Page:The Spirit of Japanese Art, by Yone Noguchi; 1915.djvu/35

30 "If the so-called post-impressionists could see Kenzan's work!" my friend-artist suddenly ventured to exclaim, "I am sure that Vincent Van Gogh would be glad to have this six-leafed screen of poppy-flowers."

"Really the picture is the soul of the flowers," I said, "but not the external flowers. It is mystic as the flowers are mystic. And imagine Kenzan's attitude when he drew that screen! I believe that he had the same reverence as when he stood in the religion of mysticism to paint a goddess; indeed his work was prayer and soul's consolation. Though the subject was flowers, I have no hesitation to call the picture religious. I almost feel like lighting a candle. and burning incense before this screen of poppies."

As with other gifted artists, we see Kenzan's real life behind his work. Some critic ably said that true art was an episode of life; I can imagine that, when his artistic fancy moved and his work was done, he must have thrown it aside into the waves of time, offhand, most unceremoniously, and forgotten all about it. We can truly say of his works that they never owed one thing to money or payment for their existence—and that is the greatest praise we can give to any work of art. His material life might be said to have been quite fortunate in that he was invited to Yedo (present Tokyo) by the Prince of the Kanyeiji Temple of Uyeno, under whose patronage his