KERAM1C STUDIO 
179 
facility of expression, a grace of manner, taste and refinement harmonious. The outlines of the cartouches are never sug- 
of color and drawing. gestive of the design enclosed, outlines of bird, fan, butterfly 
or any object are used at will. 
The coloring of Japanese decorations is something not to 
be described, there are numberless nameless shades and tones. 
When strong colors are used, they never seem glaring. The 
Japanese are particularly strong in their use of black with 
color, so as to intensify the whole, even the black seeming lumi- 
nous. In decorating a vase the Japanese follow closely the 
lines of nature — a flower that hangs from a vine in nature is 
pendant on the vase, the flower that grows up stiffly from the 
ground grows stiffly on the vase. There is never a confused 
mass of decorations, one or two flowers usually serving the 
purpose. Rarely is a background suggested, only a color that 
The older Japanese designs excel in a method of decora- suggests the background. Harmony and simplicity every- 
tion peculiar to this people. This effect is produced by geo- where. 
metric medallions (No. 3), cartouches (Nos. 4) birds or 
dragons twisted into medallions (No. 5), thrown, as it would 
seem, at hazard on a surface covered with inlaid diaper pat- 
terns, gold tracery or plain grounds, yet somehow the medal- 
lions seem to balance and the whole effect is restful and 
