Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 3. (Budapest, 1975)

FERENCZY, László: Traditions and new trends in the Japanese art of the Meiji era

à very high level in France at that time. Encouraged by the great success traditional Japanese silks had scored at western exhibitions, Japan realized that it was silk that paid best in exportation, and therefore turned to the further development of the great old centres of Japanese silk weaving like the Xishijin in Kyoto. It goes without saying that best in quality and most interesting for us among the exhibits were those complying with Japanese tastes. They all come from Kyoto weavers and first of all from the Nishijin, and excel in the fineness of patterns, individual choice, and more quiet and better harmonizing colouring, as it is charcteristic for Japanese preferences. The harmony of blue, white and some gold on the natural corded silk gives a special character to the silk meant by its breadth probably for a kimono or an obi. (Figure 12). The waves of water around the towering rocks are not only sweeping but make a spatial imjjression by their relief-like weaving as well. The rocks are covered with flowers and bushes, marked by a minimum of col13. SILK WEAVE. KYOTO. VIENNA WORLD FAIR OF 1873.