the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第20章
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them surgeons would be to give a name to what does not exist；a lack of
scientific zeal has been the cause of their not investigating what tempts too
seductively； we should imagine； to be ignored。 Acupuncture； or the
practice of sticking long pins into any part of the patient's body that may
happen to be paining him； pretty much irrespective of anatomical position；
is the nearest approach to surgery of which they are guilty； and proclaims
of itself the in corpore vili character of the thing operated upon。
Nor does the painter owe anything to science。 He represents
humanity simply as he sees it in its every…day costume； and it betokens the
highest powers of generalized observation that he produces the results he
does。 In his drawings； man is shown； not as he might look in the
primitive； or privitive； simplicity of his ancestral Garden of Eden； but as
he does look in the ordinary wear and tear of his present garments。
Civilization has furnished him with clothes； and he prefers； when he has
his picture taken； to keep them on。
In dealing with man； the Far Oriental artist is emphatically a realist； it
is when he turns to nature that he becomes ideal。 But by ideal is not meant
here conventional。 That term of reproach is a misnomer； founded upon a
mistake。 His idealism is simply the outcome of his love； which； like all
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human love； transfigures its object。 The Far Oriental has plenty of this；
which； if sometimes a delusion； seems also second sight； but it is
peculiarly impersonal。 His color…blindness to the warm； blood…red end of
the spectrum of life in no wise affects his perception of the colder beauty
of the great blues and greens of nature。 To their poetry he is ever
sensitive。 His appreciation of them is something phenomenal； and his
power of presentation worthy his appreciation。
A Japanese painting is a poem rather than a picture。 It portrays an
emotion called up by a scene； and not the scene itself in all its elaborate
complexity。 It undertakes to give only so much of it as is vital to that
particular feeling； and intentionally omits all irrelevant details。 It is the
expression caught from a glimpse of the soul of nature by the soul of man；
the mirror of a mood； passing； perhaps； in fact； but perpetuated thus to
fancy。 Being an emotion； its intensity is directly proportional to the
singleness with which it possesses the thoughts。 The Far Oriental fully
realizes the power of simplicity。 This principle is his fundamental canon
of pictorial art。 To understand his paintings； it is from this standpoint
they must be regarded； not as soulless photographs of scenery； but as
poetic presentations of the spirit of the scenes。 The very charter of painting
depends upon its not giving us charts。 And if with us a long poem be a
contradiction in terms； a full picture is with them as self…condemnatory a
production。 From the contemplation of such works of art as we call
finished； one is apt； after he has once appreciated Far Eastern taste； to rise
with an unpleasant feeling of satiety； as if he has eaten too much at the
feast。
Their paintings； by comparison； we call sketches。 Is not our would…
be slight unwittingly the reverse？ Is not a sketch； after all； fuller of
meaning； to one who knows how to read it； than a finished affair； which is
very apt to end with itself； barren of fruit？ Does not one's own imagination
elude one's power to portray it？ Is it not forever flitting will…o'…the…wisp…
like ahead of us just beyond exact definition？ For the soul of art lies in
what art can suggest； and nothing is half so suggestive as the half
expressed； not even a double entente。 To hint a great deal by displaying a
little is more vital to effect than the cleverest representation of the whole。
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The art of partially revealing is more telling； even； than the ars celare
artem。 Who has not suspected through a veil a fairer face than veil ever
hid？ Who has not been delightedly duped by the semi…disclosures of a
dress？ The principle is just as true in any one branch of art as it is of the
attempted developments by one of the suggestions of another。 Yet who
but has thus felt its force？ Who has not had a shock of day…dream
desecration on chancing upon an illustrated edition of some book whose
story he had lain to heart？ Portraits of people； pictures of places； he does
not know； and yet which purport to be his！ And I venture to believe that
to more than one of us the exquisite pathos of the Bride of Lammermoor is
gone when Lucia warbles her woes； be it never so entrancingly； to an
admiring house。 It almost seems as if the garish publicity of using her
name for operatic title were a special intervention of the Muse； that we
might the less connect song with story；two sensations that； like two
lights； destroy one another by mutual interference。
Against this preference shown the sketch it may be urged that to
appreciate such suggestions presupposes as much art in the public as in the
painter。 But the ability to appreciate a thing when expressed is but half
that necessary to express it。 Some understanding must exist in the
observer for any work to be intelligible。 It is only a question of degree。
The greater the art…sense in the person addressed； the more had better be
left to it。 Now in Japan the public is singularly artistic。 In fact； the
artistic appreciation of the masses there is something astonishing to us；
accustomed to our immense intellectual differences between man and man。
Sketches are thus peculiarly fitting to such a land。
Besides； there is a quiet modesty about the sketch which is itself taking。
To attempt the complete even in a fractional bit of the cosmos； like a
picture； has in it a difficulty akin to the logical one of proving a universal
negative。 The possibilities of failure are enormously increased； and
failure is less forgiven for the assumption。 Art might perhaps not
unwisely follow the example of science in such matters where an
exhaustive work； which takes the better part of a lifetime to produce； is
invariably entitled by its erudite author an Elementary Treatise on the
subject in hand。
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To aid the effect due to simplicity of conception steps in the Far
Oriental's wonderful technique。 His brush…strokes are very few in
number； but each one tells。 They are laid on with a touch which is little
short of marvelous； and requires heredity to explain its skill。 For in his
method there is no emending； no super…position； no change possible。
What he does is done once and for all。 The force of it grows on you as you
gaze。 Each stroke expresses surprisingly much； and suggests more。
Even omissions are made significant。 In his painting it is visibly true that
objects can be rendered conspicuous by their very absence。 You are quite
sure you see what on scrutiny you discover to be only the illusion of
inevitable inference。 The Far Oriental artist understands the power of
suggestion well； for imagination always fills in the picture better than the
brush； however perfect be its skill。
Even the neglect of certain general principles which we consider vital
to effect； such as the absence of shadows and the lack of perspective；
proves not to be of the importance we imagine。 We discover in these
paintings how immaterial； artistically； was Peter Schlimmel's sad loss； and
how perfectly possible it is to make bits of discontinuous distance take the
place effectively of continuous space。
Far Eastern pictures are epigrams rather than descriptions。 They
present a bit of nature with the terseness of a maxim of La Rochefoucault；
and they delight as aphorisms do by their insight and the happy
conciseness of its expression。 Few aphorisms are absolutely true； but
then boldness more than makes up for what they lack in verity。 So
complex a subject is life that to state a truth with all its accompanying
limitations is to weaken it at once。 Exceptions； while demonstrating the
rule； do not tend to emphasize it。 And though the whole truth is essential to
science； such exhaustiveness is by no means a canon of art。
Parallels are not wanting at home。 What they do with space in their
paintings do we not with time in the case of our comedies； those acted
pictures of life？ Should we not refuse to tolerate a play that insisted on
furnishing us with a full perspective of its characters' past？ And yet of
the two； it is far perferable； artistically； to be given too much in sequence
than too much at once。 The Chinese； who put much less into a painting
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than what we deem indispensable； delight in dramas that last six weeks。
To give a concluding touch of life to my necessarily skeleton…
