The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-23

The Subjection of Truth to Beauty in Art.
Modern art makes the representation
Of truth it's first law. The latest theories
maintain that this law converts what is
unsightly III nature into a beauty OF art;
the practical spirit Of the time consider-
ing that display Of skill, a truthful I'M
itation, a utility of purpose, are artistic
beauties.
In a recent essay upon art beauty of
adequacy Of purpose was attributed TO
the Charing-Cross Bridge, the one Of the
numerous bridges spanning the Thames,
in which there is the least attempt at
artistic effect. Utility ought to be re-
jected from among the elements OF beauty,
however much it may increase our ad-
miration, or it follows that whatever en-
lers into the composition of an object be-
yond what is REQUIRED to enable it to
perform some necessary duty is out OF
place and Is therefore deformity.
The utilitarianism of the age is such
that a lady wishing to 'adorn her house
seeks to secure pictures which lit the
spaces of her walls. This being the tend
ency of the public taste, is it not natural
for the artist to strive to render his work
popular and salable, and actuated not
alone by love and devotion to his task,
to lose sight of the great end and aim Of
art-the creation of the beautiful? In
making beauty the first law truth Is not
to be sacrificed, but made secondary, for
beauty is truth addressed to the feelings
rather than the intellect. Science, to
whose influence in great degree the mod
ern realistic tendency in art may be
traced, properly has for its object the
truth addressing itself to the reason.
Art owes its origin tathe love for the
beautiful existing In every soul; the
feeling and admiration resulting from
the presence OF beauty produces the gen.
ius and the lover OF arts. In the one the
emotion is so strong that it compels imi-
tatjve creation, in the other the admira-
tion produces universal demand, which
finds its supply in the contemplation of
works of art. If the object presented be
essentially ugly, this inherent desire for
the beautiful is replaced by an admira-
tion for the skill Of the painter. This is
shown in modern taste.
An old epigfammatist says to mis-
shapen man; "who would want 10 paint
you, when no one wants to look at youw
Many modern artist would say, "No
matter how misshapen you are, l will
paint you, they will be glad to look at
my picture; not as portl ait Of you, but
as proof Of my skill in making. so close
copy OF such a monster"
That style Of art can not be the highest
which draws the attention from the sub
iect to the genius of the painter. lmper-
sonality is an essential attribute OF the
novelist and dramatist. Why is it not
of the true artist?
The wise Greeks paid the deserved
homage at the shrine ofbeauty, and their
works Notwithstanding "those enemies
of art, time, and barbarians," are still
regarded as models. The extreme of
passion, of crime, of floathsomeness, was
never portrayed by them. The fact that
not single representation of fury has
been found among ancient works, i'm
plies that such representation far from
arousing the aesthetic enjoyment, would
have disgusted the ancient taste.
In the statue OF the LAGOON "the mas
ter was striving to attain the greatest
possible beauty under given conditions
of pain. AS pain in its distortion is not
ened." The artist by thus limiting him.
self did not confess his inability, but
proved his adherence to the end Of his
art. The ancient law forced the painter
to keep within his own sphere. Every
conqueror in the Olympic games re-
ceived statue, but portrait statue
| was erected only to him who had thrice
been victor. For too many Indifferent
portraits were not allowed among works
of art. The Theban artist was COM
manded to make his copies more beauti-
full than the originals, never less beauti-
full under pain Of punishment. This was
no law against bunglers but one against
caricature. The Nasts of to-day have
unbounded freedom; but do not reason
and good taste suggest that they should
be in some degree restricted? In litera-
ture the field is broader, but here also
the restrait is acknowledged. The dra-
matist especially never dares to portray
| crime or misery in its awful reality. He
makes concessions to the feelings Of his
audience in order to produce an asthet-
| ic effect.
That this restraint is just, must be
| granted. Works Of art exert an import
ant influence upon the character OF a ma
tion, and it is of the highest Importance
that this influence should be guarded.
| Lessing,. speaking of Greece, says:
'Beautiiul statues fashioned from beau
tifui men reacted upon their creators and
the state was indebted for its beautiful
men to beautiful statues"
| If the modern artist will make beauty
the highest object of his art he possesses
the power to surpass the ancients. They
attained the perfection Of physical beau.
ty. He to whom the glory of the heaven.
ly has been revealed may breathe soul
into the perfect form, may attain the
perfection Of the threefold-the physical
the intellectual and the spiritual beauty
--Sse-
| The centennial celebration of the Lex.
ington fight OH the 10th of April prom.
ises to be very successful. Besides the
President of the United States and sew.
eral of his Cabinet, Gov. CASTOR of Mas.
L e.. oil hn Gou Of N ri