Page:A history of Japanese colour-prints by Woldemar von Seidlitz.djvu/17

Rh rightly interpreted the opinions of this distinguished expert. Though it has been my earnest endeavour to keep the Japanese ideal in view, many may still object that the criticisms of artists such as Kiyonaga, Sharaku, and Hokusai are over-European in sentiment. In cases where there were materials for comparative judgment, and where it seemed likely to be fruitful of results, I have not hesitated to apply our own divergent standard occasionally.

My thanks are due to all who have helped me either in practical matters or with their advice, and in the first place to Messrs. Vever, Koechlin, Bing, and Gillot of Paris, Koepping, Liebermann, and Pächter of Berlin, and Oeder of Düsseldorf, who most kindly gave me leave to reproduce prints in their collections. Others to whom I am indebted are Messrs. Migeon of Paris, and Brinckmann of Hamburg, who supplied me with many valuable notes; and last, but not least, Mr. Shinkichi Hara, who was good enough to read through my text, to give me many precious hints and explanations relating to the prints, and briefly, to make this edition, imperfect though it may be, both more correct and more informing than its predecessor. The publishers of the English version of this work also owe acknowledgments to Mr. J. V. Scholderer of the British Museum for revision of the translation, and to Mr. Laurence Binyon for helpful suggestions in connection therewith.