The Nevada journal., 1855-08-24

HOME HERoIc.-Judging by the prev
alent choice of subject among our High
Art painters, we should imagine that the
worth and dignity of humanity had per-
i>hed and that we must be forever raising
monuments in cominelnoration of their
former existence. Not a painter scarcely
dreams OF finding noble subject in bis
own time.
Men who aim at painting great pictures
must turn their faces backwards, and jour.
ney century Or two, at least, into the
msts through which the past loom up
greater than itselt.-mieh'y only because
Incomprehen>ible--u d. nided, because
i Its faults have become obscured
1t is cure TO us perpetuaily- this dis
position to look abroad and back for thin IS
worthy of reverence and study. 1t may
be hopeless-we confess to something like
despair thinking OF ito attempt to in
duce our countsymen to look near home
ior their IDEAS. Yet, hopeless as it is, on
Is depends tue prospect Of all future great
ness for our Art. 1t is impossible that
the race should have so changed, that the
deeds of :o-day should be less noble than
those of three hundred years ago And
yet to such conclusion would the prac
tice of Art at this day lead for true it is
that an artist, desiring to enter what is
generally known as the High Art field
rarely, if ever, takes for his subject mod
ern incident.
If it be not true that the race has lost
its former worth, there is no other alter
native than that Art is thing of the sur
face merely-dealing with religious garbs
and historical costumes. To admit this,
is to abandon all claim for it as moral
agent, and make the artist, after all, only
minister to the scnsuous nature We
eonnot willingly take such position, since
1t follows a> u consequence, that Art is
folly, and its worshippers, idlers There
sa vitality-an immortality-au immor-
tality-m it, though ages may overlook
It's messages, and leave it in degradation :;
and 1t is due TO the world that the philos-
opher-the moralist--the statesman do
The part i'll giving it its bir,hricht
We acknoyled &c all the objections that
can be urged against modern standard Of
heroism on the score of costume-we are
willing to admit that it would be difficult
to conceive beautiful or dignified figure
IN our nineteenth century Costume, but it
Is not III the power of such tribes to de
stroy noble conception-true genius will
ride over them, and even accomplish its
end seemingly by their aid. But, if our
mere externals 50 limit the range of Art,
then Art must mould these cxternals to
suit tit must change the costume, the
habits, and the surroundings of men.
And ii this, which We believe to be ca
sy, We're Impossible, still it must be felt
that the true end OF Art is the expression
OF the inner nature--the characteristics OF
the soul. 1t must be f,lt that there is a
beauty which will shine through all exter-
mails, and Will insist on being seen through
rags even; and the representation of this
VIII make Art noble and worthy, without
regard to forms Or material appearances
The true Artistic Beauty will redeem even
an ugly garb in which it may chance to be
dressed, and to those who arc capable of
seeing throug gh It's DISCUSSES, will sanctify
the hoall- st gulsc.
The true secret Of the attainment of
High Art, then, is nat in the d.aping OF
models, but IN the education of our inner
selves TO the perception of that which is
nobleSt and most beautiful in the soul of
man-the god like and heavenly. The
artist has learned the secret OF that attain
inent when he has made his own soul no.
bic and beautiful, for only then can he see
the nobility and beauty in others. We
shall never make grand sc!aol of Art,
by sending artists where they have facili-
ties for studying middle age costumes, or
the habits OF the so called heroic ages, but
by our artists becoming lofty in their na-
lures, and conscientious in their labors
and regards both of Nature and Art. That
is the highest Art which tells the grand
est truths, and the grandest truths will be
told by the grandest souls, without regard
to age or locality.
There is a hcroism in the commanest
true life worthy an art mi lighter than that
OF Phidlas-subjects more fraught with
high and holy meaning than any the Mid :
die Age has given US, in the history of ev-
cry suffering, aspiring heart. Sorrows are
thrown before our eyes every day, it we
a.e capable of reading them, which benefit
the world !or ever if once we'll told and
no man can be a true artist without find.
ing in his own history that which better
satisfies the definition of heroism than the
action OF Greek or Crusader. They are
Home Heroics that touch and better the
beart-that Art which most humbly goes
down into the depths of our poor human
heart Is the highest, best.
| A Coop CHARACTgR-A good char