its borders. This is the Forbidden Land, and
Leistikow : he does not belong to those who love those who have visited it find the natives extremely
to interpret the varied charms of beautiful natural reluctant to part with their vessels and instruments,
scenery, ringing the changes on a multiplicity of most of which have religious uses and significance,
startling effects, but rather to the minority, who Owing to this difficulty few representative collec-
are content to give voice to their convictions in tions have been made in the past, and it is probable
subjects of a simple description treated with that so long as the political situation remains un-
absolute fidelity. altered still fewer will be made in the future. Thus
DECORATIVE LANDSCAPE
294
criticism and serve to give some idea of his peculiar r | TIBETAN ART. BY MRS. LE
excellencies. The feeling for form, the skilful I MESUR1ER.
draughtsmanship, the earnest" conscientiousness,
even in cases where the subject treated is an *■ The art of the East generally, and of
unfamiliar one, are the most noteworthy charac- India in particular, has of late years found an ever-
teristics of everything from his hand. Some of increasing popularity in the West. Many artistic
his pictures are merely landscape motives treated craftsmen here have paid it the tribute of the
in a decorative manner. In addition to his sincerest flattery, directly and indirectly. So accus-
work in colour he has also produced a large number tomed are we now to the wonderful blending of
of lithographs, in which he has successfully adapted bright colours, to the subdued harmony, and the
to that medium many fine studies of flat country; graceful forms and intricate designs of the Orientals,
with groups of trees breaking the monotony of the that perhaps we hardly realise all we owe artistically
plains. Nor has he scorned to lend his aid to the to the great continent. There is still, however, one
handicraftsman, and to him are due various good Asiatic country the art of which is little known, for
designs for carpets and other textile fabrics. the simple reason that comparatively few visit even
To sum up, in a few final words, the position of its borders. This is the Forbidden Land, and
Leistikow : he does not belong to those who love those who have visited it find the natives extremely
to interpret the varied charms of beautiful natural reluctant to part with their vessels and instruments,
scenery, ringing the changes on a multiplicity of most of which have religious uses and significance,
startling effects, but rather to the minority, who Owing to this difficulty few representative collec-
are content to give voice to their convictions in tions have been made in the past, and it is probable
subjects of a simple description treated with that so long as the political situation remains un-
absolute fidelity. altered still fewer will be made in the future. Thus
DECORATIVE LANDSCAPE
294