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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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The Soul of the Far East
than what we deem indispensable； delight in dramas that last six weeks。
To give a concluding touch of life to my necessarily skeleton…like
generalities； memory pictures me a certain painting of Okio's which I fell
in love with at first sight。 It is of a sunrise on the coast of Japan。 A long
line of surf is seen tumbling in to you from out a bank of mist； just
piercing which shows the blood…red disk of the rising sun； while over the
narrow strip of breaking rollers three cranes are slowly sailing north。
And that is all you see。 You do not see the shore； you do not see the main；
you are looking but at the border…land of that great unknown； the heaving
ocean still slumbering beneath its chilly coverlid of mist； out of which
come the breakers； and the sun； and the cranes。
So much for the more serious side of Japanese fancy； a look at the
lighter leads to the same conclusion。
Hand in hand with his keen poetic sensibility goes a vivid sense of
humor；two traits that commonly； indeed； are found Maying together over
the meadows of imagination。 For； as it might be put；
〃The heart that is soonest awake to the flowers Is also the first
to be touched by the fun。〃
The Far Oriental well exemplifies this fact。 His art； wherever fun is
possible； fairly bubbles over with laughter。 From the oldest masters
down to Hokusai； it is constantly welling up in the drollest conceits。 It is
of all descriptions； too。 Now it lurks in merry ambush； like the faint
suggestion of a smile on an otherwise serious face； so subtile that the
observer is left wondering whether the artist could have meant what seems
more like one's own ingenious discovery； now it breaks out into the
broadest of grins； absurd juxtapositions of singularly happy incongruities。
For Hokusai's caricatures and Hendschel's sketches might be twins。 If
there is a difference； it lies not so much in the artist's work as in the greater
generality of its appreciation。 Humor flits easily there at the sea…level of
the multitude。 For the Japanese temperament is ever on the verge of a
smile which breaks out with catching naivete at the first provocation。
The language abounds in puns which are not suffered to lie idle； and even
poetry often hinges on certain consecrated plays on words。 From the
very constitution of the people there is of course nothing selfish in the
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national enjoyment。 A man is quite as ready to laugh at his own expense
as at his neighbor's； a courtesy which his neighbor cordially returns。
Now the ludicrous is essentially human in its application。 The
principle of the synthesis of contradictories； popularly known by the name
of humor； is necessarily limited in its field to man。 For whether it have to
do wholly with actions； or partly with the words that express them；
whether it be presented in the shape of a pun or a pleasantry； it is in
incongruous contrasts that its virtue lies。 It is the unexpected that provokes
the smile。 Now no such incongruity exists in nature； man enjoys a
monopoly of the power of making himself ridiculous。 So pleasant is
pleasantry that we do indeed cultivate it beyond its proper pale。 But it is
only by personifying Nature； and gratuitously attributing to her errors of
which she is incapable； that we can make fun of her； as； for instance； when
we hold the weather up to ridicule by way of impotent revenge。 But
satires upon the clown…like character of our climate； which； after the
lamest sort of a spring； somehow manages a capital fall； would in the Far
East be as out of keeping with fancy as with fact。 To a Japanese； who
never personifies anything； such innocent irony is unmeaning。 Besides；
it would be also untrue。 For his May carries no suggestion of
unfulfilment in its name。
Those Far Eastern paintings which have to do with man fall for the
most part under one of two heads； the facetious and the historical。 The
latter implies no particularly intimate concern for man in himself； for the
past has very little personality for the present。