Fujiyama, by Murata Tanryu. Plate I.
The Tea Ceremony, by Miss Uyemura Shoen. Plate II.
Chickens in Spring, by Mori Tessan. Plate III.
Snow Scene in Kaga, by Kubota Beisen. Plate IV.
Tree Squirrel, by Mochizuki Kimpo. Plate V.
Tiger, by Kishi Chikudo. Plate VI.
Bamboo, Sparrow and Rain. Plate VII.
Fujiyama from Tago no Ura, by Yamamoto Baietsu. Plate VIII.
Most Careful Method of Laying on Color. Plate VIIII.
The Next Best Method. Plate X.
The Light Water-Color Method. Plate XI.
Color With Outlines Suppressed. Plate XII.
Color Over Lines. Plate XIII.
Light Reddish-Brown Method. Plate XIV.
The White Pattern. Plate XV.
The Black or Sumi Method. Plate XVI.
The Rule of Proportion in Landscapes. Plate XVII.
Heaven, Earth, Man. Plate XVIII.
Pine Tree Branches. Plate XIX.
Winding Streams. Plate XX.
A Tree and Its Parts. Plate XXI.
Bird and Its Subdivisions. Plate XXII.
Peeled Hemp-Bark Method for Rocks and Ledges (a) The Axe strokes (b).
Plate XXIII.
Lines or Veins of Lotus Leaf (a). Alum Crystals (b). Plate XXIV.
Loose Rice Leaves (a). Withered Kindling Twigs (b). Plate XXV.
Scattered Hemp Leaves (a). Wrinkles on the Cow’s Neck (b). Plate XXVI.
The Circle (1). Semi-Circle (2). Fish Scales (3). Moving Fish Scales (4).
Plate XXVII.
Theory of Tree Growth (1). Practical Application (2). Grass Growth in
Theory (3). In Practice (4). Plate XXVIII.
Skeleton of a Forest Tree (1) Same Developed (2). Tree Completed in
structure (3). Plate XXIX.
Perpendicular Lines for Rocks (1). Horizontal Lines for Rocks (2). Rock
Construction as Practiced in Art (3 and 4). Plate XXX.
Different Ways of Painting Rocks and Ledges. Plate XXXI.
Wistaria Dot (a). Chrysanthemum Dot (b). Plate XXXII.
Wheel-Spoke Dot (a). KAI JI Dot (b). Plate XXXIII.
Pepper-Seed Dot (a). Mouse-Footprint Dot (b). Plate XXXIV.
Serrated Dot (a). ICHI JI dot (b). Plate XXXV.
Heart Dot (a). HITSU JI Dot (b). Plate XXXVI.
Rice Dot (a). HAKU YO Dot (b). Plate XXXVII.
Waves (a). Different Kinds of Moving Waters (b). Plate XXXVIII.
Sea Waves (a). Brook Waves (b). Plate XXXIX.
Storm Waves. Plate XL.
Silk-Thread Line (upper). Koto string Line (lower). Plate XLI.
Clouds, Water Lines (upper). Iron-Wire Line (lower). Plate XLII.
Nail-Head, Rat-Tail Line (upper). Tsubone Line (lower). Plate XLIII.
Willow-Leaf Line (upper). Angle-Worm Line (lower). Plate XLIV.
Rusty-Nail and Old-Post Line (upper). Date-Seed Line (lower). Plate XLV.
Broken-Reed Line (upper). Gnarled-Knot Line (lower). Plate XLVI.
Whirling-Water Line (upper). Suppression Line (lower). Plate XLVII.
Dry-Twig Line (upper). Orchid-Leaf Line (lower). Plate XLVIII.
Bamboo-Leaf Line (upper). Mixed style (lower). Plate XLIX.
The Plum Tree and Blossom. Plate L.
The Chrysanthemum Flower and Leaves. Plate LI.
The Orchid Plant and Flower. Plate LII.
The Bamboo Plant and Leaves. Plate LIII.
Sunrise Over the Ocean (1). Horai San (2). Sun, storks and Tortoise (3, 4,
5). Plate LIV.
Fuku Roku Ju (1). The Pine Tree (2). Bamboo and Plum (3). Kado Matsu and
Shimenawa (4). Rice Cakes (5). Plate LV.
Sun and Waves (1). Rice Grains(2). Cotton Plant (3). Battledoor (4).
Treasure Ship (5). Plate LVI.
Chickens and the Plum Tree (1). Plum and Song Bird (2). Last of the Snow
(3). Peach Blossoms (4). Paper Dolls (5). Nana Kusa (6). Plate LVII.
Cherry Trees (1). Ebb Tide (2). Saohime (3). Wistaria (4). Iris (5). Moon
and Cuckoo (6). Plate LVIII.
Carp (1). Waterfall (2). Crow and Snow (3). Kakehi (4). Tanabata (5).
Autumn Grasses (6). Plate LIX.
Stacked Rice and Sparrows (1). Rabbit in the Moon (2). Megetsu (3). Mist
Showers (4). Water Grasses (5). Joga (6). Plate LX.
Chrysanthemum (1). Tatsutahime (2). Deer and Maples (3). Geese and the
Moon (4). Fruits of Autumn (5). Monkey and Persimmons (6). Plate LXI.
Squirrel and Grapes (1). Kayenu Matsu (2). Evesco or Ebisu (3). Zan Kiku
(4). First Snow (5). Oharame (6). Plate LXII.
Mandarin Ducks (1). Chi Dori (2). Duck Flying (3). Snow Shelter (4). Snow
Scene (5). Snow Daruma (6). Plate LXIII.
Crow and Plum (1). Bird and Persimmon (2). Nukume Dori (3). Kinuta uchi
(4). Plate LXIV.
Spring (1). Summer (2). Autumn (3). Winter (4). Plate LXV.
Cha no Yu (1). Sen Cha (2). Birth of Buddha (3). Inari (4). Plate LXVI.
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF KUBOTA BEISEN A GREAT ARTIST AND A KINDLY MAN,
WHOSE HAPPINESS WAS IN HELPING OTHERS AND WHOSE TRIUMPHANT CAREER HAS SHED
ENDURING LUSTRE UPON THE ART OF JAPANESE PAINTING
_ __ __ _
_INTRODUCTION BY IWAYA SAZANAMI_(_1_)
_ __ _
_ First of all, I should state that in the year 1909 I accompanied the
Honorable Japanese Commercial Commissioners in their visit to the various
American capitals and other cities of the United states, where we were met
with the heartiest welcome, and for which we all felt the most profound
gratitude. We were all so happy, but I was especially so; indeed, it
would be impossible to be more happy than I felt, and particularly was
this true of one day, namely, the twenty-seventh of November of the year
named, when Henry P. Bowie, Esq., invited us to his residence in San
Mateo, where we found erected by him a Memorial Gate to commemorate our
victories in the Japanese-Russian War; and its dedication had been
reserved for this day of our visit. Suspended above the portals was a
bronze tablet inscribed with letters written by my late father, Ichi Roku.
The evening of that same day we were invited by our host to a reception
extended to us in San Francisco by the Japan Society of America, where I
had the honor of delivering a short address on Japanese folk-lore. In
adjoining halls was exhibited a large collection of Japanese writings and
paintings, the latter chiefly the work of the artist, Kubota Beisen, while
the writings were from the brush of my deceased father, between whom and
Mr. Bowie there existed the relations of the warmest friendship and mutual
esteem. _
_ _
_ Two years or more have passed and I am now in receipt of information
from Mr. Shimada Sekko that Mr. Bowie is about to publish a work upon the
laws of Japanese painting and I am requested to write a preface to the
same. I am well aware how unfitted I am for such an undertaking, but in
view of all I have here related I feel I am not permitted to refuse. _
_ _
_ Indeed, it seems to me that the art of our country has for many years
past been introduced to the public of Europe and America in all sorts of
ways, and hundreds of books about Japanese art have appeared in several
foreign languages; but I have been privately alarmed for the reason that a
great many such books contain either superficial observations made during
sightseeing sojourns of six months or a year in our country or are but
hasty commentaries, compilations, extracts or references, chosen here and
there from other __ volumes. All work of this kind must be considered
extremely superficial. But Mr. Bowie has resided many years in Japan. He
thoroughly understands our institutions and national life; he is
accustomed to our ways, and is fully conversant with our language and
literature, and he understands both our arts of writing and painting.
Indeed, I feel he knows about such matters more than many of my own
countrymen; added to this, his taste is instinctively well adapted to the
Oriental atmosphere of thought and is in harmony with Japanese ideals.
And it is he who is the author of the present volume. To others a labor
of the kind would be very great; to Mr. Bowie it is a work of no such
difficulty, and it must surely prove a source of priceless instruction not
only to Europeans and Americans, but to my own countrymen, who will learn
not a little from it. Ah, how fortunate do we feel it to be that such a
book will appear in lands so far removed from our native shores. Now that
I learn that Mr. Bowie has written this book the happiness of two years
ago is again renewed, and from this far-off country I offer him my warmest
congratulations, with the confident hope that his work will prove
fruitfully effective. _
_ _ _ _ _ Iwaya Sho Ha, _
_ _ _ Tokyo, Japan,_
_August 17, 1911 _
_ _
_ _
_ __ __ _
_INTRODUCTION BY HIRAI KINZA_(_2_)_ _
_ __ _
_ Seventeen years ago, at a time when China and Japan were crossing
swords, Mr. Henry P. Bowie came to me in Kyoto requesting that I instruct
him in the Japanese language and in the Chinese written characters. I
consented and began his instruction. I was soon astonished by his
extraordinary progress and could hardly believe his language and writing
were not those of a native Japanese. As for the Chinese written
characters, we learn them only to know their meaning and are not
accustomed to investigate their hidden significance; but Mr. Bowie went so
thoroughly into the analysis of their forms, strokes and pictorial values
that his knowledge of the same often astounded and silenced my own
countrymen. In addition to this, having undertaken to study Japanese
painting, he placed himself under one of our most celebrated artists and,
daily working with unabated zeal, in a comparatively short time made
marvelous progress in that art. At one of our public art expositions he
exhibited a painting of pigeons flying across a bamboo grove which was
greatly admired and praised by everyone, but no one could believe that
this was the work of a foreigner. At the conclusion of the exposition he
was awarded a diploma attesting his merit. Many were the persons who
coveted the painting, but as it had been originally offered to me, I still
possess it. From time to time I refresh my eyes with the work and with
much pleasure exhibit it to my friends. Frequently after this Mr. Bowie,
always engaged in painting remarkable pictures in the Japanese manner,
would exhibit them at the various art exhibitions of Japan, and was on two
occasions specially honored by our Emperor and Empress, both of whom
expressed the wish to possess his work, and Mr. Bowie had the honor of
offering the same to our Imperial Majesties. _
_ _
_ His reputation soon spread far and wide and requests for his paintings
came in such numerous quantities that to comply his time was occupied
continuously. _
_ _
_ Now he is about to publish a work on Japanese painting to enlighten and
instruct the people of Western nations upon our art. As I believe such a
book must have great influence in promoting sentiments of kindliness
between Japan and America, by causing the __ feelings of our people and
the conditions of our national life to be widely known, I venture to offer
a few words concerning the circumstances under which I first became
acquainted with the author. _
_ _ _ _ _ Hirai Kinza, _
_ _ _ NIHON AZUMA NO MIYAKO,_
_ Meiji-Yosa Amari Yotose-Hazuke. _
_ _
_ _
_ __ __ _
_PREFACE_
_ _
_ This volume contains the substance of lectures on on the laws and canons
of Japanese painting delivered before the Japan Society of America, the
Sketch Club of San Francisco, the Art students of stanford University, the
Saturday Afternoon Club of Santa Cruz, the Arts and Crafts Guild of San
Francisco, and the Art Institute of the University of California. _
_ _
_ The interest the subject awakened encourages the belief that a wider
acquaintance with essential principles underlying the art of painting in
Japan will result in a sound appreciation of the artist work of that
country. _
_ _
_ Japanese art terms and other words deemed important have been purposely
retained and translated for the benefit of students who may desire to
seriously pursue Japanese painting under native masters. Those terms
printed in small capitals are Chinese in origin; all others in italics are
Japanese. _
_ _
_ All of the drawings illustrative of the text have been specially
prepared by Mr. Shimada Sekko, an artist of research and ability, who,
under David starr Jordan, has long been engaged on scientific
illustrations in connection with the Smithsonian Institution. _
_ _
_ The author apologizes for all references herein to personal experiences,
which he certainly would have omitted could he regard the following pages
as anything more than an informal introduction of the reader to the study
of Japanese painting. _
_ _
_KEN WAN CHOKU HITSU_