Studio: international art (45.1909)

Japanese Colour Prints—Studio-Talk

PLAN OF GATE HOUSE, SHACKLEFORD COMMON

HUBBARD & MOORE, ARCHITECTS

not exclude the sun, but form a fine back-
ground in the summer and an effective screen
during the winter. As the plan on this page shows,
the reception rooms are separated from the kitchen
and offices by the main staircase. The requisite
area for the bedrooms is obtained by project-
ing the first floor beyond the ground floor walls
in the characteristic manner of old country
houses. The architects, Messrs. Hubbard and
Moore, were guided in their design by the broad
and simple style of the traditional Surrey residence,
and by using suitable local building materials the
general colour of the building harmonises with its
surroundings. Some of the materials used were
dark hand-made sand-faced roofing tiles, dark
brown Bargate stone, well-oiled oak timber framing
filled in with plaster and coated with local pebbles.
The contractors were Messrs. Heal & Jackson, of
Godaiming.

JAPANESE COLOUR PRINTS.—
IV. “PREPARING FOR DOLL
FESTIVAL,” BY HOKUSAI.

Surimono were employed in Japan as New
Year Cards are used in the West, to be forwarded
to friends upon the first of January and other
especial occasions. They are remarkable for the
daintiness of finish bestowed upon them by artist
and printer, and as examples of chromo-xylography
they are without parallel in the history of printing.
Not the least interesting of the works of Hokusai
are the charming little prints of this nature designed
by him for his patrons.

The example which we now reproduce is par-
ticularly characteristic of the decorative charm of
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his drawing and of his nervous and sympathetic
outline. It represents the preparations to cele-
brate the Hi?ia-matsuri., or Fête of the Royal Doll,
which takes place yearly on the 3rd of March.
The inscription on the lid of the box reads,
“ On-hina-no bako,” or “ Box of Royal Dolls,” and
the kneeling figure is in the act of opening the
box to take out the doll which will be exhibited on
the “ Mo-sen,” or sumptuous carpet carried by the
other figure.

This example is produced by printing from
various wood blocks in the same manner, and is
of the same size, as the original.

STUDIO-TALK.

(From Our Own Correspondents.)

LONDON.—The most interesting exhibition
of the season is perhaps that of the Goupil
Gallery Salon, which remains open till
Christmas. Scarcely a younger painter
of promise is omitted, and it provides an excel-
lent opportunity for studying future tendencies.
Besides the younger element, such renowned
painters as Messrs. J. Lavery, Wilson Steer, Blanche,
and others contribute. M. Blanche’s interiors show
the best of his genius, that mastery of accessory
effects which sometimes comes to the rescue in the
least satisfactory of his portraits. Mr. Wilson
Steer’s Foole Harboicr must rank with his finest
landscapes ; the disturbed effect of the light as the
heavy rain-clouds pass over the country is wonder-
fully interpreted. Mr. Orpen most distinguishes
himself of the younger men in A Colleen, with its
consummate draughtsmanship, especiallyto be noted
in the girl’s wrist and hand ; the picture, too, has