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The Changing Perceptions of Japanese Architecture 1862–1919

ANNA BASHAM

‘Architecture in Japan’, The Architectural Review, November 1896

INTRODUCTION ‘They have no architecture’1 wrote Rutherford Alcock (1809– 1897), the British Minister to Japan and organizer of the Japanese Court of the 1862 London International Exhibition. Of all the Japanese arts, architecture appears to have been the last to receive recognition. Alcock was not alone in his view, although the architect, Josiah Conder (1852–1920) and the Victorian designer, Christopher Dresser (1834–1904) were promoting Japanese architecture from the late 1870s, others considered Japan to have no architecture, believing that being prone to earthquakes and building primarily in wood was a disqualifi cation from having any lasting architecture or architectural heritage. This train of thought led to a second dis- qualifi cation, which was, if architecture is the mother of all the arts then the Japanese could also be considered not to have any bona fi de fi ne art.

487 BRITAIN & JAPAN: BIOGRAPHICAL PORTRAITS VOLUME VII

VICTORIAN GOTHIC AND JAPONISME: BURGES, NESFIELD, SHAW, JECKYLL AND GODWIN The exhibition in South Kensington in 1862 was signifi cant as it was the fi rst opportunity in Britain to view Japanese art and design in any quantity. The exhibits, provided by Alcock, were considered to be ‘a fair sample of the industrial arts of the Japanese, and their capabilities of production in rivalry with the nations of the West.’2 The Japanese Court was particularly popular with both the general public and the art and design fraternity. Dresser attributed his initial interest in and collection of Japanese objects to this exhibition. It was this display that ignited the enthusiasm for Japan amongst the Victorian medievalists. The Gothic revivalist architect-designer, William Burges (1827–81), was so impressed by the Japanese Court that he entreated fellow neo-Gothic devotees in his review of the Japanese section for the Gentleman’s Magazine: ‘. . . an hour, or even a day or two, spent in the Japanese department will by no means be lost time, for these hitherto unknown barbarians appear not only to know all that the knew, but in some respects are beyond them and us as well.’3 Burges became a collector of things Japanese, and it is believed that he was probably among the fi rst to collect Japanese prints.4 He remained true to Gothicism, incorporat- ing Japanese design motifs into his work thus creating a style which was very much his own.5 Burges was a school friend of (1828–83) and close to the Pre-Raphaelite circle who also were admirers of Japanese art and objects.6 Also a Gothic revivalist and a collector of Japanese artefacts, the architect-designer, William Eden Nesfi eld (1835–88), was aware of Japanese art and design by 1862.7 He incorporated what he described as ‘pies’ into his designs; Toshio Watanabe attributes the inspiration for these ‘pies’ to both medieval and Japanese design. The earlier disc designs he believes are medieval in character and states: ‘Some of the Gothic revivalists had already used these medievalizing disc motifs, for example in William Butterfi eld’s fi replace design for Milton Ernest Hall in Bedfordshire (1853–58).’8 However, in his designs for Cloveley Hall, Shropshire (1865–70) Nesfi eld’s ‘pies’ show greater affi nity with Japanese family crest [mon].9 Nesfi eld was not alone in the use of mon, these design motifs were illustrated frequently in books on Japanese design and appear to have held a fascination for the Victorian designer. Christopher Dresser applied mon to his silverware, and described them in both picture and word, in his text on his visit to Japan. These unique, well presented and instantly useable design devices were the source of much admiration and utiliza- tion by designers of all disciplines from the mid 1800s until today. (1831–1912) worked at the offi ce of the noted neo-Gothic architect, (1824–81)

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