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change for their ruling motive。 It is hardly necessary to draw the
distinction between this motive and that of the Japanese。 The
Japanese motives may be defined as uniqueness and position。 And
these were not known as motives of decoration before the study of
Japanese decoration。 Repetition and counter…change； of course； have
their place in Japanese ornament； as in the diaper patterns for
which these people have so singular an invention； but here； too；
uniqueness and position are the principal inspiration。 And it is
quite worth while； and much to the present purpose； to call
attention to the chief peculiarity of the Japanese diaper patterns；
which is INTERRUPTION。 Repetition there must necessarily be in
these； but symmetry is avoided by an interruption which is； to the
Western eye； at least； perpetually and freshly unexpected。 The
place of the interruptions of lines； the variation of the place； and
the avoidance of correspondence； are precisely what makes Japanese
design of this class inimitable。 Thus； even in a repeating pattern；
you have a curiously successful effect of impulse。 It is as though
a separate intention had been formed by the designer at every angle。
Such renewed consciousness does not make for greatness。 Greatness
in design has more peace than is found in the gentle abruptness of
Japanese lines； in their curious brevity。 It is scarcely necessary
to say that a line； in all other schools of art； is long or short
according to its place and purpose； but only the Japanese designer
so contrives his patterns that the line is always short； and many
repeating designs are entirely composed of this various and
variously…occurring brevity； this prankish avoidance of the goal。
Moreover； the Japanese evade symmetry； in the unit of their
repeating patterns； by another simple device … that of numbers。
They make a small difference in the number of curves and of lines。
A great difference would not make the same effect of variety； it
would look too much like a contrast。 For example； three rods on one
side and six on another would be something else than a mere
variation； and variety would be lost by the use of them。 The
Japanese decorator will vary three in this place by two in that； and
a sense of the defeat of symmetry is immediately produced。 With
more violent means the idea of symmetry would have been neither
suggested nor refuted。
Leaving mere repeating patterns and diaper designs； you find； in
Japanese compositions； complete designs in which there is no point
of symmetry。 It is a balance of suspension and of antithesis。
There is no sense of lack of equilibrium； because place is； most
subtly； made to have the effect of giving or of subtracting value。
A small thing is arranged to reply to a large one； for the small
thing is placed at the precise distance that makes it a （Japanese）
equivalent。 In Italy （and perhaps in other countries） the scales
commonly in use are furnished with only a single weight that
increases or diminishes in value according as you slide it nearer or
farther upon a horizontal arm。 It is equivalent to so many ounces
when it is close to the upright； and to so many pounds when it hangs
from the farther end of the horizontal rod。 Distance plays some
such part with the twig or the bird in the upper corner of a
Japanese composition。 Its place is its significance and its value。
Such an art of position implies a great art of intervals。 The
Japanese chooses a few things and leaves the space between them
free； as free as the pauses or silences in music。 But as time； not
silence； is the subject； or material； of contrast in musical pauses；
so it is the measurement of space … that is； collocation … that
makes the value of empty intervals。 The space between this form and
that； in a Japanese composition； is valuable because it is just so
wide and no more。 And this； again； is only another way of saying
that position is the principle of this apparently wilful art。
Moreover； the alien art of Japan； in its pictorial form； has helped
to justify the more stenographic school of etching。 Greatly
transcending Japanese expression； the modern etcher has undoubtedly
accepted moral support from the islands of the Japanese。 He too
etches a kind of shorthand； even though his notes appeal much to the
spectator's knowledge； while the Oriental shorthand appeals to
nothing but the spectator's simple vision。 Thus the two artists
work in ways dissimilar。 Nevertheless； the French etcher would
never have written his signs so freely had not the Japanese so
freely drawn his own。 Furthermore still； the transitory and
destructible material of Japanese art has done as much as the
multiplication of newspapers； and the discovery of processes； to
reconcile the European designer … the black and white artist … to
working for the day； the day of publication。 Japan lives much of
its daily life by means of paper； painted； so does Europe by means
of paper； printed。 But as we； unlike those Orientals； are a
destructive people； paper with us means short life； quick abolition；
transformation； re…appearance； a very circulation of life。 This is
our present way of surviving ourselves … the new version of that
feat of life。 Time was when to survive yourself meant to secure；
for a time indefinitely longer than the life of man； such dull form
as you had given to your work； to intrude upon posterity。 To
survive yourself； to…day； is to let your work go into daily
oblivion。
Now； though the Japanese are not a destructive people； their paper
does not last for ever； and that material has clearly suggested to
them a different condition of ornament from that with which they
adorned old lacquer； fine ivory； or other perdurable things。 For
the transitory material they keep the more purely pictorial art of
landscape。 What of Japanese landscape？ Assuredly it is too far
reduced to a monotonous convention to merit the serious study of
races that have produced Cotman and Corot。 Japanese landscape…
drawing reduces things seen to such fewness as must have made the
art insuperably tedious to any people less fresh…spirited and more
inclined to take themselves seriously than these Orientals。 A
preoccupied people would never endure it。 But a little closer
attention from the Occidental student might find for their evasive
attitude towards landscape … it is an attitude almost traitorously
evasive … a more significant reason。 It is that the distances； the
greatness； the winds and the waves of the world； coloured plains；
and the flight of a sky； are all certainly alien to the perceptions
of a people intent upon little deformities。 Does it seem harsh to
define by that phrase the curious Japanese search for accidents？
Upon such search these people are avowedly intent； even though they
show themselves capable of exquisite appreciation of the form of a
normal bird and of the habit of growth of a normal flower。 They are
not in search of the perpetual slight novelty which was Aristotle's
ideal of the language poetic （〃a little wildly； or with the flower
of the mind；〃 says Emerson of the way of a poet's speech） … and such
novelty it is； like the frequent pulse of the pinion； that keeps
verse upon the wing； no； what the Japanese are intent upon is
perpetual slight disorder。 In Japan the man in the fields has eyes
less for the sky and the crescent moon than for some stone in the
path； of which the asymmetry strikes his curious sense of pleasure
in fortunate accident of form。 For love of a little grotesque
strangeness he will load himself with the stone and carry it home to
his garden。 The art of such a people is not liberal art； not the
art of peace； and not the art of humanity。 Look at the curls and
curves whereby this people conventionally signify wave or cloud。
All these curls have an attitude which is like that of a figure
slightly malformed； and not like that of a human body that is
perfect； dominant； and if bent； bent at no lowly or niggling labour。
Why these curves should be so charming it would be hard to say； they
have an exquisite prankishness of variety； the place where the
upward or downward scrolls curl off from the main wave is delicately
unexpected every time； and … especially in gold embroideries … is
sensitively fit for the material； catching and losing the light；
while the lengths of waving line are such as the long gold threads
take by nature。
A moment ago this art was declared not human。 And； in fact； in no
other art has the figure suffered such crooked handling。 The
Japanese have generally evaded even the local beauty of their own
race for the sake of perpetual slight deformity。 Their beauty is
remote from our sympathy and admiration； and it is quite possible
that we might miss it in pictorial presentation； and that the
Japanese artist may have intended human beauty where we do not
recognise it。 But if it is not easy to re