Japanese Bronzes

As workers in metal, especiallv bronze, tho Jupinese have no rivale. I do not speak oí' larga figures, for these they ncvcr altempt. It in Ib small groups and natural objecís, suchas the cvcry-day wants oí' lile rcquirc, eitlier for ornament or use. Sir ítutherford Alcock says, Ín speakingof these works "A very competent judgo in such matters, Mr. 11 11 11 1, ono of ihe jurors of the International Exhibition, once said, in answer to niy nquiry whether the artists and ski led worken in metal, eraployed by the first jewelers and silvcrsmiths in London, could produce cqually ;ood specimens of Iheir art, "tliat they might, but only at such a priccas to precludeany chance oFsale.'" lie also added that, "after carcful examination, he wasconvincedtheJapancsí! were in po-ession ot' soine íneans not kuowu to Europeans, of forming amalgama, and of overlayiug one metal on another, and tn tlie must minute and delicate details, introducing into tlie sanie subject, not covering an inch, sil ver, gold, bronze, etc., so as to mako a variegated picture of divers colora." lt is now almost too late in thc day to iind these rare works for sale, eithcr in Japan or thc foreign markets, yct occasionally they can be picked up, and when once found there shotild ba no hesitation about purchasing. Tho vrriter has in his poasesslou a littlo basket in bronze, about the sizo ot a canary bii'd's nest, standing upon three le_;s, cacli l'oi'ined of three strips of baniboo tied together witli a bit of (tring, while from between the vfiokerwoi'k of tho basket a fer ivy .leavea poep out. This is so perfect in all its datails that it must have been cast from the natural object, but the wonder is how it could have been done, lt is not uncoininon to fludJapanese bronzes, and even iron pots, with flowera or birds, or a dragon iu almost full relief upon them. Ihe writer once saw a bunch of chiysinthemums, witli their numeróos juxtaposed petáis as perfectly cast as a more simple ornament. Jf a thoiisand vasos had to be oost, cach withaflower in relief on tho side, and if each vasa was to be of preciso! y tlio same pattern, a separate model in wax would be prepared for the casting of each, and the same labor would be expended in producing every onc that was expended on tho produrtion of the Örst. the class ot brouzes to be fouud iu the hands of dealer, especially the lftrger pieoes, aro very inferior; but niany of the smaller ones, representing groups of marine planta, the lotus, eraba, frogs, etc, are ai most perfect in artistic design and oxecution. At present'the largost bronze nianufactorïes ot Japan are situalcil iu Osaka and Tokio, but if one would have the best work oi' this braiich of Jupauose art, it i- the old pieces, not the modern, tnat should bc sought for.