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[letterhead: Institute of Art Research / Ueno Park, Tokio/ Mail address, P.O. Box Shitaya 14, Tokio] Tokyo, July 14, 1933 Dear Mr. Berenson, Just a week ago I came back from U.S.A. For the last six months I was in Cambridge, where I was giving series of lectures on Far Eastern art at Harvard University. While I was there, I meant to write to you, and have actually begun several letters, which were all left unfinished. You can imagine what a busy time I had at Harvard, having to give talks in English. My struggle to speak in English has taken off all my energy that even letters to you have been left unfinished, thrown away, so tired was I. In my absence from Tokyo, I gave word to the staff of this Institute to send you the Journal of Art Studies, which the Institute is publishing. I together with the staff of the Institute are doing our best to make the journal represent modern Japanese exertions in Eastern art studies. Your secretary or Librarian wrote to me that in some numbers the English summaries were missing. Indeed they do not exist. The real case is that only a few numbers contain English summaries and others do not. My idea is of course to issue English summary to each number, and I gave order to prepare it in my absence. When I saw in America those numbers already done in my absence, I found them so unsatisfactory that I wrote back to Tokyo to stop issuing them till I return to Japan. From now on, English summary would begin to be prepared again under my direct supervision and before long they will be finished. When they are printed, you will get them as the first person. While I was in Florence in 1921-3, you were always so kind to me, and I think I have got best training for art-studies at I Tatti. I am now turning what method for study I have learned from you to Far Eastern studies and some of the results are the establishment of this Institute and its official publication, the Journal of Art Studies. I hope you would be glad to notice that the seed for new studies sown by you in my mind has grown up in Tokyo and is now giving out new fruits. Although, because of my bad English, I do not write to you so often as I could wish, I hope you would remember that what you have taught me was not altogether in vain. When I was in Philadelphia University Museum admiring a Chinese scroll painting of Women (in line-drawing with very slight wash of colour), I was told that another fragment of the same scroll is in your collection. To my mind that scroll is one of the best examples of old Chinese drawings in existence. Can I ask you to send me a photograph of the fragment in your collection? It will be a great help for my study. I am now devoted to the study of Chinese paintings. At Harvard some one told me that Mrs. Berenson was ill. I am so sorry to hear that. Please remember me to her. In Tokyo there are your friends Mr. and Mrs. Grew. Although I have not seen them yet after my return to Tokyo a week ago, I think I shall see them before long. We are very proud to have such a distinguished person as U.S. Ambassador to Tokyo. When I saw him and Mrs. Grew before my departure to America last fall, we had a nice chat about you. Yours affectionately, Yukio Yashiro P.S. The books you have kindly sent me have all arrived. I appreciate your kindness very deeply. |
