DOI Heft:
No. 234 (September 1912)
DOI Artikel:Studio-talk
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21157#0356
Studio-Talk
talent for composition—more especially of simple
subjects for kakemono or screens. That he turned
this talent to good account for emphasising the
decorative function of the picture—the very life of
Korin’s work—is clearly shown in nearly all his
work here reproduced. He seems to have striven,
especially in his later work, to accomplish his
decorative purpose, not by that extreme economy
of line which marked the work of Korin, but
mainly by highly realistic methods, though some of
his pictures, especially landscapes, bear slight
resemblances to Korin in the use of simple, sweeping
lines. Shunso was not wanting in the artistic
temperament, but he was a man of head rather than
of heart. At times he showed a want of sympathy in
portraying nature, though he generally succeeded
in imbuing with rare dignity even his most realistic
pictures. It was this lack which cast a shadow of
doubt as to the possibility of his realising the end
he aimed at. Be that as it may, in his struggle he
explored new fields which others may cultivate
with profit, and the value of such work cannot be
over-estimated in this age of transition. To the
history of Japanese painting in the Meiji era he
added a colour which will not soon fade away.
In the first of my articles on “ Japanese Art and
Artists of To-day,” which appeared in The Studio
of July 1910, I gave a short account of Kwason
Suzuki, whose work is well known and appreciated
in the West. The example of which a reproduction
in colour is included among the accompanying illus-
trations will interest many readers of this magazine.
He is very skilful both in landscape and in kwacho
(flowers and birds), and his work is thoroughly
Eastern in spirit. _
The public are now much interested in the
question of the appointment of a successor to
Kawabata Gyokusho at the Tokyo School of Fine
Art. It will be remembered that Gyokusho became
a teacher of Japanese painting at that school when
it was established in 1888; and that his monjin, or
pupils, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his
birthday last year. Owing to failing health, he
retired from active life a few years ago, and has in
“ RAIN ”
334
BY TAKENOUCHI SEIHO
talent for composition—more especially of simple
subjects for kakemono or screens. That he turned
this talent to good account for emphasising the
decorative function of the picture—the very life of
Korin’s work—is clearly shown in nearly all his
work here reproduced. He seems to have striven,
especially in his later work, to accomplish his
decorative purpose, not by that extreme economy
of line which marked the work of Korin, but
mainly by highly realistic methods, though some of
his pictures, especially landscapes, bear slight
resemblances to Korin in the use of simple, sweeping
lines. Shunso was not wanting in the artistic
temperament, but he was a man of head rather than
of heart. At times he showed a want of sympathy in
portraying nature, though he generally succeeded
in imbuing with rare dignity even his most realistic
pictures. It was this lack which cast a shadow of
doubt as to the possibility of his realising the end
he aimed at. Be that as it may, in his struggle he
explored new fields which others may cultivate
with profit, and the value of such work cannot be
over-estimated in this age of transition. To the
history of Japanese painting in the Meiji era he
added a colour which will not soon fade away.
In the first of my articles on “ Japanese Art and
Artists of To-day,” which appeared in The Studio
of July 1910, I gave a short account of Kwason
Suzuki, whose work is well known and appreciated
in the West. The example of which a reproduction
in colour is included among the accompanying illus-
trations will interest many readers of this magazine.
He is very skilful both in landscape and in kwacho
(flowers and birds), and his work is thoroughly
Eastern in spirit. _
The public are now much interested in the
question of the appointment of a successor to
Kawabata Gyokusho at the Tokyo School of Fine
Art. It will be remembered that Gyokusho became
a teacher of Japanese painting at that school when
it was established in 1888; and that his monjin, or
pupils, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his
birthday last year. Owing to failing health, he
retired from active life a few years ago, and has in
“ RAIN ”
334
BY TAKENOUCHI SEIHO