Colour Of London eBook

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. A few years ago there appeared in the doorway of my room a young Japanese with a portfolio under his arm. He looked tired and pale, but as he smiled and bowed, with difficulty keeping his hands from his knees in Japanese salutation, I was struck with his quiet dignity, his air of self-respect, his lustrous, intelligent eyes. Would I look at his drawings of London? Of London? - yes, willingly. Opening his portfolio, he showed me a bright and luminous drawing of the exterior of Marylebone Church on a warm, moist day, the buildings and the atmospheric effect altogether admirable; the figures, of which there were many, so simple and naïve in manner as to suggest a Japanese colour-print. I was charmed with the combination so artlessly and sincerely evolved, and I looked at others - "Reading the Newspapers in the Free Library, Evening in Trafalgar Square," "Church Parade in the Park," "Night on the Thames Embankment." I promised him I would have them published in The Magazine of Arty and I bought one or two: his eyes danced, but no other sign of pleasure did he give - his natural dignity seeming to forbid any marked demonstration of satisfaction.