E Asie ya a a THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - AroRITREGTOR® MRS. CHARLES SUMNER GREENE AND NATHANIEL GREENE __ FROM THE LIBRARY OF ; CHARLES SUMNER GREENE f Brome vi |_ _ ORNAMENTAL a» a _ARTS OF JAPAN: THE ORNAMENTAL - ARTS OFP JAPAN BY GEORGE ASHDOWwW N AUDSLEY FELLOW OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS MEMBER OFA_THE AsIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN JOINT AUTHOR OF " XzZAAMIG ART .QZ JAPAN!" AND AUTHOR OF SEVERAL WORKS ON ART VOLUME II NEW YORK CHARLES: SCRIBNIER S SONS 743 & 745 BROADWAY MDCCCLxXxxIV Architecture Ada 'l GIFT 4 & CHINESE CHARACTERS. SEAL CHARACTERS. TITLE OF THE. PRESENT WORK IN THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE ; READING FAPAYV, QORNVAMENTATION, ACCOUNTI OPF. led d $Eo rios .l +r fH. be ihe, , cute uence cm J[KCRUSTED WORL 932 RARE F NZIZPC SECTION FIFTH. ENCRU 5 T ED Y OR K:. NCRUSTED-WORK. or .- application has. been: brought {o a. higher state, of development. and been more successfully practised by the artists of Japan than by those of any other eastern nation. The term app/ication is understood to signify, "in archi- tecture and decorative art, the superimposition of one material on another. As application is almost exclusively resorted to for the purpose of ornamentation, the materials applied are usually of a more precious nature than those to which they are attached. In application proper, the superimposed mate- rial is understood. to be simply attached to some uniform surface; from which: it can: be broken. away. or, otherwise removed without permanently destroying that surface. This is a distinctive feature of application which must not be lost sight. of, 'of" one will. readily confuse: it with such processes of decorative art as inlaying, damascening, champlevé ena- melling, and niello working." * Cloisonné enamel may, strictly speaking, be classified as incrusted-work, for both the metal cloisons and the vitreous pastes are applied to a uniform metallic surface ; but as it is treated of at. length in anbther part of this Work it is unnecessary to do more than mention it, in the brief manner we have done, in this Section. * Popular Dictionary of Architecture and the Allied Arts, by W. and G,. Audsley. Vol. i., article Appifcation,. 2 INCRUSTED- WORK, Section Fifth. There can- be no doubt that the Japanese derived. their inspiration in this beautiful branch -of: decorative art from the: Chinese, who appear to have produced incrusted-work at a. very edrly period. The first specimens which reached Japan from China were doubtless of a very tentative character; probably consisting of simple figures or conventional devices, executed in porcelain or cut from some soft coloured stone, applied to panels of wood. Crude and conventional works as they may have been, they were sufficient to fire. the imagination and set in action the inventive and artistic faculties of the artists of Japan.. From the production of mere copies of these early Chinese works they quickly progressed to original designs and treatments, until, as in most other branches of ornamental art, they. left their teachers and. models far behind. . K must -fiot be understood from what has been. said that the Chinese never produced worthy specimens ; for many of the examples of incrusted-work, executed in the great art periods, are characterised. by considerable artistic feeling, ingenuity, and skilful manipulation. Large quantities of incrusted-work, both for house decoration and articles of furniture, have been made by Chinese artists; and such materials as jade, and softer stones of various colours, coral, amber, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, ivory, wood, enamel, and porcelain have been freely used in their fabrication. In the best works these materials were carved or modelled so as to produce the designs in high relief; and in: landscapes and figure subjects. bold although-far from successful attempts at perspective were sometimes made. - The grounds of such works were generally of some dark wood either perfectly plain or carved in portions so as to aid the designs and accentuate the incrusted details. Perhaps of all materials the Chinese artists have made the best use of richly painted and gilded porcelain and carved soap- stone, both materials being easily manipulated. Jade from its intense hardness was never used as an incrustation except for choice works connected with the imperial dwellings or on articles for imperial use. Colour and gilding were frequently introduced to. impart. brilliancy «to certain materials; for instance. carvings in ivory were: citer stained different tints, or, along with those in wood or soap-stone, painted with bright pigments and enriched with gold. The porcelain incrustations, though 'occasionally left pure: white, were generally. painted with. enamel. colours, often in tThe most elaborate and delicate manner... - The. complete. mastery arrived at in carly times by the. Chinese over. all 'the: difficulties: of 'the potters art no doubt encouraged the free use. of incrustations in. porcelain;. and secured. for. them greater. favour than they appear ever. to. have. received, ifn --Japan.." It- is «probable that the Japanese artists rejected porcelain on account of its highly glazed and generally insipid surface, for we see- that 'in many of their choiese works they make effective use of enamelled faience which admits of the highest artistic treatment both in modelling and colouring. For proof of this we need only point to the beautiful incrusted panel in the Bing Collection, illustrated on Plate V. of this Section and the lacquer box lid illustrated on. Plate IV., - Section Fourth. Enough-has been. said -for our. present. purpose on- the subject -of the. Uhinese Section Fifth. INCRUSTED-WORK, 3 treatment of application, and we may now turn our attention to the art as practised by the Japanese. At what period incrusted-work became a recognised branch of Japanese art industry. it is* out of onur power to say;. but there can be no question that it was adopted, though to a small extent, by the early lacquer artists, and is, accordingly, several centuries old. . Its highest development- was, however, reserved for recent times ; and it 1s" probably safe .to say that the most important works have been executed in the: present-century ; indeed, many of the- purely modern specimens of the. art are unquestionably the finest the. world Nas. seen. of their» class.. The reason» of. this is obvious; the modern Japanese artists select designs in which their power of delineation is almost if not altogether unapproachable; and they render them in materials which readily admit of the most artistic and delicate manipulation, and of. the most refined colour treatments. | In considering the general subject of Japanese application, the grounds upon which the: ifcrustations are laid first deserve attention.. In them we see at once the, high artistic' feeling and the cunning ingenuity which, in all: branchest"of ornamental art, characterise" the native: artists.. In works of-the class now under review the, ground is looked. upon as -of the highest importance, and its selection. is. dictated by «careful consideration of the effect- aimed at and the materials to be- applied to it.. On one hand, 'the ground may in itself be -an object. of beauty and- interest, ber merely heightened by the incrustations : or, on the other hand, it may be simply a back-ground for the incrusted ornamentation, selected with the sole view of throwing into pro- minence the design executed in choice» carved. and coloured-materials.. Of the: former class are' such grounds as those illustrated on Plates VI-and: Vil -of this Section ; one of which is carved with immense labour and pains in imitation of a decayed or weather-worn plank ; the other being a panel of choice and richly figured wood, made to produce a very 'striking effect by having the softer portions of. its grain «depressed or worn away.. Of the second class are such grounds as those illustrated "on Plates 1., TH, and 111., which are- of = plain" lacquer, and- Plates and VIII:; which are of dark wood of unpronounced character. Sometimes grounds occupying an intermediate place between the classes just described are adopted by the artist, grounds which force them- selves on the eye almost as much as the designs do which they are intended to accentuate. Of such Plate V. affords a good example. .It is of dull red lacquer treated so 'as to imitate a beaten plate of copper somewhat worn by age. "Ihe indentations represent deep hammer marks, while the. dark. lines on the.-ridges represent parts where the original coloured surface has been worn off and blackened by age. The production of lacquer grounds in almost endless variety presents no difficulties to the ingenious workers in that material; and special skill is displayed in the imitation of the rough and granulated metallic surfaces in which the Japanese metal workers delight. When grounds of an ordinary quiet tone of colour are adopted, the tameness and monotony of their surfaces are done away with by partial granulation or some 4 JNCRUSTED- WORK: Section Fifth, kindred treatment;) producing clouded. or broken effects 'of: colour.; - The: ground of Plate 11. is argood: example of this." On- the first. examination of this -Plate it is probable the observer will attribute the clouding to defective printing, but of course such is: not the case, the aftist has simply represented the: treatment. of the original panel. - Grounds of dark brown, resembling rusty iron, clouded with patches of red, dark grey, and gold and silver dust are not uncommon; and the effects so produced are. invariably pleasing. _ In fact it' may be said that : in the artistic treatment ; of surfaces, of wood, lacquer, or metal, the Japanese artist has no rival, while his faste is as iunerring as if is varied. Of incrusted-work executed entirely in metal we speak at length in the following Section, confining ourselves in this essay to works on wood, lacquer, and ivory grounds. The materials commonly adopted by the Japanese artists for the ornamental in- crustations are ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, coral, amber, coloured ; stones, porcelain, fatenice, wood,; sea shells, bronzes "of- many tints, iron,; gold, and silver.. In fact, they press into their service every available natural and artificial material which furnishes colour for their relief pictures or presents facilities for artistic manipulation. Ivory, on account of its beautiful texture and colour, the ease with : which - it- is carved, its strength and durability even in the minutest treatment, and its readiness to receive a great variety of colours by staining, is held in the highest esteem 'by the artists : we accordingly find it occupying a prominent place in most of the larger and more complicated specimens of incrusted-work. : On the panel illustrated on Plate I. ivory is used, chiefly in its natural colour, for the bamboo basket ; and employed, in beautifully carved and richly stained forms, for the blossom, fruit, and leaves of the pomegranate, the head of corn, the large vine leaves, and the bird. On the panel represented on Plate II. it forms the flower of the nelumbium, the stem and leaves of the chrysan- themum, and the plant growing in the square pot. On the panel shown on Plate VIIL -it is used for the entire figure of Bex-kEr: and, again, on the lacquer panel illustrated on Plate IX. of the previous Section, it is adopted for the figure of the noble: poetess. | Ivory . is- also | frequently - used for 'grounds -of works of . small dimensions; or for objects of utility embellished with incrustations of tortoise shell, mother-of-pearl,; coral,. amber, bronze," and . the » precious metals.: .: Many. exquisite specimens of incrusted-work of this class have reached Europe of late years. They are by modern artists and made chiefly for export or to order. Woods . both" in their - natural: colours cand. lacquered: are. as _ freely. used . for incrustations. as ivory.: On . the panel of- Plate "I1. (it - appears in its natural state in: "the =-stand "of the vase: and,-«carved -and" lacquered, in 'the. vase, 'the, square pot, and :in "the -Aeaves,.-seed :-vessel; and : stems of : the nelumbium.. It . forms the: bell: bears on. his. back: -and -the : decayed (box shown. on, Elate TH. .In 'the former case it. is lacquered -to imitate bronze? in the latter it :1s leff in its natural colour. On the panel represented on Plate I. carved wood is introduced in the stems of the plants and the beetle in the foreground. The free use of lacquer Section Fifth, INCRUSTED- WORK, 5 on carved wood, and occasionally on ivory and other materials, of course supplies the artist with unlimited means of producing charming effects and combinations in his ornamental incrustations. . Raised lacquer incrusted directly on the ground is very commonly met with.: The fine panels illustrated. on:-:Plates-VI; and VII. afford. cha- racteristic examples of this treatment.. On the former, the foreground and the trunk and branches of the tree are in rich raised black and gold dacquer ;- while on -the latter the portion-of the temple gate is executed in raised lacquer of different 'colours. As might be expected, mother-of-pearl, in all its beautiful play of colours, is most skilfully manipulated by the Japanese artists; and many beautiful effects are produced by its use in inctusted-work.: It is met with in the. form of flowers» the plumage of birds, the wings and bodies of insects, and in countless other details according to the taste and fancy of the Artist. On the lacquer boxes shown;ofr Plates II.. and-IV; of Section _ Fourth it forms certain . buds {and.. flowers easily distinguishable by-their colouring... On. the panel! illustrated on-.Plate 1; of this bection it: appears in the seeds of the open pomegranate; on that. of Plate" 11. in the open. chrysanthemum flower and the drops of dew. on. the large leat; while on. the interesting work given on Plate IV. it. appears. in the moon and the. two. birds on. the rivet bank.. When used for the plumage of birds all varieties of colour. are: introduced, and the effects. produced : are frequently very On a panel now before us are two birds, one of which has its. breast of white pearl, its wings of deep purple,. green,. and yellow, and; its-tail of crimson-brown. The other bird is treated in like manner, with a slight modification in. the: disposition of the tints. - The. cock pheasant on the. panel of. Plate: V I> has its backs and. wings:in beautiful purple, green, and- crimson . pearl, whilewall the blossoms on the tree are in white pearl. Taken altogether, mother-of-pearl may justly be pro- nounced the most beautiful and. varied. natural material for incrustation at the artist's disposal : it -is easily cut and. polished and is perfectly. durable ;- and, in addition, it has the great advantage over both ivory and wood in so much that it neither shrinks nor warps under ordinary changes of temperature. Tortoise shell probably comes next in importance as an incrustation,. Its flexible nature while heated, and the great ease with which it can be cut, shaped, and polished render it. highly suitable for, the. purposes: of the-atrtist.> Its colours ranging from black, through rich shades of brown, to an almost colourless transparency, .are, most effectively utilised in-Japanese application. - This is the material adopted for the bunch of grapes shown on Plate I.; and nothing could have been -_more. suitable. [The artist has, by a skilful choice of, tints and by leaving the shell semi-polished; produced. a truly marvellous imitation of ripe grapes with the natural bloom upon them. Tortoise shell is frequently used for leaves, especially for those which in nature turn yellow and brown in certain seasons of the year; and charming effects are obtained by gilding the back of the polished pieces before attaching them to the ground : all their gradations of tint are clearly brought out by the play of light on the reflecting. surface of the gold leaf beneath.: A pane! in. our possession has many leaves of this material, gilded. - They 6 INCRUSTED-WORK. J Section Fifth. are of warm brown and transparent shell; and the artist has so selected the pieces and cut his leaves from them in such a manner as to represent autumnal leaves beautifully shaded and most naturally disposed. Tortoise shell is also used for insects and birds. The hen pheasant and the tail of the cock on the rustic panel illustrated on Plate VI. are in shell carefully carved and semi-polished, and so tinted underneath as -to imitate 'in. the most=perfect manner. the Aeatlhiers of the natural bird. Enamelled - fatence is a favourite material «with. the < Japanese: artists; and by skilfully modelling and painting it they produce some most artistic works of incrus- tation. - A -noteworthy example of this is illustrated: on Plate V., where all the incrus- tation, with therexception: of "the long blades:of grass, is in enamelled. faience. ' The manner=-in which the: artist has rendered the decayed . or . withered -nelumbium leat is beyond" all praise.: It-is evidently the essay of. an accomplished artist and a keen observer of nature, Of course the material lends itself admirably to work of this class G anys core os. s... - Mitts: C won,, . - sds ule Steric SECCION FIFTH. -PLEATE 11. [NERUSTED-woRrk. HE Incrusted. Pane! which. forms .the subject. of this Plate: is of wood, covered with lacquer. of a: dark tawny-yellow . colour, clouded and slightly roughened with the view of producing a certain amount of texture, and avoiding the inartistic tameness of a: perfectly uniform and smooth. surface. . The incrusted design, which is of a singularly bold character, consists of a white nelum- bium flower, seed vessel, and leaves, and a spray of chrysanthemum issuing from a tall vase; with a small square flower-pot, in which is growing the peculiar fungus-like plant so often introduced in works of Japanese art. The nelumbium flower is in carved ivory, while the seed vessel and the large leaves are in carved. wood, covered. with green and gold lacquer. . On the open leaf are small beads of pearl representing dewdrops,. The open flower of the chrysanthemum is beautifully carved in white and yellow mother-of-pearl; and. the bud, stem, and leaves. are. (hn - stained . ivory.. . The : vase: is carefully modelled and lacquered to represent cast-iron, while the decoration upon its body is in raised gold and coloured lacquer, most carefully - and minutely worked. . The stand is in natural: wood.. The: flower-pot - is lacquered to represent old bronze, relieved with gilding. The plant growing from it is in carved and stained ivory. The whole work is of the most artistic character. The Panel measures 36 inches in height by 24 inches in width. In the possession of the AutuorR. t: Het s Py , GLT SECEHON FELH.-PLATE 111 INCEUSTED-YoRrEK EMONS, in all sorts of weird. and fanciful shapes, are very frequently depicted in Japanese art works; and, when they do not appear in Buddhist or religious subjects, they are invariably portrayed in some highly humorous occupation or intensely grotesque altitudes. Such is the case in the: interesting work illustrated in the present Plate. f The chief figure, a bronze-coloured demon with red hair, is endeavouring to secure a number of impish creatures in a large wooden box, which, however, appears to be too decayed to retain them. Openings have been broken in the lid and sides, through which the contents of the box are cleverly indicated: through the larger opening in the side one creature has evidently escaped, and another is just about to issue. One bird-headed imp, in endeavouring to escape, has been caught by the legs on the ' sudden closing of the lid) by the demon in brown. A large toad, with a flame-like appendage, and a figure carrying an inscribed makimono, complete the quaint composition. The ground of the work is of black lacquer, upon wood, slightly roughened in places to give it an artistic effect. The box is modelled in dark wood, and very ingeniously carved to represent weather-wear and decay, in the fashion so often followed by Japanese artists. All the figures, save the one carrying the makimono, are executed in carved and stained ivory, with some small parts lacquered. The walking figure is of carved wood, with his dress, hat, and makiémono in gold and coloured lacquer. The execution of the entire work is absolutely perfect and replete witlhy artistic spirit.. The portion of the panel represented measures 17 inclies by 1% inches. The panel is considerably higher, but contains no further ornamen- tation» There is no inscription to give any clue to its artist, an ommission we have very often to regret in connexion with such works. In the possession of James AnmErson Rose, Esq., of London. SECIION FIFTH.--PLATE IV. FNC RUST E D- YORK MB Incrusted Panel represented on this Plate is of great- interest, on account olf the treatment of its subject and the beauty of its execution. The Panel is of a very heavy close-gprained, dark brown wood, brought to a uniform surface. and. polished. The'design thereon is executed in several materials, most skilfully treated and combined. The flowing stream, the banks, posts, and water plants, on the Jjlower portion of the Panel, are rendered in highly raised black and gold lacquer, some portions being about an eighth of an inch above the ground. . Lacquer is also used for the large basket on the bank, the flames of the torch, the clouds on the upper part of the Panel, and the rush-like portions of the dresses and some other The two birds standing on the bank are beautifully carved in The moon is a dise of, mother-of- details of the figures. grey mother-of-pearl, with legs of stained ivory. pearl. All portions of the figures not lacquered are in carved and stained ivory, the faces being cleverly rendered in low. relief. The torch held by the standing figure is appropriately of wood. Ivory is also used for the wicker-work break-waters immersed at the bends of the stream.. These are most carefully carved and pierced in accurate imitation of the real objects. The subject presents two #-kai* about to fish with cormorants by moonlight, aided by a flaming torch, doubtless used for the purpose of attracting the fish to the spot where the birds are swimming. Fishing by the aid of cormorants, appa- rently trained for the sport, is a very common occupation in Japan, on streams where fish abound: « The present subject. shows the bend of a rapidly running stream to have been selected,; just such a spot as fish love to rest in.. The rapid nature of the water is clearly indicated by the bold lines of the lacquer work; and by the large * " U-kar A person who fishes with cormorants."--Hepburn. Section Fifth, WORK. Pate ATT. bamboo baskets, filled with stones and sunk where the current, if left unbroken, would wear away the banks. The general treatment of the subject is highly. characteristic of Japanese: art. . There is no inscription. to give a clue to the artist's name or 'the date of: manufacture. - The Panel, however, bears. evidence: of some age and is in our opinion, one of the earliest specimens of its class which has come to Europe. Its perfect. state of: preservation tesembles that of all fine and highly-prized pieces of Japanese lacquer and carved work, and simply shows the extreme care taken of such works. when valued by the. Japafhiese,.. The Panel measures 37 inches: in height by zo inches. in width. In the possession of Jamrs G. Orcuar, Esq., of Broughty Ferry. SECTION FIFIH.-PLATFE IV. HE specimen of Incrusted-work represented on this Plate is. of great Interest and importance, on account of its design, beauty of execution, and dimensions.. The groundwork is of a very heavy, close-grained, dark brown wood, brought to a uniform surface and polished. The design is executed in several materials, most skil- fully treated and combined. The flowing stream, the banks, posts, and water plants, on the lower portion of the panel, are rendered in highly raised black and gold lacquer, some portions being about an eighth of an inch above the ground. Lacquer is also used for the basket on the bank, the flames of the torch, the clouds on the upper part of the panel, and the rush-like portions and some other details of the costumes of the figures. The geese are beautifully carved in grey mother-of-pearl, with legs of stained ivory. The moon is a disc of pearl. -All portions of the figures not lacquered are in carved and stained ivory, the faces being cleverly rendered in low relief The torch held by the standing figure is appropriately of wood. Ivory is also used for the wicker-work cages immersed in the stream. These are most accurately wrought and completely undercut in perfect imitation of the real objects. The subject is the snaring of wild geese by night. One figure holds the decoy birds, while the other is securing the captured ones in the basket. The Japanese are very skilful in all matters connected with trapping and snaring animals and birds; and scenes like the present are often represented on their art works. This is, however, unquestionably the finest and. most important one we have met with. There is no- inscription to give us a clue to the artist's name or date of manufacture. The work, however, bears evidence of some age, and was in all probability made about the beginning of the present century. . Its beautiful Section Fifth. INCRUSTED- WORK. Plate IV. state of preservation resembles that of all fine and highly-prized pieces of Japanese lacquer and carved work, and clearly shows the extreme care taken in its preser- vation by its original possessor. The panel measures z0 inches in width by 37 imches in height. In the possession of James G. Orcuar, Esq., of Broughty Ferry. a ) i | H t ¢ i a a ig I> ncs SECTION FIFIH.-PELATE V. INC RUST E Db- Y OR K. GREAT. variety of treatment is met with in the higher class Incrusted-work of the Japanese. The artistic panel represented in the present Plate shows a combination of lacquer, enamelled faience, and bronze. The ground is of lacquer, upon wood, of a dull 'red. colour,. treated. so as to iinitate a plate of boldly hammered bronze, partly worn away on the ridges between the hammer marks or indentations. Upon this effective ground is incrusted a large leaf and seed vessel of the nelumbium, a bird, and a group of small flowers in faience, artistically modelled and thickly enamelled in colours of quiet tone. The rendering of the partly withered leaf is highly characteristic of Japanese art; and leaves little to be desired so far as truth to nature is concerned.. The blades of grass are executed in gilded bronze. Incrusted-work in the materials here used is much more rare than that executed in ivory, wood, and shell, and we have never. met with a finer or more interesting specimen than the one under review. The full size of the panel is 29%/, inches high by z0 inches wide; the portion shown on the Plate measuring 25%, inches by i714 inches. L4 In the possession of MoxstEur S. Bins, of Paris. Space PF CIV &. A. Audsiecy, dir Levin re nev iene Sena nees Fao o S s Loc Hazes . i.-»., brLP ‘ ‘wl s Santee * R S s se . as tae E y R be eu nwen t le Sein lyi“ z , t 5 f p . be P s P a m 6 a < F $ Kw, n % f ‘ . R 6 (he- i £ fig PHL is SECTION FIFIH-PLATE VI INCRLUS I ED - Y O RK. VERY important work of art which reaches us from Japan causes us to marvel, more and more, at the richness of invention and the lively fancy which appear to be inherent in the Japanese artizans. The beautiful pane! which forms the subject of the present Plate, is a favourable illustration of both these faculties We are. not venturing too far in stating, that to no one save a Japanese artist would such an idea suggest itself as we here see carried out with the highest skill and patience. Who, in our country of sand-paper and French polish, would dream of adopting a decayed and weather-worn piece of wood as a groundwork for elaborate and costly ornamentation? Yet we see that the Japanese artist not only adopts such a groundwork when it naturally comes to his hand, but that he sets himself, as in the present instance, to laboriously cut and carve a fresh plank into a marvellous imitation of weather-worn timber; and when he has produced a result which delights his eye with its richness of texture, its light and shade, and a total absence of regularity in its lines, he proceeds to incrust it with carved mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, stained ivory, and highly-raised gold lacquer. On the panel represented in the Plate, the tree and the mound on which it is growing are in gold lacquer, beautifully wrought in high relief ; the flowers are carved in light tinted mother-of-pearl, with green ivory introduced in the buds ; the leaves near the foot of the tree are in coloured pearl, tortoiseshell, and ivory stained green; and the small flowers, growing on the mound; are in pearl. The mound is richly inlaid with small squares of gold and codex. The bird nearest to the tree is executed in carved clear tortoiseshell, with red ivory eye and pearl legs. The other pheasant is in black and gold lacquer, with wings of rich green and opal pearl, and tail of clear tortoiseshell, tinted red underneath. The clasps Section Fifth. INCRUSTED-WORK. V Plate VI. at the ends of the panel are in gold lacquer, representing a lacing ofe metal for the purpose of strengthening the decayed woodwork. The manipulation throughout is absolutely. faultless. - Length of the panel as:: inches, height 22 inches. In 'the. possession of MM. J.. pe Vicas. st CV of Faris. SECFTiaN. Y Fras I) G. A. Audsley dir. SMPSOH Low & Co.Fubl. Heliog"" & Imp. Lemercier A ¢ ak teach es SECEION FLEFIM-=PLATE VIL PNCRUS T E D- Y O K K. CREENS covered with paintings or embroidery have been sent to Europe in large numbers from Japan, and many of the more expensive kinds are of great beauty, both as regards design and execution ; but sereens formed entirely of wood, lacquered and incrusted with various materials, are of great rarity. Fhe fine screen from which the present Plate is taken is a folding one of two leaves. It consists of framed panels of drab-coloured wood, richly figured, so treated, by some grinding or rubbing process, that the hard portions of: the grain- stand . in slight - relict. ‘By this process, the. details. of which we are ignorant,. a » beautiful texture is imparted to the surface of the wood, and 'one which the Japanese workman is particularly fond of. The surface is left without any application of oil or varnish. One of the leaves is represented in the «Plate; 'The architectural feature on the right hand side of the pane! is a part of a gateway to a temple.. This is executed in raised red, black, and gold lacquier, finished with a finial in bronze. The- cock is in carved (and stained ivory. and dark tortoiseshell; while the hen and chickens are entirely in- lacquer. The birds on. the upper part of the panel are 'in stained ivory ; and the. leaves are in - lacquer. The frame is of a dark brown wood ornamented with tasteful enrichment in a Chinese style, executed in gold lacquer and. stained ivory. The corresponding leaf of the screen is decorated with a large vessel, in which a fruit tree is growing, and with a cock and chickens. The leaf represented in the Plate measures 4 feet 9% inches in height by 32%% inclhes in width. In the possession of MoxsiEur S. Binc, of Paris. SECTION FIFTH.-PLATE vil FNC RUS I ED - y ORK. HIGMI-Y_ characteristic specimen. of . late Japanese art is. presented by the Incrusted Panel which forms the subjéct of this Plate.: 'The figure. represented, carrying the' huge bell, is : that of of legendary renown. Through the kindness of Mr. William Anderson, FRCS, we are enabled to give the following outline of this hero's exploit. BEenxn-kEr when a young man was a novice in training for the Buddhist Church, but his violent disposition combined with prodigious strength led to constant quarrels with his fellows and - superiors, and procured: for- him - the / suggestive name of Oni-waka, or the "Young Demon." At length he quitted the monastery and became x-fobber, and Afinally. an- adherent of the hero The story alluded to by the Composition on the Panel tells how BEN-KEI stole a famous bell of enormous size and weight from the great temple of Mi-i-dera, and slinging it across his shoulder caffied it a distance of some miles to the temple of Hi-yei-zan. . Such a splendid acquisition was of course eagerly appropriated by the monks of this rival establishment and at once suspended in a belfry. To their disappointment, however, the mighty sonorous tones that once resounded through the air far and wide were now hushed to a weak sobbing sound which seemed to the listeners to ever whimper a desire to go home to Mi-i-dera At last BreEn-xE1, disgusted at the extraordinary behaviour of the stolen bell, cast it down from Hi-yei-zan in the direction of Mi-i-dera. It was eventoally restored : to . its. former, place,. regaining its. old voice with its. old associations. * The Panel is of a dark and very heavy wood, resembling ebony. The figure of * Mr. E. M. Satow gives in 4 Handbook for Travellers in Central and Northern Japan, two other versions of this popular legend. : Section Fifth. - INCRUSTED- WORK,. Plate JIL. Ben-KkEI is of ivory, with a few small details rendered in white and green mother-of- pearl. ~. The, ornamental of; the. dress. and the details 'of the- armour and weapons are carved with the utmost care and accuracy... Ihe arms and legs of the figure are modelled so as to indicate - immense streugth; and ' the. foreshortening. 41s cleverly rendered. 'The expression of. the face is a. compound of malice: and. humour, just such as we can imagine BEn-KEI's countenance to have worn as he started off with the. bell. ' We presume it assumed a. sadder and a wiser cast, before he: deposited his burden at the top of mount HMi-yei-zan. . The: bell, also cleverly - foreshortened, 1s carved in wood and dacquered to represent ancient bronze. Height of Panel 29 inches; width 19% inches. - In the possession of Monsieur Worcu, of Paris. SECTION FIETH. - PLATE IX, INCRUSTED -Y OR K OnNsSUMMATE manipulative skill and artistic taste characterise all the. genuine .and. natutal art efforts of the Japanese; and in no class of their works. is. this" fact more . evident, perhaps. - than. in. their incrusted. or applied designs: All the examples illustrated on. the eiglit preceding. Plates. of. this Section go-to. prove :and a careful. examination -of them cannot fail to impress the observer with the wonderful resources and manual dexterity of their fabricators. The Tray illustrated on this Plate is, though comparatively speaking simple in design, worthy to rank among the best works of its class. The ground is of a dark close-grained wood brought to a smooth semi-polished surface. The design is produced in different materials carved and stained. The birds are in ivory beautifully modelled and. tinted to. the natutal, colours of - their - plumage. - The chrysanthemum flowers are in white and yellow mother-of-pearl; while the leaves are in white and - stained ivory and rich green and purple mother-of-pearl. The small lily-like flowers are in white pearl inclining to a yellow in certain lights; and the long grass blades are in tawny-yellow ivory. All the carving and colouring is of the most perfect and artistic character, and the general effect is simply beautiful. Length of Tray 20 inches, width 15 inches. * in the possitssion of MM. |. pr Vicasx Et C",. of Faris. S t t NV. f FAlate [A. NCC » G A Audsiley dir. 3 ampson Low & Co Publ Heliog"" & Imp Lemercier & (%* R ¥ s XH i yee 1b $EC tion 51x tH. METAL Work SECTION. SIX TH. ME I AL: YO R K. S metallurgists and art: workmen in metals the Japanese may safely be pronounced as unexcelled. We particularly allude to their knowledge of the properties of the metals and their alloys, and their skilful manipulation of them in works of utility and beauty. The range of the Japanese metal worker's art is. immense, and even a cursory view of it is little short of confusing to the eye and mind. . The more one sees :of it the more one marvels at the new world of thought and labour it displays. Look at a thousand sword guards, taken at random, and not two will be found alike; indeed, it is more than probable, that not two will embody or express the same idea.. Yet every one will be. an ex- pressive work, telling its story with a clearness so great that he who runs may read.. Thie same. may be. said of nearly every piece of Japanese art metal-work, from the smallest mountings of their swords to the colossal images which adorn the shrines of Nara and Kamakura. We do not wish to exaggerate, or even to use words which may convey too favourable an impression; and we are convinced that those of our readers who may be thoroughly conversant with the nature and scope of the Japanese metal worker's art will pronounce our language modest rather than inflated. Of the date at which the art of bronze casting was introduced into Japan 2 WOR kK; «Section Sixth. absolutely nothing. is known; and not even the most speculative of native anti- quarians have ventured to affix dates to the very ancient bronze arrow-heads and bells which exist. These are the productions of an epoch anterior to the historical period ; and no writings appear to exist which throw the slightest light on their fabricators. It is' very probable that such small objects as arrow-heads were made long before the more complicated and difficult operations of bell founding were mastered. Indeed, a long chain of failures and successes doubtless stretched. between the casting. of the arrow-head and the bell, but all the links are wanting at the present day. After allusion to the arrow-heads and bells Mr. William Anderson remarks :- "* The next place in point of. antiquity belongs to the: mirror, which is. referred by the date Mr._Ninagawa Noritans to tihe first century x.D., a period still about 700 years earlier thanh the first written documents. - Helmets and. breastplates are said to have been skilfully fashioned and even decorated with. beaten gold as eatly as the fourth century, and there is no doubt that under the Emperor Sho-mu, in the first half of the eighth century, a very great proficiency was attained in this and in many other branches of metal-work. Great open-work lanterns, such as the magnificent example at in Nara: coronsts of gilt silver or copper; sword ornaments; Buddhist images, and sacred utensils (vases, incense-burners, &c.), were made during, and perhaps previous to, this reign with a degree of skill that showed that' the workmen: had. little to learn in the mastery of the materials and tools. It is. truc that foreign-i.e. Chinese and Korean-aid was as freely sought as it was gratefully acknowledged, and numerous models imported from Korea,, China, and. even India (thfough the. Middle Kingdom) served to stimulate the best efforts of the men who showed themselves such apt pupils. The ancient Japanese historians are indeed more ready to acknowledge their obligation to their neighbours than independent readers may be to accept the acknowledgment literally. Thus the Ni/-#om-gi (written in 720 A.D.) dates the commencement of metal founding from ' the year "o7 - when two Koreans named Sho-toku-haku and Maijun are said to have come to Japan to teach the secrets -of" the att; but an 'unvfritten tradition handed down through 3 score of generations side by side with transparent quasi-historical fables is framed rather for credulity than credence. Be- .this as it. may; upwards of a thousand years ago the status reached by the Japanese in the art of metal fabrication was remarkably high, and many of the- products of these. carly ages of . art culture demonstrate 'a breadth: of -conteption - and a courage. of - effort that could . only emanate from an intellectual and energetic face.. But the art in its more impressive phases had reached its zenith, and the subsequent eras have contributed little to increase the fame earned by the fabrication of the great bronzes of the ancient capital of Nara. 'Many strides in advance. have however been taken in certain directions. . The great wars of the Minamoto and Taira clans in the twelfth century led to a remarkable development in the manufacture of arms and armour, and three hundred years later, a grace and delicacy of artistic workmanship not unworthy of a Benvenuto Cellini Section Sixth. METAL-WORK, 3 were applied to the decoration of the appendages of the national weapon-the sword, and in subsequent times has been manifested in a hundred ways in connexion .with the arts of peace as well as those of war, attaining its highest level in the wonderful creations of the Mi6-chins and To-uns of the past and present centuries." Mr. Anderson concludes this terse and admirable historical »éswimmé with the following noteworthy remarks, which our own study and . experience enable: us to fully- endorse :-" The largest volume would fail to do justice to the qualities of versatility, originality, and dexterity, placed in evidence in this single section. of glyptic att." As the most ancient Japanese works in metal are castings in bronze it is right that we should commence our remarks with some notes on that branch of art. The earliest known examples are by no means timid essays although, as might reasonably be expected, they are somewhat rude. in comparison with later works.. Of the arrow. heads nothing need be said here, for they present no evidences of art thought. The oldest bells, measuring. from one to two feet in height, are cast in the shape of a truncated cone, with a flat pierced handle on the crown, and usually with two plates, projecting from opposite sides, slightly ornamented, and extending from the crown to the rim.. They are decorated in a very simple conventional manner; and notwith- standing that they are believed to have been used in the early religious services they display no decided symbolical devices. In later times Chinese models were adopted by the Japanese bell founders, and many fine and highly ornamented castings were produced. A remarkable specimen of. carly bell founding of this class is in. the possession of Prolessor C. .B. West, of Brooklyn; in shape and proportions it is probably unique.. At measures 3 feet in height. with a diameter at the rim of about 7 iuches.. -It is conical in form, with a loop handle of two dragons heads on its crown; and is elaborately ornamented with designs in low relief throughout its entire height. The designs present a strange mixture of styles-Chinese predominating- with a prevailing air of crudity, just such as might be looked for in an carly work of the kind.~ - There jis no. evidence, however, of want of skill so far as. the metre casting is concerned; and bearing in- view the practical difficulties attending the successful founding a bell 'of its exceptional form, it may be pronounced a masterly piece of work. Its possessor has been informed that it was presented by an Emperor of: China to the: first Sho-gun, and was by him deposited in the great Buddhist temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, at Kioto. This may be the case, but we are strongly of epinion that the bell is a very. carly native casting ornamented after Chinese models. The ordinary, form. adopted for the Jarge bells in Japan may be seen by referring to the group. in the «lower. compartment «of _ Plate HMT, ~ Section, VIH.) which reptesents. stealing the great bell of the temple of Mi-i-dera. . Fhis cele- brated. bell, of which another (foreshortened) representation is given in Plate VIII., Section V., is believed to have been presented by the hero: Tawara Lopa HiprsaToO in -the. tenth century. 'The {largest and probably the oldest of the great temple bells in Japan is that 4 METAL-WORK. Section Sixth, which hangs in the bell tower on the hill adjoining the Buddhist temple, To-dai-ji, ; at Nara.. This bell was cast -in 732 am: - it measures about 13 feet 6 inches in height, and 9 feet. 1: inch: in diameter. at its. rim. About. 40 tons of bronze are-said fo have been used in its casting.. Anotlhier huge bell hangs in the bell tower of the monastery of Chi-on-In, at Kibto. ~ It was cast in: 1633 Ap., and weighs. 125,000 catties, nearly. equal to 74 tons. ~ It measures about 10 fect o inches in height, 0 feet in diameter, and o:¢ inches thick at the sound bow.. From these fine examples. it may feasonably be inferred. that the art of bell. founding. was in a high state. of development in Japan between the eighth and seventeenth centuries. Allt travellers, at all conversant with the arts and manufactnires, who. visit Japan are greatly impressed with the excellence and great 'size _of. the, many. castings in bronze which meet their eyes;: and they stand in surprised admiration belore such gigantic works as the Yaku-shi and VAirdZana, at Nara, and the magnificent Amida or Dai-butsu, at Kamakura, the largest ancient bronze castings in the world. Besides these there are numerous lesser Buddhist images remarkable both for the art and the manipulative skill they display. On this subject Mr. William Anderson, the great authority on Japanese pictorial and glyptic art, remarks :-" The most im- posing, if not the most original, examples of Japanese metal-work are afforded by the great bronze Buddhist images. According to the Ko-ge? Sk:-ri0, the first bronze idol made in Japan dates from a.p. 605, and is attributed to the wood-carver Tori Busshi, but ho details are: given as to the character of this production beyond the fact that it was 16 feet in height.. The Japanese, however, claim to have derived from Korea a knowledge of the art of metal founding at the much more remote period of 97 B.C., and assert that Chinese and Indian Buddhist bronzes were imported at different times before the seventh century. Three Indian figures in gilt bronze, representing the Amitibha Trinity, preserved at Ho-rid-ji near Nara, are said to have been brought from Korea. in the. reign of the Emperor Bi-tatsu (A.1. 372 to 355)... The earliest of the three great images mentioned above is the Yaku-shi, at Nara. This remarkable work: was finished and consecrated in the year 696. It is a seated figure upon an altar-throne. The whole is cast in the expensive Japanese alloy called shalkudo. - Of this image Mr. Anderson gives the following interesting information :- '* One of the noblest and most interesting of the: ancient Buddhist bronzes in Japan is the colossal Yaku-shi in the temple of Yaku-shi-ji at Nara, which was cast about the end of the seventh century, and is attributed to the monk Gi6-gi, to whom, with Sho-toku Tai-shi and Ko-b6 Dai-shi, the priesthood are in the habit of: ascribing all the: masterpieces. of art 'of which the authorship dias been left in obscurity. [It is more probable that this as well as many other works to which the names of the early fathers of the Church are attached were made under the direction of theit nominal authors by Korean 'or Chinese artificers.]} . The image is -.boldly conceived and of admirable workmanship." The: largest bronze in Japan is the image. of VairoAfana, in the templecof To- «Section Sixth. METAL-W ORK. 5 dai-ji, at Nara.. The height of this truly colossal work is about => feet 6 inches from the base to the highest point of its head. It is in the usual sitting posture, with Aegs=-crossed. in front; the. right hand. raised to the Aevel of the shoulder: in the act of blessing, and the left hand resting on the left knee. Mt. Satow in Imis Handbook for 'fapan gives the following legend regarding the origin of this image :- " In the year 736 Sho-mu Tenno conceived the idea of constructing a colossal Buddhist idol, but fearing to offend the native gods, sent the priest Gio-gi to the Sun-goddess' temple in Ise, to present her with a shari (sarira) or relic of the Buddha, and find out how she would regard his project. Gio-gi passed seven days and nights at the foot of a tree close to her gate, at the end of which time the chapel doors flew open, and a loud voice pronounced an oracular sentence which was interpreted in a favourable sense. On the night after the priest's return the Mikado dreamt that the Sun-goddess appeared to him in her own form and said, ' The Sun is Biroshana' (V@irdéana). She also announced her approval of his plan of erecting a Buddhist temple, and he in consequence determined to have an image 160 feet high of gold and copper, A proclamation was issued in 743 calling upon the people to contribute, and in 744 the Mikado himself directed the construction of the model. The image was to be cast at Shigaraki in Omi, where he then resided, but two years later he removed the capital to Nara, and the image was not completed. In 747 he began the casting of another image, and with his own hands carried earth to form the platform. Eight attempts in all were made to cast the image, which were finally crowned with success in 749. As Japan had not up to that time produced any gold, the Mikado was in despair lest he should not be able to procure enough of that metal to gild it all over, but the discovery of gold in in the same year came opportunely to supply the want. In 859 the head of the image fell off, but was replaced. In 1180 the whole building was destroyed by fire in a civil war, and the head of the image was melted by the flames, but both temple and image were restored fifteen years later. The temple was burned. again in 1507, and.once more the head of the image fell off; it was replaced not fong after by the present lead at the expense of a private individnaal. - From this time the image remained exposed to the elements in the condition of a s#wrebofoke (wet-god), as the < Japanese familiarly say, until the reconstruction of the temple 130 and odd years later." We now come to the Dai-butsu or Great Buddha, of Kamakura, a work which has- so- often been described and commented on by writers on Japan. that if seems nnffecessary. to do more than allude to it there. It must, however, occupy some of -our space, for in it the art of bronze casting. and the skill of the modeller may be said_ to: have. reaclied their culmination. - Mr. Anderson says :-* The date: of this figure is by no means satisfactorily established, the accounts offered in the two chief authorities, the Kamakura-shi and To-kai-do Mei-sho0, being very meagre and rather confusing ; but there is reason to believe with the Kamakura-shi that the existing image, a representation of Amitabha, was made in 1252, to replace one. originally constructed. in . the Sth century, by. order of 'the. Emperor: Sho'imu. - T'he most remarkable. part of the figure is the head, with its perfect syinimetty of: feature: ~ .- It is this which confers upon the work, as a whole, its immense superiority over all its rivals of earlier and later years. _ The expressign, of intellectual calm which etherealises the majestic. but slightly sensual mask, realises -in the most marvellous degree that domination of the senses and. emotions which formed the goal of the primitive Buddhists,. By the side of this the head of the Nara Vairokana is almost brutal, that of the bronze god at Uyeno is a caricature, and the majority of the other conceptions of the idol-maker sink into insignificance." Particulars of the dimensions of the entire figure and its several parts will be of 6 METAL-WORK. Section Sixth. interest;. they are: derived from thie Japanese measurements given with a woodcut of the idol sold on the spot by the priest-custodian. The measurements here given in feet and inches are approximately correct. FTF. TN FI. TN: Height. . § $ 40 6 Length. of eye 3 14 5% Circumference r aa 407 2 Length of nose: , 3 .~: 1G Breadth across'knees' - ..- 35 8 Length of car :-. o Length of face a 4 8 5 Height of curls 0 o % Width to outside of ears 17 o Circumference of curls 3 o Width of mouth - . t teo 2 On the forehead is a circular raised boss of silver, which is computed to weigh 30 pounds avoirdupois; and the eyes are. plated with pure gold. The head is adorned with no fewer than 830 curls of about the size above given. BHnough has been said about the colossal bronzes of Japan to convey an idea of the scale on which the ancient founders worked; and we may now turn our attention to theit=emode of fabrication.. "The. bells 'of (Japan were; asd all bells must be, cast complete; but in the. case. of the. colossal figures the mode of procedure was of course widely different. f On an examination of these great works it can be plainly seen that they have been built. up 'of many separate castings. - The founding. of the Vairofana of Nara appears to have presented great difficulties, for according to some statements . seven and to others eight essays were made before a successful issue was attained. 'The metal- melted for this figure is stated to have weighed nearly five hundred tons ; and three thousand tons of charcoal were consumed in the process. -The body of ;the. image 'is composed. of a series of separate . castings, " measuring about: 12 inches -by 10° inches. and- varying . from 6 to <160- inches . in thickness," carefully adjusted and probably brazed together, an operation which must have been attended with immense difficulty. The older parts of: the zelumbium flower, on which the figure immediately rests, are: also- in -small castings, but the later additions, such as the reversed petals underneath, are of considerable size, indicating greater skill on the part : of their founders.. The head and hands are believed to be in single castings. We have said above that the pieces forming the body were probably brazed. together, because there appears to be some doubt:. as to the? method of procedure 'adopted-in. this case.. . It is said that as. the figure was. in. course of formation the mould was gradually built up, and the melted metal poured into chamber after chamber as the work rose in height, : We can give no opinion on this mode of casting ; but it seems, practicable if proper provision 'is made to bind the several pieces together by ties or clamps set in the moulds. : After the casting was completed the external surface was chiselled and brought into a smooth state, Section Sixth. METAL-WORK. 7 when it was gilded. - The Dai-butsu of Kamakura is built up in the manner above alluded to, but. in this instance it= appears certain that 'the pieces were cast sepa- rately and subsequently brazed together. Of the many other bronze figures of all sizes, which adorn the Buddhist temples throughout the country, it is impossible to speak in the limited space at our disposal; but they present no features of technical interest. We must not pass from the subject of ancient bronze casting without a word respecting. mirfors. . 'On this subject. Vir. Anderson says --". Mirrors -were first: made in: Japan;saccording to. Mr. Ninagawa; in the; reign ol the Emperor Kei-k6 (a.. 71 to #130). 4 I hey & assume two- principal forms. - T he; first is a. plain circular disc, polished upon one surface, and usually covered with an emblematical design upon the reverse. - Some are provided with handles, while others, usually of much larger size, have no such appendage, but are: supported by a carved stand representing con- ventionalised clouds or waves, the mirror then probably symbolising the full moon. The 'second. form, is commonly small, not. more than four inches in diameter; if has no handle, and presents on the reverse an aperture for a cord, perforating a raised portion of the design." We have met with some remarkable examples of fine casting in: both the classes 'of: mirrors, but: especially {in, the: latter, which are: sometimes of considerable thickness, and present, within a raised rim, designs of trees, birds, etc, beautifully modelled and deeply under-cut. . The designs, commonly emblematic in character, consist of wimze and fir trees, bamboos, cranes, and tortoises-the favourite emblems of youth and long life. In preparing the moulds for these delicate works, models are first made in wax; then a "slip "-is prepared with very. fine. sand, a. liitle clay,; and water, and, in its fluid state, is poured into the hollow portions of the models, which are turned about so as to become evenly coated with the mixture.~ This first coating is allowed to dry and a second one applied in like manner. When the models have become completely covered in this way, coarser material is pressed all round them, and vent-holes and gates for the melted metal are formed where most convenient. The moulds are now allowed to. dry gradually . until perfectly free from moisture. They are then subjected to heat sufficient to melt the wax, which running out through the gates is collected for future use. Subsequently the moulds are baked and at that stage are placed in the hands of the founder. The moulds are made hot immediately before the melted metal is poured into them. The alloy commonly used by the old mirror makers was composed of copper, tin, and a little lead. Traces of silver and gold have been found ; and other materials, such as iron, arssmic, and . sulphut, appear in small quantities in the shape of accidental impurities. On the cooling of the metal, the moulds are broken and ' the mirrors are removed and cleaned ; and finally their plain surfaces are ground, silvered, and highly. polished. Having briefly touched on the founding of Bells, images, and. mirrors," we now come to a class of castings embracing objects almost countless in their number and 8 METAL-WORK. Section Sixth. variety. Amongst these are found temple lanterns, incense-burners, candlesticks, vases, and objects of a purely ornamental or fanciful nature, in the casting of which the: Japanese. have surpassed in point of skill all the founders of other nations, Speaking of the wonderful works produced by the Japanese founders, Mr. Dresser remarks :-" Our first acquaintance with Japanese manufactures revealed their skill in the casting of metals But it was the Vienna Exhibition which showed what supreme casters of metal the Japanese are. In this exhibition was shown a casting of :a flight 'of birds, 'which may now be seen in the. Archwological Museum at Edinburgh. The birds are so arranged that the group forms a continuous casting. Yet the birds composing it are almost separate the one from the other. This casting is the: work of a TOokid® manufacturer of remarkable ability. So far as I know, this was the most notable work ever produced by- the flowing of molten metal into a mould. -But even this marvellous work was surpassed by a peacock sent to the last Paris International Exhibition by the same wonderful metal founder. - This peacock, which was of life size, had a drooping and unspread tail, but many of the feathers,. and even: barbs of the feathers, were distinctly rendered; while in many cases the barbs were separate the one from the other, and the individual feathers more ' or: less. distinct.". It. 'must, - however,. not be: taken for" granted that the generality of the complicated bronzes produced in Japan are single castings, for such is very far from being the case. The native artists and founders. display . great ingenuity in modelling and casting their works in separate pieces, and in cunningly brazing them together so as almost to defy detection. We are greatly mistaken and our memory is unreliable if the beautiful peacock just alluded to was not built up of several pieces.. - So far as we have been able to ascertain, there is no special desire on the part of the Japanese bronzists to court difficulties in their art from the mere affectation of overcoming them ; nor do they profess to do impossibilities As they built up their colossal statues piecemeal, recognising the impracticability of founding them entire, so they construct their wonderfully complex and delicate bronzes. Such is unquestionably the general rule, but there are probably many. instances, and the flight of birds may be accepted as one, in which the founder has achieved a task previously believed to be insurmountable. Mr. Dresser, who has had the opportunity of visiting the foundry of the skilful metal caster who produced the flight of birds and the peacock, alluding to the method adopted in casting the iron kettles with which every collector and lover of Japanese art As> familiar, "says :- "*While 'in Tokio I Had" the opportunity of _seeing ; the little foundry of the great metal caster who sent these marvellous objects to Europe, and he most kindly showed me how he achieved his results. The great peculiarity which I noticed in the Japanese method consisted in a fresh model being made for every work - produced.. . Thus; if fifty kettles were to be formed of the same pattern, not only would a fresh sand mould be made for each particular kettle, but a fresh model would be prepared for the making of each mould. All must now be familiar Section Sixth. & ME TEAL-WORK. with those beautiful iron kettles which have become so fashionable for the afternoon tea-drinking, and which frequently have a flower or some other device jutting out from the side in almost full relief: These are: of: Japanese manultacture, and while the body is of iron the lid and the handle are generally of bronze. * To produce such a kettle a block of wood. is turned to the shape of its body, and the spray, or whatever ornament is to appear on the finished work, whether it: be simple: or most elaborate, is modelled in wax on this 'core, a separate process of. modelling being necessary to the production of each particular kettle. It will be seen that this process, although laborious, gives variety and interest to. the works produced ; and while all such methods must seem to us to involve an unnecessary expenditure of labour, I yet think that the Japanese gain as much as they lose by their processes. Nothing is so calculated to remove from man a true perception of art qualities as seeing hundreds of works precisely. alike: -The mere fact of, seeing a number of duplicates of the one thing,. however meritorious each may be, is calculated to weaken our appreciation of the. beautiful. The multiplication of examples inspires dislike, though the work itself may be worthy of admiration." There is something more than this, on which Mr. Dresser does not touch, and it is an all-important factor in the. question. . Any, model or '' pattern," made with the view of an unlimited number of moulds being produced from it, must of necessity be formed to " draw "-that is, to leave the mould -freely and without any injury to the impression in the sand-and this condition is fatal to designs in high relief with much under-cutting. _ To produce a delicately modelled flower " in almost full relief," such as a Japanese artist would delight in, is by the repetition system of moulding and casting next to an impossibility; even the most perfect " piece mould would break down in its complexity and delicacy. To produce such works as the Japanese affect the Japanese mode of procedure must be adopted. But to return to Mr. Dresser's remarks. *The Japanese method of casting gives a certain amount of vatiety in the work produced, for no two objects are precisely alike. And each has a special character resulting from: the personal. work of the modeller. - It is this quality which causes those who have art appreciation to prefer Japanese kettles to anything that the black countries have yet produced." Or, we may add, are ever likely to produce. " Whether the work be large or small a model is first made on a rough piece of wood, to which shape is given by the addition of a mixture of wax and resin : but in the case of feathers or other fragile parts the wax would enclose such wires or bamboo slips as would be needed for their support. The model being prepared, a thin batter is formed -by mixing a sand of exceeding fineness, and almost clay-like in character, with water. This is carefully spread over the model in such a manner as to coat it all over.. But care must be taken to leave no air-bubbles between the wax and sand. When this batter is dry a second coating is given, and then another, but now the batter is formed of a slightly coarser sand. If necessary, other coats IO f METAL-WORK. Section Sixth. are placed - over the whole or part of the work,. - When these are dry sand is piled around the mass and pressed into all the spaces which have been but partly filled by the semi-fluid matter, till the whole appears as one shapeless but solid mass. The next process consists in removing the model with its surrounding sand to a sort of kiln or ' muffle, in which the heat is sufficient to melt and evaporate the wax, and : even to consume the wooden core should any exist.. Certain holes have necessarily been left through which the metal is to .be introduced to the mould, and also holes by which air is to be expelled at the time of casting. Through the holes any dust or ash can be removed from the mould. By this process of melting the wax, and evaporating it through the body of the sand, a firmness seems to be pro- duced in the mould which our moulds lack. But the fact that the wax model is first coated with semi-fluid matter does much to attain this end . . . I had no opportunity while-in Japan of seeing the actual process of casting carried, on, I only saw the making of models and moulds; but from the explanations given to me by various workmen it seemed to differ in no essential particular from our own. I was, however, told that the moulds were made hot before the fluid metal was poured into them, so as to prevent its chilling while flowing through fine ducts. 'This I think highly probable, for by no other method that IL know .of could such work as the tail of the great peacock already mentioned be effected. Anything analogous to our ' piece moulds' I never saw in Japan, and I was informed that of this method of working nothing was known. The case of ' under-cut' work is met by their wax models." There can be no doubt, however, that the Japanese founders are acquainted with some method of constructing moulds in pieces, and that they at one time employed them 'for works of- considerable size. - The iron vase illustrated in Plate: VI., of this Section, < bears conclusive=- evidence. of- having been cast in a: '"' piece mould," apparently of three parts.. This vase is stated to have been cast about two hund‘red years ago. Iron (¥etsw), also called " black metal" and "true metal" (ma-gane), has always 'been held in the highest estimation by the Japanese, and much care: has always been taken in smelting it. . The iron preferred by the Japanese for all works of a high class is derived from a titaniferous iron ore, resembling that known under the term by us, smelted with charcoal under conditions which appear to retain a larger proportion of the titanium than is possible by our modes of reduction. It has been suggested that the intense hardness and deep bluish grey observable in the steel produced from this class of iron is due to the large percentage of titanium it contains. If is further stated that this tint deepens considerably by age, and that experts in swords can form a tolerably accurate idea of the age of a weapon by comparing its tint with other examples whose dates of manufacture are authenticated. One cannot examine fine specimens of ancient Japanese iron-work, cast or wrought, without being struck with the dark colour of their rust, approaching black in the generality of cases. This also appears to be due to the presence of titanium. Besides «Section Sixth. ME I AL-WORK, 1 I the titaniferous, the Japanese have largely used the ordinary magnetic iron ore for the production of common castings. The metal closely resembles the Swedish. Apart from the native supply, iron imported from other countries was freely used by the Japanése founders and. smiths._. Steel, chiefly in the form of files: and other cutting tools, was largely imported by the Dutch merchants: and good qualities of cast iron were brought from China and India in ancient times. The process of smelting appears in Japan to have always been of a primitive nature, the furnaces being blown by a peculiar kind of bellows or blowing machine worked by manual labour. The same description of blower is used by the native smiths. In the following illustration, from a 'design by Hoxtusa1, the machine is FORGING IRON. FROM HOKUSATS Z-HON TELAIN O-RAZ shown in the background, the right foot of the seated figure resting on the cross- handle of its piston-rod. The machine is simplicity itself, consisting of a rectangular piston working within a long box, furnished with the necessary suckers and valves, and having a nozzle carried to the furnace. While on this subject we may mention an interesting series of Japanese engravings, published in the fourth volume of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, in which all the native operations connected with gold mining, washing, and refining gold are graphically shown ; and in which a furnace is depicted, with a blower of the above kind being actuated in a very energetic way by a burly workman. In the composition of bronzes, or alloys of copper with other metals, the Japanese metallurgists are extremely skilful. The variety of colours they produce, namely, tones of grey, yellow, red, brown, and black, afford great scope for the metal workers 12 MEFAL-work. __ Section Sixth. of the country to display their taste and ingenuity in ornamentation. - Besides the ordinary bell-metals and mirror-metals, which are chiefly alloys of copper and tin, with, in some instances, In somc of the highest class old Zafae-kiri-bori zo-gan, the introduction of the precious metals does not extend beyond the surface enrichment of details perfectly modelled in the baser metal. We have remarked that the metallic colours used in this process are somewhat 26 METAL-WORK. Section Sixth. limited in number, yet the Japanese metallurgists have done wonders in the way of meeting the artist's demands. Black is furnished by sZ#aku@do; dark brown, approach- ing black, by oxidised iron; deep warm brown by the same immaterial; lighter shades of brown, varying from coffee colour to tawny or saftron yellow, by bronze ;. deep :red by copper; bright yellow by gold and skiwcZiz; pale and greenish yellow by codanr and other combinations of gold 'and silver; grey by- and certain varieties of bronze; and white by silver and polished steel. In the generality of cases only three or: four- of the above- are met ~with. associated. together. These are commonly Aron, gold, and. silver; shakudo, gold, and - silver ;. bronze, golq, silver, and s#akudo; iron, gold, silver, and copper or bronze; or skibm-ichi, gold, silver, and shakudo. We have ~now before us a very beautiful Isuin, from the Hart Collection, ornamented on one side with nine horses. in different attitudes, and on the other with grasses -and flowers. 'The body of the sword guard is of finished perfectly smooth; and the are as: follows: a chestnut, in copper with a warm patina: 2: a. grey and black pichbald, -in sAidu-ichi and. shnkudo: 3 and 4. black, in sAnfkudo;. 5. dark grey, in shibwichi: 6. a bay and yellow piebald, in copper and gold: 7 and 8. black and yellow piebalds, in sZ#akuao and gold : 9. a grey spotted with white, in skzbz-ic/t and silver.: The- eyes 'of. all the: horses are. of 'gold... The flowers. and: grasses, on the reverse; sare executed: in - relief. :in . gold," roouny 'silver, < and. - «Aurudo~ Tlie. - most remarkable work of this class which has «come before our observation is the exquisite tsubae illustrated in Fig. 2, Plate XL. It is the work of Tarcersu Mirsvo®kt, dated 1806; The design. is known sas "the hundred horses '; and is executed» in. seven different metals and alloys, Accurate as the heliogravure is, the illustration conveys no idea of the beauty of this elaborately and ingeniously wrought specimen of Raf/c- kiri-bori z0-gan. It is the most costly and highly prized sword guard ever exported from Japan.. Plates IL., HJ., VII. YIII., X.. XI, XH Xi., Xv: and: XYII, devoted. chigfly to the illustration of this characteristic. branch. of - Japanese orna- mental 'art, will be examined with interest, particulars relative to the materials used in cach tase being given in the attendant Descriptions. Not the least remarkable and interesting branch of the Japanese metal worker's art is that which embraces the various modes of treating the surface or of imparting to. metal grounds different textures.. With a polishede or highly. burnished. surface; such as our silversmiths. affect in the bulk of their. productions, the. Japanese have scant. sympathy. .. They adopt it of course, but only on, comparatively speaking, rare occasions,- and -for special effects in combination with other varieties 'of treatment. The ways in which the surface of metal is relieved by oxidising, corroding, punching, dragging, and scratching are 'almost countless; and the preference for the "artistic effects so produced clearly proves that the Japanese metal worker values the material under his hand as. a means to an end, and not merely at its intrinsic value; this -subject Mr. Dresser makes a few apposite: remarks. _HMe says :-'*One. other point connected with Japanese metal-work is worthy of most careful consideration, Sution Stxth. METAL-WORK. - 27 namely, the various textures given to metals. . We are too fond Of bright surfaces, and not unfrequently prefer glitter to repose ; but to the. Japanese glitter #s vulgar. They tell a tale of a. servant ccoming" frony the rural: districts to Tokio, where. she entered the service of some distinguished family.. In her new abode she discovered a silver teapot, which -was beautifully oxidised and subdued in colour, which she »at onee proceeded to brighten. : To the :Japatiecse this tale has a point which is not -so striking to us, for to them>the whole respectability of the article was removed by the process of polishing, and what was a work worthy of high appreciation had, by her labour, become an object of absolute vulgarity." .. Would that 'our. silversmiths. could take to heart thesteaching of this simple-story. In America considerable progress has already been made through the study of the Japanese methods of surface treatment; and, accordingly,. there is 'some silver of American: manulacture to be -met with of decided artistic merit. Mr. Dresser continues -" I am sure that: the Japanese are right in- seeking to give to their works in metal such textures as will render their forms apparent, and make the ornaments which they bear prominent by contrast. . Many of their works have 'a w' toothed: or (gunpowder-like grain, and from. this.. an. ornament, having a somewhat smooth surface, frequently. stands out.. But the number of various fextures given to the surface "of. metals. by. the-. Japanese is almost; countless: The Japanese are. the only perfect metal workers which -the world has yet produced, for they 'are the only people who do_not think of the material, and regard the effect produced as bf far greater moment than 'the metal employed. . To them iron, zinc, bismuth, gold, silver, and copper, are only so. many materials with which things of beauty may be produced, and the one is as acceptable as the other, if perfect Appropriateness is seen in the application of the material, and if the result produced be satisfactory and beautiful." ' Before drawing this Section to a close, we cannot do Beiter than quote a few pertinent remarks, written on the subject of Japanése ornamental metal-work, by Sir Rutherford Alcock, in his Art aml Art Industries 'In Fapan, in which he kindly includes a few early words of our own. He says:-"In bronze and other metals the Japanese need fear no comparison, within a certain range of subjects, with the best work which Europe can show. They have, it is true, nothing to put ~by the side of the ckefs-d’azzwfe of Jolin of Bologna,. Benvenuto Cellini, or indeed many later European artists; simply, it would seem, because they have fiever attempted to acquire the power of drawing or modelling the figure with accuracy. Except for their idois-and these have a distinctly Indian origin and type-they never attempt large figures, nude or draped. But in artistic treatment in mctals; ol small groups and natural objects, such as are depicted in their woodcuts, they have attained very rare excellence; and in nearly every department-in casting, engraving, chasing, inlaying, and damascening-they seem to have little, if anything, to learn from Europe. In bronze casting and modelling I consider them masters. They: are 28 ME I AL- WORK, Section Sixth. equally capable of colossal and - minute. work; and. I believe. there .are processes known to them of which: we are wholly ignorant.. In the Report of the. Jurors. of. the International Exhibition of 1862, the numerous specimens of brooches, clasps; and medallions, in various. metals, wltich I sent, together with iwo. unique. equestrian statuettes, standing about two feet high, were noticed in their award of a medal, -in the. following terms, under the heading 'Japan' :-* For a collection of bronzes of characteristic. excellence, this collection is very remarkable: the smaller fancy objects, such as brooches and clasps, are admirably executed. In all the figures the: national. character is represented. with perfect truth and expression.. These objects are. princi- pally in iron, relieved. by partial overlaying of gold and bronze.. Great aptitude is evinced in these works. "*A very competent judge of such matters, Mr. Hunt. -of the firm. of 4HTunt and Roskell, and one of the jurors of the International Exhibition,. once said, in answer to. my: inquiry. whether the artists and skilled workers inn metal employed by the. first jewellers and silversmiths in London could produce equally good specimens of their art, 'that they might, but. only. at such a price as to. preclude any: chance of- sale. Now, the brooches and 'other articles, 1 referred to had cost in that day a few £ boos each-say from ten to twenty. shillings.. He also added that, ' after careful exami- nation, he was convinced the Japanese were in possession of some means not known in Europe of forming amalgams, and of overlaying one metal on another, and in the most minute and delicate details; introducing into the same subject, not. covering an inch, silver, 'gold, bronze, Ke, so as to make 'a variegated picture. of divers colours." "*I had selected a few of the finer specimens of these. still in my possession to be engraved, but I am satisfied, on further reflection, that nothing short of the finest work of the graver, aided by colour, could give a fair idea of the minuteness, delicacy, and graphic power shown in the originals; and to produce them in any imperfect way, would not only mislead, but do great injustice to the Japanese, to whose skill anid artistic genius these works owe their excellence."* "* The description Mr. Audsley gives of this fines metallic work furnishes more specific information on the process followed than I have found elsewhere.. - He says in his lecture --' Perhaps the most characteristic of all. their metallurgic works is that called by them swzk/ido. | In this, numerous metals and alloys.-are associated; the designs being produced in colours, through the agency of the various coloured fmetals; white being represented by silver; yellow by gold, black by platina-f all shades of * It is the same consideration which has prevented our attempting, in the present book, to represent this minute and delicate metal-work by any manual process of engraving or colour printing. - Photography alone could do justice to the originals and we accordingly confined ourselves to heliogravure. t At the time this was written very little was known about Japanese metallurgy; and the Lecture alluded to was, so far as we are aware, the second, on the subject of Japanese art, delivered in this country. At that time (1874), the peculiar alloy called sZakw@o was unknown to European students, and hence the mistake in our attributing the black in Japanese metal-work to - Further investigations incline us to believe that the native artists have never used platina in their ornamental works.-G. A. A. Section Sixth. METAL-WORK, 29 dull red by. copper and its alliss, brown by bronze, and blue by steel.. Gold, silver, and polished . steel;, of. course,." represent themselves in: designs as. well as abstract colours. A red garment, embroidered with gold and clasped with silver, would be executed in red-coloured copper, inlaid with gold, and furnished with a silver brooch, The sword in the hand of a warrior would be in polished steel, and, if bloody, would have red topper inlaid on. it.... Ehese instances. will suffice 'to illustrate the general mode of producing coloured designs by the exclusive -use of metals. _I have. seen many beautiful specimens of and can bear witness to their. faultless execution." f *How they came to attain this: perfection . of workmanship in. this particular industry is partly to be accounted for by the.fact that formerly the most valued of a Daimio's possessions was a highly tempered and trustworthy sword-or rather, a pair of swords, since.the privileged classes always wore two-possessions . which . were transmitted front fatlier to. son, and. treasured as heirlooms. They gave. very . high prices to the. most celebrated armourers for these weapons-as much, 1 have. been informed, as £z00-and it was their habit to have the guard inlaid with the finest designs in relief, and with one or more of these medallions or syek/zo on the handle. Hence the demand, as with the knights and.nobles of the Middle Ages, for the finest workmanship of damascene, inlaying, and sepoussé designs on their armour. Their tobacco-pouches were ornamented . with. medallion clasps. As a Japanese noble, however wealthy or high in rank, wore no other ornament 'on his person, he could afford in these two appendages to lavish any sum that could com- mand the highest Art. And the supply appears to have answered the demand. "When the best work was not so rare as it has now become, and it was pos- sible to find pleces:of a past age far exceeding in value, as in beauty of form and workmanship, any of the productions of a more recent date, I obtained many for the Exhibition of : 1862« Whoever. possesses any .of. these should value them highly, for, to all appearance, they are not likely to be reproduced, from the . failure :of native demand and patronage. s f ''This marvellous delicacy - of .. touch . and execution -is the more, remarkable, because in the fashion of their tools, as in their smelting and refining processes, so fir as I have had any opportunity of observing, everything is of the most primitive kind. »XTheir. ovens, Jurnaces, &C., are simplé and. rude; yet, judging by the work, they must have a perfect command of their materials, from the jronstone to the steel of their sword-blades. If we could. obtain a fuller knowledge of the processes employed,. it is possible we might learn much that was interesting, if not valuable, both to British metallurgists and to iron-smelters. There is, for instance, a mixture of reddish-yellow and dark: black-green bronze, as if the two metals had been with difficulty stirred up and mixed together when in a semi-fluid state, the composition of which is, I believe, unknown .in Europe. . As to their bronzes, while they rival the Chinese in the excellence of the metal and their command over the material, whether 30 ORK. Section Sixth. in casting or chasing, I think they surpass them in this as in many other materials, by the: variety, fancy, and grace of design." _- In the above quotation, Sir Rutherford Alcock mentions "a mixture of reddish- yellow and dark black-green bronze, as if the two metals had been with difficulty stirred up and mixed together when in a semi-fluid state": we presume he alludes to the peculiar class of ornamental metal-work called by the Japanese w#zokwde, in which a reddish copper is associated with s#akwdo either in thin alternating lamina or in a fashion which produces a marbled 'effect:. We have, some very, interesting: sword guards of siofube, belonging to the Hart collection, before us as-we write.; One is formed, in its thickness of 14 of an inch, of eight plates of and seven plates of copper. - Each side of the guard is ornamented with deep V-shaped, spiral designs, precisely similar to and in imitation of gwsi lacquer (see, Section, Fourth, page 26, and Plate XI., fig. s).. The black and red lines=of the plates produce a similar effect to the layers of lacquer. In the production of this class of metal-work the several plates: are soldered together and then hammered.. Another guard, which presents the marbled effect alluded to, is faced with thin plates of copper into which s#akudo has apparently been beaten and finally exposed by grinding. The exact method of procedure followéd is,: however, difficult to trace. Jewellety, as it is understood in the West, appears never to have been worn by the: Japanese.. In the studied _sitmplicity sof. their dress they. have "ever presented. a wide contrast to other Eastern nations, to whom jewels and ornaments of gold and silver were insignias of rank 'and wealth. But the mountings of their swords are gems: of art, more valuable as records: of- man's poWer, taste; and. manual Skill "than alt the gold-encased jewels of- Persia» and: India.. «With: such wondrofis works of art before us, dt.is impossible to regret the absence of meretricious jewellery, which has always been an adjunct of barbaric splendour and seldom an outcome 'of elevated taste in- art. Although the national taste did not «direct the metal worker's art in the direction of jewellery, the- demands of religion developed: it- to some extent in the direction of true goldsmith's work... The shrines: of the Buddhist temples still contain some fine examples of the. latter,.in the shape of reliquariecs. These are of beautiful design-and chased in the most. exquisite manner. - One of: the: most perfect. reliquaries known to 'exist! is} preserved. in «the Museum of Kidto ;- while others are still to >be. found in some of the temples.at Nara and elsewhere.. The reliquaries. are- usually of- gold ; but silver and other metals, gilt, have. frequently been used -in their construction. An important specimen of goldsmith's work is illustrated on Plate II., of this bection. Want 'of spate prevents our treating the -subject: of Japanese metal-work at greater length ; but we trust that the. foregoing remarks, combined with the Descrip- tions of the seventeen,. Plates which illustrate this Section -of our. Work, will be found sufficient to convey 'a.clear idea-of.the scope of this interesting art industry. SECTION SIXTH.-PLATE 1. META L- YO R K. MONGST the rarest works which reach us from Japan are objects fabricated in the precious metals; and especially rare are hose in gold. The only important works in gold known to us are the magnificent jars from which the present Plate is taken, and which, we are informed, were at no distant date among the valuable treasures of the great Buddhist temple, Nishi- bonpwan-fi, at Kioto: The exteriors of these jars are of gold, with archaic designs in repoussé, finished with bold engraving and punching. The interior lining is an alloy of copper and gold. plated with- silver. These jars are evidently of great age, probably made at the time when gold was not held in the same estimation, or considered to be so valuable, as silver, by the Japanese. The height of these valuable jars, exclusive of the stands, is 11} inches. In the possession of Doctor Cuarues E. West, of Brooklyn, /S. ¢.4. SECTION SIXTH--=PLATE 11, METAL AN O R K. MORE interesting and beautiful specimen of the art of the Japanese goldsmith than the Perfume Burner which forms the subject of the present.. Plate, probably. never came into a_ European: collector's hands. It was purchased by its owner while travelling in Japan. The origin of the subject, commonly known in this country as the "'Cock and Drum,. has already Been explained in the Description attending Plate I., Section II. and need not be again enlarged on here. The rendering of the subject in«this case is of necessity more stiff and formal than that. presented by the embroidered /wxéusa, on the Plate just alluded to; but this stiffness is completely charmed away to the eye by the exquisite arrangement of the differently coloured metals used and their artistic manipulation. The. stand. is of - silver, - massive - in character, moulded and panelled, and beautifully. chased on all sides: with vines.. . The ground of- the panels is finely granulated, producing a decided contrast, darkened as it is by oxidation, to the polished silver; and a most eflective background to the vine designs. . The stems of the vines are of gold, while the leaves are. mostly of silver.. Leaves. entirely . or partially plated with gold and codes (an alloy of gold and silver of a pale lemon- yellow tint} impart a pleasing relief to the designs. - Small though the. leaves are, the artist has modelled and engraved them with the utmost fidelity to nature; and has even gone so far as to represent drops. of dew upon. them- - Here we. see the loving care of the Japanese artist in rendering natural objects; nothing escapes his observation, or is deemed unworthy of his acceptance as material for the display of his art. The body of the drum, which rests on the supporting brackets of the stand, is of black séakudo (an alloy of copper, gold, and antimony), chased all over with Section Sixth. MET | o Pate 14. a' conventional cloud treatment... On each -side this body. are two. exquisite representations of the mythical Z0wo, modelled in gold, cobam, silver, and skakudo. These are depicted as flying amidst the clouds, and are all in different positions. Nothing, in the range of the goldsmith's art, could well surpass the delicacy and skill displayed in the treatment of these birds. The ends of the drum are of silver, studded round the rims with gilded nails. These represent the stretched skins and the mode of fastening them to the drum adopted by the Japanese Dragons beautifully chased in silver and gold; encirclirig ear golden orb, ornament. both 'the ends. -. These are in Righ relief and modelled with remaftkable spirit; every scale and hair being cut with the greatest precisionffl f On the top of the drum stands a cock entirely formed from beaten and chased plates of silver, gold, and coban. Every: feather is in relief, minutely. engraved,. and shafted with a different metal.. IThe*large tail feathers are of, silver, while those. of the wings are in gold and cogan. «The combs ate in deep red bronze; the beak in gold, and the eyes in gold and sZ#akwdo. The legs 'are of gilded: metal. - Every detail throughout the piece is=faultless; and beyond the stiffness, which of necessity follows the mode of fabrication and the materials employed, there is nothing which does not call for unqu'alififfzd commendation. l“ The perfumes are burned in the drum, the fumes escaping through perforations in the small lid upon which the feet of the cock rest. The entire height -of the Perfume Burner is 15% inches. In the possess-£072 of jAS. S. BupoEtT, Esq., of Stoke Park, Guildford. At V] © Plate [/ a falt 16 Soe mC " C A Audslcy dir. Sampson Low t: Co. Publ. Heliog"* & Imp. Lemercier & CZ s HC 8t dl patos i i ame # % iax thar was SECHION PEATE 111. ME FAl-wWwO R K. YAKFDO .is: one of the. classes of" art - work in »which the Japanese are unapproachable." masters: and the impottant Dish from which the present Plate is derived. is a superb specimen of: such - work. The centrepiece 'of the Dish is represented full size, stir- rounded by the geometrical diaper which forms the ground-work between it and a broad border of vines and flowers, treated like the border of the medallion, which margins the entife work,. - 'The Dish is of wrought iron, inlaid and incrusted with gold, silver, copper, and certain alloys.. The medallion is of} repousse work, .in high. reliel, most. elaborately and minutely incrusted and inlaid . with 'gold. cpban,; and. silver. 'The face is- most expressively modelled in iron, darkly browned, with eyes in silver and sAmkudo, teeth in silver, and tongue in. deep red. copper.~. The. left hand. of the figure is shown pushing -aside a lattice-work screen, which is most accurately rendered in. gold and. silver lines in sliglit relict. "The drapery surrounding . the head. is: beautifully. ornamented with gold and cobas, in imitation of the elaborate tissues woven in the Japanese toons. ~ On the. right of the figure are two. shelves; the lower one holding three makimone ; and the upper two cases containing or stitched books, and a box. for: containing writing paper.. Under the. shelves is a small inlaid vase. containing a fungus-like plant in. silver.. Fhe background is formed of damascened work of microscopic minuteness, executed in Coban. The, border of (the. medallion is edged. with broad. gold lines and filled in with graceful vine 'and floral designs, executed in gold and silver. - The general ground of: the inside of the: Dish is covered with an oblong. hexagonal diaper, in slightly raised silver. Section Sixth. METAL-WORK. Plate TH. The outside of the Dish is of the dark iron, relieved round the rim with small- sprays of the A#. resembling the Imperial crest freely treated. _- Diameter of Dish 16 inches. Made by Koumat of Kioto, whose mark in gold appears on the bottom of the piece. In the possession of WarTER MaACcraRLANE, Esq., of Glasgow. " ~- en SECTION SIXTH.--PLATE IV. METAL: YORK UMEROUS fine bronze figures, representing Japanese mythological personages, adorn European and American collections They are generally of most perfect workmanship, displaying the gfteat skill of both their casters and chasers. The interesting work which forms the subject of the present Plate may be accepted as representative of its class. It is stated to be of great age, but its treatment, generally, does not support this view. The form of the weapon is clearly late, but, as it is movable, it may be a recent addition. There appears to be another attribute wanting, originally held in the left hand, and it is accordingly difficult to decide who the statue is intended to represent. The personage is, however, one of the Déva kings of Mount Suméru, and very probably Bisuamon (VWéis'ramana). - The statue is stated to have originally belonged to the old temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, at Kioto. The original bronze is extremely dark in colour; the representation in the Plate has been lightened so as to enable the details to be distinctly produced. The height of the entire composition is 31 inches. In the possession of Doctor CuaruiEs E. West, of Brooklyn, U.S.A. SECTION SIXTH -PLAFE V. METaL-Y¥oORC PECIMENS of ancient metal-work are always of great interest fo the student of art, and especially so when their designs are of a highly characteristic or representative character.. The bronze incense burner which forms the 'subject of the present Plate may lay just claim to both the above-named elements of interest. This valuable piece of bronze originally belonged to the great Buddhist temple, Nishi-hongwan-ji, at Kioto, and. according to the records of the treasures belonging to the temple, is two thousand one hundred years old. This date, however, must be accepted as hypothetical; for beyond. the statement of the temple authorities there is nothing in. its favour. - The incense burner itself bears evidences of great age, and we should not hesitate to accept it as a thousand years old, for we know that bronze casting was in an advanced state at that time. As the object is fully illustrated - both its principal sides being shown - it is unnecessary to describe the design. It is modelled with considerable spirit, notwithstanding that a certain archaic treatment prevails It is represented in the Plate considerably lighter in colour than the original, with the view of showing the details more distinctly. The temple records, we are informed, state that the bronze of this incense burner contains thirty per cent. of gold and twenty. per cent. of silver, the remaining fifty per cent. being, of course, copper. The accuracy of this state- ment, we regret to say, has not been tested by an assay. The height of the piece is ~15. inches. In the possession of Doctor CuarieEs E. West, of Brooklyn, U.S.A. vi. #23 G. A. Audsley, dir, Sampson Low & Co. P: hl j 7 , ¢ P 01 mn hemercier & Ces Imp, Lemercier & C_" Pars Spregel. lith SECTION SIXTH. --PLATE VL MET AL - Y OR K. ASBTINGS in iron- have been produced by Japanese. workmen which display a complete mastery over all the difficulties of iron- founding, as well as a skill in the artistic handling of the material which is unique., For proof of this we need only direct attention to the accompanying - Plate, which, through the agency of photo- f graphy, faithfully represents a truly superb vase of cast iron, probably the finest specimen of the kind which has been brought to Europe. The most noteworthy features of the work are the artistic treatment of the ground and the masterly modelling of the dragon which sweeps round the vase, appear- ing and disappearing amidst conventionally designed clouds, whose surface treatment contrasts admirably 'with. the rough ground. The entire vase has been cast in one piece: and in a mould put together in parts in the usual manner.. - The. joining of the. mould is casily traced down the body through the centre of the < handles and round the edge of the bottom; but the way in which the mould has been put together for the three feet is not clearly marked.. The vase is almost entirely untouched, or as it came from the mould, the graver appearing only to have been used to give sharpness to some parts of the dragon. This interesting vase is one of a pair found in the interior of. Japan, and brought to Europe by the gentleman in whose possession they at present are. Height of Vase 2a1:{ inches. In the possession of MoxnsiEur A. E. Duroxnt, of Pans. V/ f Plate T xmen Phe ain e o agia oe acs ote C A dir. SEUTLPS on Low & Co.Publ Heltog"." & Imp .Lemercier & CC SECTION SIXTH --PLATE VII. ME T A L- YORK. OEHING in the" entire. range 'of the. Oriental metal worker's art well surpass some of. the: exquisitely, designed and: chased mountings of old Japanese swords, and especially their £swda, or guards, and the handles of the or small knives, which are inserted in the sides of the sheaths adjoining them... On the present Plate are representations of twenty-four ko@smka handles, charac- tetistic in their design, and absolutely faultless: in their execution.. They are. chiefly in bronzes of different tints, ranging from a dark brown, through shades of red and dull yellow, to a dark grey resembling oxidised silver. The last are evidently of the copper and silver alloy called s#¢0w-icZi. The fourth, tenth, and twelfth in the upper row are in iron; and the tenth and twelfth in the lower row are chiefly of sZakudo with an intensely black patina. The surfaces 'of these fatter are granulated in such a manner as to catch and reflect the light; hence the grey tints shown on the Plate. The ornamental devices on these handles are either chased in relief or engraved in the surface, with the addition, in some cases, of incrustations and inlays of: gold, silver,: and richly coloured bronzes : all chased in. the most" artistic. and beautiful manner. The design on the twelfth handle of the lower row is in dull gold, pre- senting a rich contrast against the black granulated ground. Lo throw out the ornamentation, the grounds are treated in many artistic ways held in high favour by the Japanese metal workers. The handles are represented in the Plate about seven-eighths of their teal size. In the possession of MM. J. oe Vieax Et CF, of Pars. SECEHION SIXTH.- PLATE VIH OPHINCG_ in the entire range of the Oriental metal worker's art can well surpass: some of the exquisitely designed and wrought mountings of old Japanese swords, and especially their guards and the handles of the small blades which are inserted in the sides of the sheaths close to them. On: the present Plate are representa- tions of twenty-four handles, characteristic in their design, and absolutely faultless in their execution. They are chiefly in bronze. of several tints, ranging from a dark brown, through copper-colour, to a grey resembling oxidised silvers Fhe fourth, tenth, and twelfth in the upper row are in iron; and the tenth and ftwellth in the lower row are of an intensely. black metal, probably platina or steel, so treated. as to present 4 jet black surface. The surfaces of these latter are granulated in such a manner as to catch and reflect the light; hence the grey tints shown on the Plate: The ornamentation is cither executed in relict or engraved. in the surface of the handles, with the addition, in some cases, of incrustations or inlays of gold, silver, and richly coloured bronzes; all engraved in the most lovely manner,. To throw out the ornamentation, the grounds are treated in many artistic ways. The: handles are represented about seven-ceighiths of their real size. In the possession of MM. J. poe Vigan st C* of Furis. Me lal Ril Aca ¥ VIL L IEIC Y’I‘C’I’ (‘g‘ (V’L’ "2 4 Imp. Lemer G fire/1.017 1 son Low & Co.Pub 561al 1] ~ 'al2 Als eb ZR «» CA Audsley dir. dst ¥ \ Mos yg‘a f ¥ SEC EION _ SIXTH.-PLATE VIM. ME Y O- R K. O essay within. the scope of the metal worker's art could well be conceived. more difficult and laborious. than the work presented by the superb« Vase in the. present Plate.. For. variety of tfeatment and laultless accuracy of manipulation it is probably unsurpassed by any example of Japanese inlaid and incrusted metal- work which has reached Europe. . Some idea. of the. minute workmanship and painstaking labour bestowed on portions of the design may be formed from the fact that large surfaces, such as the platforms of the houses,; and the clouds which: wander through the scenes, after, the manner: characteristic of Japanese art, are entirely covered with an irregular network or moss-like pattern, which, on examination through a powerful glass, is found to comprise no. fewer than two hundred and fifty meshes in a square measuring one quarter of an inch : accordingly, each: square inch of these surfaces presents about four thousand meshes or minute specks of the ground surrounded by. inlaid gold and rooun lines. Every line has been engraved in the surface of the iron, and subsequently filled up with attenuated wires of gold or cobasr, burnished nearly level with the ground. 'The Vase is formed entirely of wrought iron, inlaid and Ancrusted. with gold, foban, 'silver," and shakuas. The foot of the Vase is, for the most part, covered with two. diaper . pattetns,. associated together in irregular masses. - These. are executed 'in «silver; only. _ Round the botton tim; and. the- semicircular menber above the foot, are tasteful vine and floral patterns, with the fruit and flowers in silver, and. the leaves> and stems in- gold... The seene which extends. round the body,; represents, in a very. simple 'and graphic manner, the several. stages and operations of silk culture and. manulactrire; from the brushing of the newly- batched worms from the papers to the. feeding trays, to the despatch of the Section Sixth. METAL-WOREK. Plate VIII. bale containing -the woven fabric. The figures, seven in number, are carefully modelled in high relief: their faces, hands, and. some minor portions of their dresses are in silver; the remainder of their costumes being in gold and black shokndo; and ~theit - hair in- shafudo, surmounted with caps in gold.. The architectural features of the scene are rendered. in gold and silver; for the most part thickly incrusted. - Chegeneral features of the landscape, trees. hills;" river, and «garden adjoining . the: buildings, are wrought in low relief and beautifully accentuated with gold -and. silver inlays 'and. incrustation. . Probably. the. most effective. part. -of "the entire work' is the garden, vin which all- the: operations "are carried - on.*. Here the, rich tone of the iton ground proves _ more effective than in any other part of the Vase: The surface is - made. to represent the natural. soil by being roughened with a small blunt punching tool. Out of this, delicate plants and »grasses are represented to be -growing, at moderate distances from each other, and with a certain 'degree of. regularity, such as one so often sees in the fore- grounds of the miniatures in fifteenth century illuminated manuscripts. The leaves and grasses are in gold, and the flowers chiefly in silver; these, contrasting with the dull earth-coloured ground, produce a most sparkling and artistic effect. The several minor objects, such 'as the temple lantern near the bridge, the hand-cart and the bale which is being placed on it, the: loom, the baskets, and the small houses in the distance are most carefully modelled and executed in gold and silver. The neck is treated in exactly the same manner as the foot, being covered with diaper-work in silver, and vine and floral patterns in gold and silver. The Vase was made by Koumat of Kioto, whose seal is executed in raised. gold. lines on the Tower part of the body.. Height 147, inches,. diameter 65, inches. In the possession of WartEr MacFARLANE, Esq., of Glasgow. SECTHaN V7 f | Plate VHL C.A Audsley dir. Sampson Low & Co.Publ. . Heliog"" & Imp. Lemercier & CZ $3 a (SHe (98) SECIION SIXTH. -PLATE: IX. MET A L- Y O R K. HE gourd-shaped flower vase or bottle, which is represented in this Plate, is: formed. of wrought - iron, most. elaborately. and minutely inlaid with gold, and silver. f The whole: of the surface, except the medallions and the zone round the lower portion of the body, is covered with diaper work most accurately executed in silver, inlaid and- finished in very slight relief. The Japanese artist's love of variety is here displayed in the different designs of the diapers, and also in the irregular and ingenious manner in which they are associated together, without dividing lines. The principal medallions are filled: with figure subjects, foliage, and birds, executed in fine line work of gold and cobam; and round the zone are depicted children catching butterflies, executed in the same manner. The dresses of all the figures are minutely diapered and cross-hatched, producing a very rich effect. The small circular medallions contain mythical birds, dragons, kirins, and other devices. The entire ornamentation is absolutely perfect in its execution ; and is thrown up with great brilliancy by the dark brown oxidised surface of the iron. The Vase was made. by Koumar of- Kioto, whose seal is attached in gold. Height 13% inches. In the possession of WartER MaAacrFARLANE, Esq., of Glasgow. SECTION }*/ f i1X. Oz, 502 PEDETs s Lics § ans02, 2 «tte, «l Pasha)!“ S 6'.A.A’ua7w/ety dir. [fefzby re 4 Imp. Lemercier & 2 Ke Pg) ope yr SIXTH.-PLATE X. M E FA L-w CO R K. NOTHER exquisite example of Koumat's wonderful handiwork, similar in general shape to the preceding vase, forms the subject of the present Plate. - "It. is of wrought iron,. with: its. general surface treated in low relief so as to imitate a wrapping of some fich textile . fabric. The folds are artistically. disposed ; and. the entire surface of the wrapping is covered with beautiful. diaper patterns. executed in inlaid gold and silver, producing a decorative effect of the greatest brilliancy. The folds of the fabric are so disposed as to leave four spaces of irregular form uncovered. Here, as it were, the true surface of the vase shows itself with all its; elaborate ornamentation. These exposed portions are carefully modelled in relief, presenting landscapes and figures. The figures have their faces and arms in the brown iron, while their robes are most elaborately inlaid with gold in imitation of the rich Japanese brocades of silk and gold. The landscapes have their trees executed in incrusted and engraved gold ; the waterfalls cleverly modelled in silver; and the clouds in incrusted gold or inlaid horizontal line work of the same metal. The manipulation throughout this truly wonderful piece of metal-work is absolutely faultless; and the design and general treatment is clharacteristically Japanese. The gold seal of the maker, Kounmat of Kioto, is attached to this vase also. Height 13% inches. In the possession of WALTER MAaACFARLANE, Esq., of Glasgow. A. 2 L Leatt SARCTITATY YZ . i: gh essa 6 3 Bath & "m wen b & Imp. Lemercier & L: ¥ c Helio Low & Co Publ. Sampson i CA Aud dir. g pal egg? i dg g. i j SECTION SIXTH --PLATE XI. M ETAL- YORK IX Sword Guards of exquisite workmanship and characteristic design are represented in the present Plate. The photo-engravings are so clear and. absolutely truthful that little by way of verbal description is needed; yet the following notes cannot fail to be interesting to the student of Japanese art. i-The ground is of séakudo, jet black, and minutely punched. The designs are of flowers and grasses, most beautifully modelled in high relief, in gold and silver, with the stems and many of the leaves in sZ#akw@o. The effect of the bouquets of flowers in the white and yellow metals, upon the dotted black ground, is most artistic and charming. 2--This remarkable guard is of a grey coloured bronze, with a broad border of horses cleverly grouped and modelled. The horses: are in gold, coban,: silver, shakudo, and three differently coloured bronzes. These seven metals and alloys are contrasted so as to produce a most effective work.. This guard, so faf as we have been able to learn, is unique, and is probably the most valuable which has left: Japan. -The. inscription informs us. that. it. was made by Taicersu MirsvoK1, in the sixth year of Bunkwa (a.p. 1809). 3. -Formed of fron, pierced, and skilfully cut in the form 'of frees, figures, and clouds.. The faces, arms, and legs of the figures are of. silver; and the leggings of the musician, the dog in the foreground, certain details of the garments, the edging of the clouds and other minor details, are in gold, incrusted and inlaid. 4. -Formed of iron, modelled in relief, and richly incrusted and inlaid with gold, coban, and silver. . The figure subject is probably mythological, although the entire scene appears to be laid in a pleasure garden. In the foreground are two Sechon Sixth. ~ METAL - WORK. Plate XI. persons playing a game. This guard is somewhat rough in its execution, and apparently of considerable age. The inscription reads, made by InomurIsHu1 NvDo SOTEN. ' f es *> . 5. -This guard is of .sZakudo, pierced, and carefully frnodélled. The dresses of the figures are enriched with inlaid gold, and the scroll has an inscription in the same metal. The faces of four of the figures are in silver; and those of the remaining two in copper. The inscription informs us that it was made by NASASHIGE, an inhabitant of Hikoné, Omé. 6.-This guard is in s%#@4k%@o, pierced, :and most carefully cut into a design representing~ a small tract of country, with warriors fighting.. The faces and hands of the: warriors --are "of copper," while the different portions of their> armour are richly: incrusted. with gold... The, small flowers: and Alcaves distributed over the ground are also in gold. On the other side of this guard: are two warriors fighting and two lying slain. Made by InourisxH1 Nupo SotEN. In the possession of W. S. Bicrrow, Eso... M.D., of Boston, U.S.. d U f F CA Audrley dir. Sampson Low & Co Piubl Flatts A b Heliog"" & Imp Lemercier & C* R935?” i fl 91 feces as ofr - £5ka 6 SECTION SIXTH. -PLATE XL. ME IA L- Y O K K. HB six Sword - Guards represented in this Plate are from. the same collection as those of the preceding Plate,. and are almost as interesting and beautiful specimens of metal-work. The variety of,. design displayed. 'by Japanese sword . mountings. is. truly remarkable: and in guards. this variety is particularly striking. Axithough . we. have, in - the - course» of ' our.. studies, examined thousands of guards, we .do not remember ever to. have seen two exactly alike. 1--Fhis guard is. of iron,. pierced - and most carefully cut. in relict... The subject is apparently a combat between warriors and demons. The most prominent demon with the discharged bow, and the demon prostrate in. the foreground, are in incrusted. copper; the others ate in iron.. The -have their faces and hands in 'silver; and their armour and horses in iron. inlaid and incrusted with gold. «.On the. other side. of, the guard, demons. are represented making their escape in a vessel, pursued by warriors. The whole is a highly characteristic and beautiful piece of work. 2.-In grey coloured bronze, decorated with a landscape and figures. The landscape .is carefully produced. in low relict, and accentuated. by details - in incrusted gold: the figures are executed in gold, and silver, in the most careful _manner.. Though. less vigorous in treatment than the generality of the guards we have illustrated, this one is a perfect specimen of metal-work of its class. 3. --In iron, pierced, and elaborately cut in relict. The figure bearing flowers has its face and hands in silver, and its tobes ornamented with inlaid gold. The flowers growing on the ground and the fruit on the trees are in gold ; and the waterfall is in incrusted and engraved silver. Section Sixth. f METAL-WORK. Plate X1IL. 4.--This is another fine guard in ron, pictced, and cut in reliel.. . The scene is 'a pleasure garden, with house, gateway and figures.. The details of the entire composition: are brought out by.. incrusted. and inlaid gold; and of the three principal figures, - one .has a face of silver and the othér two faces of copper. The inscription informs us that it was made by InoHEISHI NIQDO SOTEN. 5. -This guard is formed chiefly of iron, the light portifbn of the interior being of silver with a diagonally lined surface. The general surface of the iron is covered with minute dots, a treatment the Japanese metal-workers are very fond of. The, subject is an aged man pursuing -a demon. Both figures are modelled in iron and enriched -with inlaid gold. j 6.-In dark bronze, with a dotted surface, ornamented with conVéntional designs slightly accentuated with gold, and with animals almost entirely of incrusted gold. In the possession of W. S. Bicrrow, Esq., M.D., of Boston, T.5.4. ¥ ] NH. 6.A.Auair&zy dir. . A aol A ual & - Sampson Low&Co Publ SECTION SIXTH. XII METAL-YORE NOTHER series of six Sword Guards of a highly characteristic and striking character: is given on- the. present.. Plate,. The. specimens have been selected with the view of giving, along with the previous series, some idea of the diversity of form and treatment met with in such objects. 1. -Is a guard 'of bronze: carefully chased.. - The figures of the warriors are in sZakudo, gold, and cobam, most beautifully cut. The larger horse is in jet black sZakudo. > 2.-In a yellow coloured bronze chased in low relief.. The figure appearing through the opening in the shed is in silver accentuated with gold; The demon that is being exorcised has his legs and arms in deep coloured bronze, his lower garments in s#@kzdo, and his upper garment in pale gold, The workmanship is bold and effective. j 3 --This is a guard. of: remarkable design;. beautifully. cut in steel. It represents a falcon: just: about to take. wing in. pursuit. of . two. small birds... The whole conception is essentially Japanese, and is admirably carried out in the hard material. The back of the guard is cut to correspond, completing the design. 4. -This guard is in the form. of an ancient bell- round which. a dragon is twining its snake-like body. The bell is in iron, while the dragon is applied in gold and codar. The manipulation is somewhat rough, and the thlé bears evidence of considerable age. f g.=:Ini grey bronze, with the darge grotesque figure incrusted in- rich . brown bronze, having his eyes in gold, and his hair and flowing scarf in black sZakwdo. The small bird flying away is in gold. 6.--In iron, pierced and chased.. The 'solid part. of: the guard representé a Section Sixth. ME FAlL-WORkKk, Plate XITL. kakemono painted with the figure of a warrior. The demon appears to be frightened at the warlike figure depicted. The details of the Raekemono are enriched with inlays and incrustations of gold and codex. In the possession of BraxTON Ives, Esq., of New York, U.S.A. SEAC L HAN L Ate AVL 64/fA4NIQZP/fy dir. Sampson Low & Co Publ '*? &: Imp. Lemercier & cre SECTION SIXTH. XIV. ME T AL- WY OK K. RANEL, represented in all possible positions, are" met with in neatly every branch of Japanese art, and in almost every material used by the native: artists. The fine, group . depicted in - the present Plate is in silver, with a rich red bronze: introduced" -on the heads of the birds, and leaves of gilt bronze distributed over the rock-like base, . The bodies of the birds are formed of thin plates -of silver, hammered into the forms required, and carefully joined. The fail feathers are cut from. separate pieces of metal, hammered into shape,. and engraved; »All the rest of the . feathers are' indicated by the: hammer and. the graver in 'the most careful manner.. - The positions of: the birds are. perfectly natural and full of character, notwithstanding a certain amount of stiffness incident to the mode of manufacture. The base or stand, modelled to represent a plece of rock, is also. hammered up from plates of silver. The: height of the group is 2 feet s inches. In The - possession of Doctor CnarLEs E. _ Wast, of Brooklyn; LU'.S. 4. SEECTHIN I/ / , ’ T ATV, ut "fill-I]: up | 28 Low Lad lim Some h Sam la T Hehog"* & Imp Lemercier & CC P671Aualrlgy a») - f oe? Seinépisofir LAW 8&0 Publ, Yu ¥ tat mocs ps Rapt SECTION XV. - MET AL: YORK. HE objéct illustrated on this Plate is a Tray of deep tawny-yellow coloured bronze, slightly clouded in parts with the view of imparting an artistic character to the polished surface, and incrusted and inlaid with metals and alloys of different colours. The work, although of modern production, is a tasteful and highly characteristic specimen of the Japanese nictal: worker's art. The foreground of the design is cut slightly in relief and the plants are incrusted in gilded metal. - The, water "is indicated by inlaid. lines of brass: the rocks, rising from it are in deep red bronze carefully modelled: and the posts and rail 'are in shakudo, dark red and grey bronzes. The stem and branches of the tree (wine) are produced by both sunk and raised work ; the blossoms being beautifully rendered in silver. The cranes have their bodies wrought in an alloy closely resembling silver in appearance; their fail feathers and necks in sAokudo; their bills in gilded metal; and their legs in dark grey bronze. The ducks have bodies of grey bronze, with gilded legs and bills. Every detail throughout the composition is rendered with the greatest accuracy and spirit; and the chiselling- and engraving are faultless.: Round the tray is a rail in imitation of a bamboo fence, modelled with rare fidelity. Length 22 inches, width 14 if inches. In the possession of MM. |. or Vigan Et C-, of Furis. AF P* fitté grin. 17 O“ AY AZ C ¥ hk. Ce -a E fad Pu 're ( Q, ct ercier Heliog" " & Imp . Lem A Audsley dir. » 7 b wl Mke nas in (s deo dul ily het h [MNE H “Jig? k fa py H SECIION SIXTH --PLATE XVI MET A LY OR K. HE three vessels represented on the accompanying Plate are highly interesting examples of old Japanese repoussé, in thin copper plated with silver,. Old works of this class are not commonly met with in "collections of Japanese art; indeed (but few appear to have reached Europe. Probably the largest and finest are the covered jars, decorated avith the eighteen disciples of* Buddha, now in the South Kensington Museum. The central object, called a consists of two parts, the lower being a sort of brazier for: holding lighted charcoal, and the upper a vessel for containing perfumed water to be vaporised, is skilfully ornamented with waves, fishes, and an octopus, and, on the upper part, with shells and scea-weed.. The fishes and octopus are coloured, apparently with a coating of lacquer, while the shells are partly gilded and. partly lacquered. . The colouring is probably a recent addition. 'I'liec. height of this.-picce is 83¢ inches. The hot water vessel on the right hand, called a ms@zzéfsug?i, is ornamented on one side with a: conventional storm: scene in which, the god of the wind with his ififlated bag Is represented with. great, spirit. On Alic other side 'is the '*' Demon-queller," hunting for his victims amidst rocks by the side of a waterfall. One: demon is shown. crouching in a hiding place in the foreground.. The storm scene is shown on the Plate. - Height of pot inches. The remaining midanisug:, on the left, is ornamented on one side with a mytho- logical Buddhist subject, showing a saint seated on the ground while two divinities are descending towards him on clouds. This subject has been selected for illustration. On the other side is the common Japanese subject, the #of ascending a waterfall. The height of this vessel is 6+%¢ inclues. The workmanship of all the pieces is bold and highly artistic, indicative of freedom and certainty 'of hand rather than of extreme care and a desire for laboured eficct. Their date is uncertain, but they were probably made during the last century. In the 750556555672 of EpwAarn Saut, BsGq., of Shipicy. "V4 fete AV vrcmmms g N & ® $ - o e t f & & & k | 2 { 3 & € es o G A Audsley dir. Sampson Low & Co. Publ. Heliogy" & Imp. Lemercier & CH age $ o ml wise 3 ty 2% fa 27 pe ae anl W553 cos SECTION SIXTH --PLATE XVI ME T A L- Y OR K. IX Sword Guards of interesting and diversified designs are repre- sented on the accompanying Plate. Although the photo-engravings are suthiciently clear to . render detailed descriptions of the. guards unnecessary save with regard to the materials employed. in - their fabrication, the following notes will be read with interest by students of Japanese art. r.-This guard is of hard iron pierced and chased into a series of five masks, representing those used in the representations of NJ, a kind of theatrical performance consisting of music and dancing highly appreciated by the Japanese. The guard is an interesting specimen of chased ironwork of the first half of the seventeenth century. It is by Kinat, an artist who worked under the patronage of the third Sho-gun of the Tokugawa family. 2.~-Guard: in pierced. and chased iron, representing a number of monkeys ihn different positions, arranged within a circular border of small rings, The design is known as "the thousand monkeys." Attributed to the sixteenth century, but the name of the artist is not known. 3.-Guard of pierced and chased fron, representing a dragon disposed in a circular form. A dragon so treated was a favourite design of the artist Kinai, by whom this guard was made. Several guards similar to this one are known to exist. 4. -In shakudo, pierced and elaborately chased, and incrusted and inlaid with gold, silver, and copper.. The subject is a scene. from the fierce civil wars between the Minamoto and Taira clans during the twelfth century, and, as usual, represents a combat between warriors of the rival houses. Signed Masaxtro, Yedo, eighteenth century. 5. -Guard in the form called by the Japanese muokéo, a figure with four lobes. In sZakudo chased with water and clouds; and bearing a dragon in beautifully chased Section Sixth. METAL- WORK. Plate X VIL. gold, shown rising from the water. This is a work of great spirit and refinement. Signed Tomonao, an artist who lived at Hagi in the province of Nagato, in the eighteenth century. ; : f 6.-Guard of pierced and chased iron relieved by inlaid details of gold. The subject is said to be the ""seven, Bamboo Sages in their retirement. The seven sages were politicians who lived under the Chinese dynasty of Shin, in the fourth century, and who, disgusted with the times, retired into a forest of bamboos and spent their days in the study of philosophy.. Eight figures are introduced either by mistake or intention by the artist. Probably one is a servant. Signed YosHmmiITsU, of the town of- Hikong, in the province of Oumi. Date, eighteenth century. In the possession of Enxust Hart, Esq., M.R.C.S5., of London. ~I ' Plate AVH CA Audzrley dir. S ampson Low & Co. Publ. Heliog"** & Imp Lemercier & CZ Ms £ a's 287, nt THE ~ORNAMENTAL: ANTs OF JAPAN BY G:. A" aAUDSLEY., ERLBA DIRECTIONS -To EINXDEER VOLUME t. Half Title to Volume. f - Vignette Page, containing " pat Nippon" and two studies by Z/okusar ; to face Title Page. Title Page to Volume®"I. Dedication Page. Preface.. Five. pages. Introduction, pp. i-v. } ’ ; Half Title to Section First-DRAWING, PAINTING, ENGRAVING, AND PRINTING, Text to Section First, pp. 1-41. ‘ Woodcut Plate, entitled " AFTER THE DRAWING BY SHUMBOKU,"' to face page 8 of text. Woodcut: Plate, entitled '" AFTER THE ORIGINAL BY TOYEKI, XVI. CENTURY," to face page 16 of text. Woodcut Plate, entitled " FRoM A KAKEMONO PAINTED BY HOKUSAI," to face page 30 of text. Woodcut Plate, entitled " SPECIALLY ENGRAVED IN JAPAN FOR THIS WORK," to face page 38 of text. Plates of Section First in order I.-XVI.; each Plate being followed immediately by its attendant Description. . Notrk.-In the cases of Plates III. and IV., X. and XI., the combined Descriptions must follow their respective pairs of Plates.. ; Half Title to Section Second-EMBROIDERYV. ; Text to Section Second, pp. 1-12. ( f Plates of Section Second 'in order I.-IX.; each Plate being followed immediately by - its attendant Description. ‘ Half Title to Section Third-TEXTILE FABRICS. Text to Section Third, pp. 1-25. f Plates of Section Third in order I.-XIII.; each Plate being followed immediately by its ___ attendant Description. > Half Title to Section Fourth-LACQUER. Text to Section Fourth, pp. 1-44. sk Plates of Section Fourth in order 'I.-XIII.; each Plate being followed immediately by its attendant Description. C tC seed rcs 2 2 VOLUME . IL. Half Title to Volume. h \ dhe Vignette Page, containing two Japanese inscriptions " NIP-PON so-sHoxu snr." - Title of the Work in _ the Japanese language;. to face Title Page f f Title Page to Volume II. Half Title to Section F1fth—INCRUSTED-WORK Text to Section Fifth, pp. - § ( Plates of Section Fifth in order 1.-1X.; eaCh Plate being followed immediately by its attendant Descrlptxon R l 5 Half Title to Section Sixth-METAL- WORK Text to Section Sixth, pp. 1-30. § © (ss f ld | Plates of Section Sixth in- order I—XVII each Plate being followed immediately by its - attendant Description. ss es mao. Half Title to Section Seventh—CLOISONNE ENAMEL. Text to Section Seventh, pp. 1-32. Plates of Section Seventh in 'order I.-XIII.; each Plate being followed immediately by its attendant Description. f f Half Title to Section E1ghth—MODELLING AND CARVING Text to Section Eighth, pp. 1-29. : » | f Plates . of. Section Elghth in. order Al. ; each Plate being - followed 1mmed1ately by its attendant Description. f Half Title to Section Ninth-HERALDRY. Text to Section Ninth, pp. 1-27. Plates of Section Ninth in order I. and II. Index to Volumes I. and II. pp. 1-10. Bind all leaves on fine linen guards and mterleave all Plates with highly glazed mterleavmg paper. f : j f 14 DAY U.;". s HH Lig, € . nian iiii‘mflwflw s luk ~ Mr R . ? f P " in aaa debe stam a