The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-12-16

,R Is, 1869.
na San Sista half as much as one OF
Tait's pictures of chickens picking at a
worm, Or some hens in a barnyard,
which puts him in mind of the pleasant
old days when he was boy, and of the
id farm aud meadows, and father and
mother, and our folks who are gone
All this almost fills his eyes with tears
rs he looks; but Stubbs Is a good fellow;
and when Don Positive tells him with
lordly air that lie can buy such things
if he pleases, but he feels ii his duty to
inform him how very trashy they are
in point of art: like good christian he
wipes his eyes, and goes resignedly,
and gives hundred ef two of dollars
for an old proof engraving of the San
Sisto, and hangs it up where those dear.
too charming hens and chickens wero
to have been, and feels that he has done
his duty by society. To be sure, he
doesn't care bodle for the picture, and
never will; but Don Positive tells him
it's high art, and he saved him from get
ting poor thing for his money,-and
that's comfort"
Mrs. Stowe has evidently read and
enjoyed the egotistical effusion of the
''art critics. of "The New-York Trib.
une," and "New-York Nation" The
manner in which they sometimes pooh
pooh the most beautiful recent art pub.
lications,-Prang's inimitable chromos,
for example, md always go into ecstasy
ovar the medieval reproductions of
the Arundel Society, which are less ap-
propriate for a modern American HON e
than series of fifteenth century ser
mons who'd be suitable for modern
American Library, is we'll hit off in this
and the succeeding passage, which,
however, We have not space to copy.
She then grapples at once with the
cardinal axiom of the art-creed of these
critics, and, bravely denies in words,
what the people have always denied in
acts, that high art pictures are suitable
for the adornment Of home. The Ian
guage will be reckoned little less than
blasphemous by these pretentious writ
ers but every friend Of living art, and
the education of the people in art, will
I be glad to see her assail the the idol
which they worship 80 devoutly. She
says
High art means, as nearly as we can
make it out, what professed artists and
instructed people, who understand the
technical properties ofart, and the tccl.-
nical difficulties to be overcome in 1t,
consider as interesting and valuable
1t also means what past ages have liked
and enjoyed, and things that are histo-
ricaily interesting as the record of the
modes Of thinking and feeling on such
subjects in past ages. Now, many of
the best records of these in cast engrav-
ings are not suited to family life, but
ought to be kept in museums and port
folios. The admirable engraving of old
blind Belisarius is a chef dguurre Of en-
craving art, touching and tragic pic
ture; but who wishes at all hours to be
confronted by the image of blind IA
ther with a son bitten by serpent In his
arms, however well represented. The
better the representation Of such q sub
ject, the aoorse it makes 1t for a home pic
tire. Hung in bedroom, this work of
high art might give bad dreams and q
possible night mare; and it had better be
kept in a portfolio and admired when
the subject OF proof engravings is up. If
person should be so fortunate or I'M
fortunate as to get capital photograph
of the first draft of that bloody bores
picture, 'Micheal Angeles Last Judg-
ment,' where the Judge looks like a
prize fighter in a passion, Shaking hts
fist at his mother, such sketch might
| havea certain value as high art for
there is an abundance of high art in
this very disagreeable picture; but we
should earnestly recommend him not to
frame it and hang it up for the terror OF
his wife and the bad dreams of his in
nocent babes"
Mrs. Stowe then lays down her first
rule for the selection Of home pictures.
which is as excellent as it is heterodox:
"As u general thing,' she says "what
Is not high art, but only respectable and
permissible art, is the best colffpany
| for everyday family life. AS we should
not think it amusing to have Satan's
Speech to the Sun recited at our break
fast table, SO neither should we think
Scheffer's picture of Francisco di Rimi-
nj proper thing to be forever talking
to US from the walls of our parlors and
bedrooms"
She would not have all pictures mere
prettinesses; she would have some rep
resent the higher side of our nature; but
such solemn and grand subjects should
not be conspicuously placed in recep.
| tion rooms, or parts of the houre where
the mere surface intercourse oflife goes