Flower Basket with
Chrysanthemum
Arrangement.
The little daughter of one of my neighbors in Tokio, who gloried in the name of Kosakurasan, little Miss Cherryblossom, had kindly consented to pose for a picture upon which I was engaged. During the several sittings that I received from this little lady of eight she told me much of her short but eventful life. She attended school, and explained that aside from the regular instructions she received, her parents had engaged a very accomplished young lady to give her sisters and herself a lesson in flower arrangement once a week at home.
A Peony Show.
I was much interested to know more about this floral study and expressed a desire to be present on one of these occasions.
Kiku Haran and Zuromodoki
in Hanging
Bamboo Vase.
A few days later little Miss Cherry-blossom appeared at my studio-door with a large bunch of chrysanthemums in her arms and an invitation from her mother to be present at a lesson which the teacher was about to give. I accompanied my little friend, and arriving at her home, was ushered into a room where I found the teacher and pupils deeply absorbed in their interesting study. I watched the proceedings with great interest, and though I failed to comprehend much of what the teacher endeavored to impart to her pupils, it gave me great pleasure to observe the interesting group. These bright-eyed, prettily dressed little Japanese maidens, earnestly engaged in their interesting occupation and surrounded by quantities of flowers, formed such a charming and delightful scene, that I decided on the spot to make it the subject for a picture.
Later on I carried out this idea, and the illustration which appears on [p. 211], gives an impression of the result. I engaged a famous old professor to arrange the chrysanthemums as they appear in the picture. The old man came to my studio bringing the flowers which he had carefully selected, and spent over an hour in making the arrangement. Several times, when it was almost completed, he pulled it to pieces and began again, exclaiming that it was not good enough. "It would pass," he said, "for ordinary purposes;" but since it was to serve as a model to be copied into the picture, nothing but absolute perfection would satisfy him.
This old professor was famous in his art and enjoyed great distinction and consideration—as much so as any famous poet or painter.