The national Republican., 1869-03-08
tCommunIeatsd J
Art and Artists,

Washington Allston, the great painter
poet, says: 81 may here notice false notion
which Is current among artists, In the inter
probation they put on the axiom that some
thing should always be LEFT to the imagina-
tion, viz: that some parts Of picture should
be left unJfniahed. The very statement be.
trays Its unsoundncss; for that which Is uu-
finished must necessarily be imperfect; SO
that, according TO this rule, bnpsrftction il
made essential to perfection. The error lies
In the phrase 'lcft to the Imagination and
It has filled modern art with random -four
ishes of no meaning. If the axiom be In
tended to prevent the impertinent obtrusion
OF subordinate objects, (the fault certainly
OF mean practice may observe that the
remedy Is no remedy, but rather u less fault
substituted for greater. Works OF a high
order, aspiring to be poetlcal, cannot make
good their pretenslons, unless they do affect
the imagination; and this should be the test,
that they set to work, nor to finish what Is
less incomplete, but to awaken images con-
genial to the compositions, but not IN them
expressed, an effect that never was yet real
lied by misrepresenting anything. If the
objects introduced into a picture keep their
several places as well in the deepest shadow
as In light, the general effect will suffer
nothing by their truth: but to give the whole
truth In the midnight as well as the daylight
| belongs to master"
Mr.. AllstOn thus described the effect pro.
duced on his mind while studying the great
| paintings In Italy: st Is needless to say
how was affected by Ratilaele, the greatest
master of the affections in our art. In
beauty he has often been surpassed, but In
grace-the native grace Of character-in the
expression Of intellect, and, above all, sane
tity, he has no equal. What particularly
struck me in his works was the genuine life
Qf may so call it) that seemed, without
impairing the distinctive character, To per-
wade them all; for even his humblest figures
have q something either In look, air, or
gesture akin to the venustds Of his own nature,
as II, like living beings under the influence
| OF a master spirit, they had partaken, In
spite OF themselves, portion Of the charm
which swayed them. This power of infusInp
ones own life, as 1t were, into that which Is
feigned appears to me the sole prerogative
OF genius. In work of art this Is what
man may well call his own; for II cannot be
borrowed or initiated.
"Of Michael Angelo know not how to
speak In adequate terms of reverence. With
all his faults (but who is without them)
even Rafiaele bows before him. As sto ID
beneath his colossal prophets and sybils,
still more colossal In spirit, felt as If In the
presence Of messengers from the other world,
with the destiny of man in their breath, In
repose even terrible. ! cannot agree with
Sir Joshua that the vision of Ezekiel of
Raffaele, or the Moses of Parmegiano, have
anything In common with Michael Angelo.
Their admiration of Michael Angelo nav
have elevated their forms into more dIgni-
fed and majestic race; but still left them
men, whose feet had never trod other than
this earth. The supernatural was beyond
the reach OF both. bnt no one would mis-
take the prophets Of Michael Angelo for In
habitants Of our world; yet they are true to
the imagination, as the beings about US are
to the senses. am not undertaking these
great artists, when deny them Kindred
genius with Michael Angelo; they had both
a genius Of their own, and high qualities
which nature had denied the other"