The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-18

preston OF language The painter is limited to
single phase but with his drawing compost.
tion. light and shade and wealth OF color, he
may exci;e the Imagination to supply tsat
which cannot he q xed upol the canvas.
The actor tells his story In prOprtd person I.
and while any at'em ut to realize q picture upon
the stage must necessarily be a failure, the
dialogue, action, dramatic effect, and idenud
cation of the actors person with the character
represented, Interpret theme In q very differ
ept but no less effective manner tn an spoetry
or painting. Poetry deserves to stand at the
read Of the arts, on account of its wider scope
no less than the greater permauenoe OF its i'm.
pressions, and painting, sculpture, or the
Drama, unless vivifled 10y the poetic spirit, give
merely the forms and not the substance of art
They may please the eye Tor a moment, but the
intellect remaiuS unsatlsfed and the gratidca-
ton Is merely sensuous.
An artist should not only be proficient in the
technicalities OF bis particular branch. but no
ought TO understand tue principles and prac.
uCe Of art In all its branches. Michael AM yelo,
Raphael, and Leonardo da VInci were poets
as well as painters. The first named
wSs equally great Rs sculptor aud
as painter, aud the others were skilfu
with the sculptor's tools and frequently used
the to model the groups for their pictures
indeed, this was not IA uncommon pr 'ctice
with many OF the best painters. The study of
The co ordinate branches of art not only de-
velofs the thinking faculties, gives q wider
scope to the imaginative powers, and adds q
freedom and decision to the touch of the hand
of an artist but it is valuable as tending TO
draw him out OF the rut of convenlionallty,
adding a breadth TO his style, and enabling
him to take q more enlarged view OF hts art
and its capabilities.
These ideas have been suggested by a visit to
the studio Of Mr.. Edward Moran. the celebrated
marble painter. This gentleman has gained
his present proficiency by long years of patient
study and practice and now that he has
thoroughly mastered the particular line of art
which he has made a speciality, it has occurred
to him that the principles of painting are
simple, in themselves easy of comprehension
and that they can readily be acquired by almost
any one, without the same amount OF time and
labor that he has bestowed upon them, There
Is general idea that 1t Is useless ( II any one
to undertake to learn to draw or paint
who has not special talent In that di-
rection. while, in reality, drawing and
and painting are no more difficult than music
and any young lady who can, bY.applicaliou.
patience and study, learn to play upon the
piano, can by the same amount of industry
learn TO use the brush aud pencil with equally
satisfactory results, Nothing but first rate
talent will make first rate artist, but there is
no reason why drawing and painting should
not be as common accomplishments rs music
| and there are few persons SO entirely incsps.
| BILE as not 10 be able to make reasonable pro-
gress in the limners' art If properly instructed
| at the beginning, and If they will take pains to
| judiciously cultivate such talents as the AL
| mighty has given them.
| Mr.. Moran, for the purpose OF putting his
theories into practice. has assembled around
bin an enthusiastic class of students, com posed
| of literary men, amateurs, musicians, and
some of the leading actors of the city. His
plan Is to paint picture In their presence,
using merely the three primary colors--red,
yellow, and blue--and showing what an iu fl
mite variety OF combinations can be produced
by these simple means. Indeed, If the three
colors could Re procured in perfect purity, no
others would be needed.
The picture when finished Is copied by the
students and submitted 90 the master for criti-
cism, and then. as they acquire facility, ons by
one other colors are introduced their value
| demonstrated, and the most complex combina-
tions of the color box shown In q clear and un-
derstandable manner. Mr.. Moran has not dis.
covered any royal road 10 learning, nor does
he profess to teach the whole art of painting In
elk easy lessons. By a simple. inteIligble
but thorough system, however, he has removed
| many OF the obstacles la the way of the be-
| gipner, and the very rapid and remarkable
progress of his pupils is proof of the excel
lence OF his method of instruction.
The weekly meetings of his class, too, are
something more than mere painting lessons
for his students are artists themselves in other
lines, and the flashes of wit, the small talk and
the gossip are not the least of the consldera.
tlOns for those who find Morans studio attrac
| tive on these occasions.
The actors, in this country at least, have
with more or less justice, been accused OF neg.
| lecting the other arts, and, In fact, there has
| hitherto been too little intercourse betwee n
| those who have adopted different lines of art
In France better feeling prevails. and actors,
painters, musicians, and poets recognizea com.
! me brotherhood and an identity of interests
well as pursuits. Mr. Moran's painting class
is q move towards producing the same results
here. and the art flowing public are as much in
terested in the result OF his experiment as are
the artists themselves. Our actors will play
better for their knowledge of painting
and will be able to see in
our theatres some OF the hnist
and style in the performances and manner o
producing pieces that make those of Paris
the models of excellence for all the world. The
citizens of Philadelphia have been noted fol
their appreciation of artistic merit, and 1t II
gratifying that such q movement as this ha
been commenced in this city, and we hope tina
the artists will continue their pleasant labor
In the same enthusiastic spirit that they havt
begun, and that their example will be followed
in other localities.