LITMIR.BIZ

      Fig. 56 Kokin Wakashū (love poem) calligraphy, hand scroll, ink on decorated paper, 11th c., 6 1/2 in x 8 ft (16 cm x 2.4 m), attributed to Ono no Tōfū (894-966), the great calligrapher, but in the collection of Hon'ami, Kyoto National Museum. Most celebrated meibutsu-gire (famous fragment). Photo courtesy Kyoto National Museum.

      Choosing Screens and Scrolls

      Choosing furniture has certain practical aspects, such as do the drawers hold enough or will it fit into a particular space? Nonutilitarian art objects require different criteria.

      First impressions are important. As dealer Sōbian of Kyoto says, "Does it hit you in the eyes?" The movement of the paint brush (esuji) is important. For example, the susuki (eulalia or pampas grass) should not look flaccid but stand erect. Jot down the artist's name, period, and condition, and if it is an original piece or a print, or if it has been repaired. "The name may not matter to you now, but it is vital for possible resale-and for chatting to guests."

      Think how the screen or scroll will go with the color of your sofa or with the curtains. In Japan, a conscientious dealer may take a screen or scroll to a client's house if he is strongly interested. Some dealers do not like to do this, as it is time-consuming and may cause wear and tear. Also ask about "after care."

      The air-conditioning of some Westerners' houses is direct and may tear screens or stain scrolls. Insist that the seller be willing to help with little repairs later if affected by air-conditioning.

      Many Westerners like kachō (stilllifes of flowers and birds). Those who tire of them, purchase simple designs of the moon or sun. Karako (Chinese boys) are not popular among Westerners (too cute perhaps?). Lawyers seem to like hawks and tigers, as their strong or fierce looks suggest winning lawsuits, says Sōbian.

      Galleries in capitals tend to be more expensive than elsewhere but inevitably they have better works and the dealers provide much more information; if they do, purchasing there is a good bet.

      A sense of season permeates the designs on hanging scrolls, but less so screens. When you first buy a scroll, you should purchase a work you like, without worrying about its season. Few are devoid of season. Flowers are inevitably seasonal. If you buy several hanging scrolls, you may develop a sense of season. If you do, you should think carefully about the seasonal element when making later purchases. But don't be a toady. Become an Antipodean!

      Fig. 57 Hokusai (1760-1849),"Shell Gathering," hanging scroll, color on silk, early 19th c., 1 ft 8 in x 2ft 8 in (50 x 81 cm). Photo courtesy Osaka Municipal Museum of Art.

      Genuineness

      It would take a few volumes to describe what could happen with art. Here I shall mention a few precautions, starting with "use your head" and "use your eyes." Look at the ends and back of the scroll or screen you are considering buying. If the dealer says a piece is very old and there is no evidence of wear, something is amiss. If a scroll has been kept very carefully in a box within a box and only taken out once a year, it may look almost new, but consider if it is likely that you can buy such a treasure if low-priced-it belonged to a rich man or connoisseur. If the amount of visible wear agrees with the age mentioned by the dealer, then things look better.

      A screen stands on the ground and gets pushed open and shut, or to change its shape. This friction should be visible, even if the base of the screen is protected by metal plates on the corners. No wear, no age. In fact, age is not necessary. A new screen can be very nice and easier to fit into Western surroundings, but if the seller insists that it is old and unrepaired, then something is wrong and you may not trust him/her.

      Fig. 58 Kansai Mori Koshuku (1814-94), figure, probably Yang Gui-fei, mistress of Emperor Ming Huang, late autumn, hanging scroll, 1871,7 ft 4 in x 2ft 8 in (2.2 m x 81 cm). Photo courtesy Liza Hyde.

      Fig. 59 Sakai Dōitsu,"Yūgao" (bottle gourds). hanging scroll, silk on paper, 1870-90, 5 ft 5 in x 1 ft 5 in (1.7 m x 43 cm). Sakai Dōitsu was a pupil of the famous Sakai Hōitsu of the Rimpa School. Both were good at kachō (flowers and birds). Rimpa painters liked the tarashikomi technique used here where another pigment is added while the previous pigment is not yet dry, so that colors run and generate unique colors. Photo courtesy Gallery Sōbian.

      Fig. 60 Mio Goseki,"Tora" (tiger), hanging scroll, Meiji era, 6 ft 9 in x 1 ft 9 in (2.1 m x 53 cm). Mio Goseki was a pupil of Ōhashi Suiseki. Both excelled at tiger pictures. Photo courtesy Gallery Sōbian.

      Fig. 61 Uchida Gozan, "Chūshū getsurin" (harvest moon), hanging scroll, Meiji era, 6 ft 6 in x 1 ft 8 in (2m x51 cm). The design is interesting as the moon is depicted by delicate light and dark areas of sumi. Photo courtesy Gallery Sōbian.

      Fig. 62 Takenaka Kidō, "Hotaru" (fireflies) and summer grasses, hanging scroll, Meiji era, 6ft 4 in x 1 ft 8 in (1.9 m x 51 cm). Kidō is not so famous but fireflies are popular because their lifetime is so short: a picture of them captures a moment. Photo courtesy Gallery Sōbian.

      Traditionally, screens and scrolls were boxed. If that box is a tomobako, or accompanying box, there may well be a name, date and signature. If these details do not match those on the work, the work should sell for less than otherwise. The signature on some works has been added later and this completely changes society's valuation. English readers are unlikely to ever get to the stage of really knowing signatures, but they can look at materials and check that they look right.

      Screens and scrolls fit into Western rooms only after thought. They are a diadem of Japanese civilization and often examples of great art, so it is worth thinking creatively. If you buy what an expert or two also think has aesthetic value and is in good condition, then it will become a family heirloom, not an Enron or WorldCom. stock certificate.

      Fig. 63 Ema (horse votive tablet), commemorative funeral painting on wood, 2ft 9 in x 4ft 8 1/2 in (84 cm x 1.4 m). Photo courtesy Liza Hyde.

      UKIYO-E AND OTHER PRINTS

      The earliest prints to be made in Japan were ordered by the Empress in 664. Although a lot of early prints are repetitive, the better ones have fine color and line and are Buddhist in origin and theme. The techniques were brought from China. One acquired merit by regularly drawing, painting, or printing as many Buddhist images as possible, so educated devotees and priests produced a great number. This practice weakened with declining religious fervor from the fourteenth century. Since they were both cheap and portable, prints then became souvenirs of temples and shrines for visiting pilgrims.

      Some people collect these prints, but the main collecting channels are described in the next sections. However, an interesting collection of old Buddhist prints was described by Meher McArthur in Daruma 16. Such prints are mainly sought by scholars or those deeply interested in religion, as their focus is on parts of religious life foreign to us.

Скачать книгу