Studio: international art (48.1910)

Nature Subjects in Japanese Design

revolutionary war. Loyal subjects, especially high- This trait is also in evidence in other pursuits
minded statesmen and scholars of the ex-dynasty, than the fine arts. Thus the highest ambition of
would refuse posts in the new government, and the Japanese poet is to lodge in his short verse of
retire to the mountains or solitary rural districts to only thirty-one syllables a store of sentiment such
spend the rest of their days in communion with as, when fully expressed, would require many stanzas,
nature. So with the Chinese the love of nature The Japanese language lends itself so freely to
was generated by a life of isolation, and in con- the suggestion of associated ideas, that a single
sequence came to be associated with melancholy verse, if skilfully worded, may convey a train of
thoughts. It may not be fair to consider their thought which may be paraphrased into several
regard for nature as being universally related to lines. Nothing can accomplish this but, if we may
seclusion ; still it is true that this gloomy influence so express it, the law of Implication. An extreme
has asserted itself in their literature and art. instance of this is found in an even shorter verse

The Japanese, on the contrary, have always of Haiku, consisting of only seventeen syllables,
appreciated nature in her more cheerful aspects. Even in naming objects, the Japanese often try
To begin with, they are by nature averse to seclu- to bring out some extraneous ideas which may be
sion, though it is true that in the mediasval ages associated with the names. For instance, in naming
they were for a time affected by the pessimistic colours, they sometimes indicate them by the
influence of Chinese teaching and of the depressing names of flowers; for example, momo-iro (peach
views of life held by a class of Buddhists. But, colour), yatnabuki-iro (wild yellow rose colour),
after all, they did not in practice follow the examples fuji-iro (wisteria colour), sakura-iro (cherry colour),
of their Celestial teachers, having always preserved This fanciful mode of naming appears most pro-
their national characteristic of discharging the nounced in the case of the utensils for the Chano-yu
duties assigned to them to the end against all (tea ceremony). The names of these utensils are
obstacles. With their optimistic outlook on life, often chosen in reference to some well-known
the Japanese delight in things that appeal to their poem, adopting either some expressive words
cheerful temperament. It is, therefore, natural therein or its general sentiment. A number of
that they seek to enjoy the bright, instead of the such poetic names selected by Yenshu Kobori,,
dark, side of nature.

In studying Japanese
art, then, one should bear
in mind the fact that its
conceptions of nature are
always bright and cheer-
ful. Moreover, in dealing
with natural objects, it
aims at exciting the imag-
ination of the beholder,
so that he may appre-
ciate something beyond
what is represented by
form and colour. In
short, to the mind of the
Japanese artist, it does
not suffice to represent
objects of nature in form
only, but they should also
be invested with some
latent poetic significance.
With the Japanese it is a
deep-rooted heritage,
this adoration of " im-
plied thought and emo-
tion " in works of art on

nature subjects. "autumn" by hoitsu sakai.

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