Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 3.djvu/34

Rh determined so as to secure harmonious balance, and explicit vetoes were formulated against faults of interference, confusion, entanglement, or parallelism. As for receptacles, they were in themselves a science. Mr. Conder describes and depicts no less than forty-six varieties of bamboo vases alone, each of which has a distinct appellation and a definitely approved shape. Then there were bronze vases, porcelain vases, pottery vases, basket vases, boat vases, bell-vases, wooden vases, bucket vases, chariot vases, suspended vases, standing vases, umbrella vases, margin vases, hooked vases, flower horses, and flower cabinets, each having its appropriate varieties of floral arrangement. The scope of the art is well illustrated in the case of the boat vase, which, according to the description of the sprays placed in it, was made to represent a homeward-bound ship, an outward-bound ship, a ship-in-port, a swiftly-sailing ship, or a branch-laden ship. It will readily be supposed that attention had to be paid to environment in designing a floral composition. Every article and every part of a Japanese chamber is regarded as a co-operative element in a general scheme of decoration, and each must enhance the value of the rest. Hence a vase of floral or leaf sprays standing or hanging in an alcove is required to harmonise with the picture hanging beside it, and even to be in accord with the landscape presented by the nearest portion of the garden