Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-10-16
or III
Thoughts on Art.


Mr.. EDnoR-Thc fact that the department
OF the fine arts was so credtably represented at
the recent Fair in this place, and especially that
there were oh exhibition so many valuable
paintings has induced me TO offer few thoughts
on this subject, which, will venture to hope,
may be of some practical advantage TO amateurs
and perhaps to artists.
The offering may, at least, demonstrate to the
latter, that those who make no prctentions to
artistic Skill may, nevertheless, sometimes not be
wholly Indifferent to their work, nor totally ig-
ucrant of the laws by which it must be govern
ed.
Painting is species of language, and like all
language, employs signs more or less arbitrary,
There is not the slightest resemblance be-
tween the word tree, and the object it is design
ed to represent. Nor is the resemblance any
more marked between the dark lines of the
pencil and this object or its boughs 1t is on
" when these lines are so drawn as to fulfill GER
tain conditions that we readily associate with
them, the object intended. Then by grouping
these several objects, as so many distinct ideas
together into connected discourse, we have
what may be called historical or descriptive
painting.
The primary demand, therefore, in every land
scape painting is, that these objects, as facts o
history, shall be faithfully represented:-tbat
the conditions shall be so fulfilled, as to present.
only truth. A lie upon canvas is to art what
lie upon the tongue is to religion. When
truth is sacrificed, we lose confidence; for moth.
ing can compensate.
1t is not meant that all facts must be told
nor that all truths must appear in every picture
but simply that what does appear should be
true. A painting upon canvas is, at best, but
feeble representation Of nature. Nature is
infinite, as its Great Author. 1t is a revelation
of the truths of God. We ought there
fore, to expect of those who undertake to inter
pret this revelation and TO discourse to US of its
infnitude, that they should, at least be truthful
Deception is not art; it is unworthy of the
name. And yet, with little knowledge and
certain amount Of artistic skill, nothing is more
easily practiced. Distance and projection, with
some regard to form and color, are only neces.
sary to make tolerabIy good imitation. tn i.
may pass for picture and please children, per
haps the multitude.
But when in painting all the more delicat,
truths are lost sight Of, the deficiency may a
mount to perversion, which, may serve like sub
tie discordance in music, only to wound wher
there is taste, and corrupt where there is none
And the only safeguard seems to be in the fact
that falsehoOd, sooner or later, becomes distasle
ful:-that the senses will tire of what is no
truthful
Pictures of this description commonly de
pend, for effect, upon their brilliant colorinl
matter, and, accordingly, soon get passport Il
the att'c' or ind their way forth to the bacl
woods.
IL now 1t is impossible to combine in any on
picture all the truths of nature here is tn
largest room for the exercise of taste and choice
and for the different degrees Of excellence. An
we would judge Of painting as we would dc
termine the merits Of any other discourse. Re
probating all fAlsehood, we woald call that IN
best, which contains the best a the most truth,
The question then arises, as to what truth
are most important to landscape painting
And The obvious answer is primary truths, .
form. Distance 4 projection, have been referre
to as necessary eonditiOns5 and conditions wbic
even empires under The fall disguise Of coIOrir
and legerdemain, have to regard as imperatip,
But these could not be enlied truths Of an ol
p ject any more than powers Of the behOlder-
J They are simply conditions on whibb sFsths ,