The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.88

The Majorities Want The Costly,

Not The Refined; The Fashionable,

Not The Beautiful

「It is much to be regretted that so much of the apparent enthusiasm for art at the present day has no foundation in real feeling.

In this democratic age of ours men clamour for what is popularly considered the best, regardless of their feelings.

They want the costly, not the refined; the fashionable, not the beautiful.

To the masses, contemplation of illstrated periodicals, the worthy product of their own industrialism, would give more digestible food for artistic enjoyment than the early Italians or the Ashikaga masters, whom they prettend to admire.

The name of the arist is more important to them than the quality of the work.

As a Chinese critic complained many centuries ago, "People criticise a picture by their ear."

It is this lack of genuine appreciation that is responsible for the pseudo-classic horrors that to-day greet us whereever we turn.」
(From The Book of Tea, p.85, Charles E. Tuttle Co, Rutland, Vermont-Tokyo, Japan)

It is surprising that from his generation, the evaluation of art is already the usages of popularity.

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Picture: With Every Good by Katashi Oyama
Image Designer: Izumi Mori