The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-22
NisceiiaQeops.
On the Perversion of Art.
by wM. R. LAWRENCE.

Few understand the true mission of
Art. Fewer still appreciate it. Art is
great teacher. at the same time pleas
Ing one. Our school rooms, as we'll as
our homes, should be the shrines of
forms of beauty, and recent writer on
art has Justly remarked, that. "a picture
of quiet landscape may be silent
monitor to the vexed mind-a sweet face
gazing from the wall may make us
ashamed of the frown which darkens our
own brows. Even thc~humblest engrav-
ing, in a poor mans chamber-if it
possess but the symmetric proportions
of beauty-may minister to the behold
er's taste, enlarge his heart, embelliSh, so
to speak, his views of life.
"A flower in the window, or picture
on the wall, imparts an air of refine
ment to the rudest habitation and its
possession is mute appeal to something
within the owners breast. the develop
ment of which viii elevate his taste
above the enjoyment of the coarSer or
the sensual.
ga true understanding and love of
Art, therefore, bids us welcome all means
and objects calculated to awaken pleas
ure in well constituted minds, since they
cannot be devoid of happy influence
upon society The evil spirit fled be-
fore the harp of David, and Art is pow
erful now as then. When we shall ac-
custom ourselves, our families, and our
children, to embrace WHAT'S really beau
tiful, wekshall not, as community, be
far from reaching that which is good.
"Let, then, a popular appreciation of
Art be encouraged, and its productions
familiarized to the community BY being
rendered accessible to all classes; for
there is no want of a general love for
the beautiful, if the proper objects of
love be supplied. The fine paintings
of ancient and modern days, if trans
lated to the public, though equally meri-
torious engravings, will speedily exert
an influence upon national taste, and
their wide spread distribution, at reason
able prices, rendering their acquisition
possible to all classes of the people, will
be the surest method of indoctrinating
the popular mind with the true taste in
matters of Art, rs we'll as the Legitimate
first steps towards general appreciation
of its claims, which may hereafter result
in an artistic school worthy of our ma
tive land
So much in regard to the mission of
Art, and now few words in regard to
its peryersion. This is often observable
in the various STYLES of architecture
which prevail in our larger cities, or
rather mixture of styles and orders,
whereby all legitimate rules are aban-
doned, and the structures erected ac
cording to the dictates of vitiated and
perverted taste, the result of which is
often unfortunately ridiculous, and any,
thing but beneficial to the forming tastes
of the masses, or likely to inspire them
with wonder or admiration as they con-
template their architectural anomalies.
But descending from the higher
branches of Art to the lowest. from the
sublime to the ridiculous (although as
before intimated, many aspiring archi-
tectural attempts may be ranked among
the latter, we would advert briefly to
the practice of ornamenting, or rather
defacing gravestones and monuments
with Daguerroetype likencsses of the de-
ceased slumbering beneath. If it were
only shocking to good taste it might be
tolerated correct taste in all matters
of art, and even in less weighty matters.
being the exception, and not the rule
but it is revolving TO the better feelings
of all who have any respect for the de-
ceased, TO make a public exhibition ol
their portraits within the solemn pre-
Icincts of the graveyard. merely to
crafty the curiosity of strangers. This
appears to US to be yeiitably tie vanity
OF yanities.'
1t is painful to us to visit Greenwood
Cemetery, and gaze upon the graves o
children, marrcd AID disfi3urci BY t,y.
and baby y-heuses, rocking horses, caa
mons, tops and balls, and other trinaet:
and playthings with which the brie
hours allotted them on earth were wilec
away. But all this is nothing, wheI
compared with the depraved. shocking
and perverted, not TO say insane taste o
placing within grasestone the form anl
| features of the one resting quietly be
!! meath.
Memory alone should recall 70 tht
: minds of friends and relatives. the form
features, and expression of those whs
have been called away. Their picture.
may be treasured By those who knew
and Iosed them, but unless known Z
fame, the eys Of the stranger should no