The New York herald., 1879-08-04
..rEN LECTURES on ART. "

critical observer beyond.the seas.
TEN LECTURES on ART.
That the subject OF art is every day becoming more
and more interesting not ouly those who practice
it. but to the general public. must be at once con-
ceded Art has become the fashion, aud every one
with any pretensions to culture talks readily OF
'tone. "''color." feeling and other technical sub
jects that used to be discussed only by those with
stay at home and prefer to learn through the papers
what is going in the world rather than by taking
part in the excitements of the day think that the
world has gone mad on the subject of pictures and
decorative art. No doubt there many who run
the thing into the ground. but the effect Of the art
craze has been most excellent by driving out great
deal of bad taste and exciting interest in that
which is good. House furnishing twenty-five years
ago something to strike terror to the aesthetic
heart; nowadays 1t is thing of beauty, or II 1t is
not it should be. the demand for good things
having brought about supply. and by q little care
and taste one can make very tasteful room with
very limited means. The decorative craze is so
widespread that has necessarily run into absurdi
ties and back again to the old plane of bad TASTE
For example. the covering Japanese fans with silk
and painting them with gaudy designs aud plaster
ing porcelain lamp shades with decalcomanie. Deco
ration to some people means nothing nor less
than sticking bit Of color ON an unresisting back
ground utterly regardless of the fitness Of things.
The interest in art matters has raised up quite an
extensive library of art literature. of which is
quite valuable while more utter trash Under the
former head comes a volume containing "Ten Lee
lures on Art by K. ]. Poynter. r. A. Chapman Il
Hall. London). Mr. Poynter's position Slade pro-
fessor at University College would have made his
familiar to all persons interested in art mat
ters il he had not demonstrated by his brush the
right to be heard with consideration In his pref
Mr.. Poynter says:-"As example is always
better than precept the more time devote
to painting III future and the less to
public lecuring the better it will be for my art and
for those who interested in it, He gives the
credit of the improvement Of art taste in England
the younger generation of artists, who. he thinks,
have had most salutary influence the older
men. Mr.. Poynter's first lecture is devoted to dec
orative art. subject in which he takes a great in
terest. He begins by pitching into the engineers.
The worst and most tasteess efforts in architecture
that great towns afford. he says (snd there is no
lack of them). better than the outrages that
men Of science nfct on us in their railway bridges
aud other works. Two things are essential in the
beauty Of constructive designsrst, fitness for the
purpose which the object made is intended to fulfil;
and second. good workmanship in making it, Art
the artistic sense has nothing to do with deter
mining their forms, which entirely suggested by
perfect adaptation to their purpose and vary but
little in any country at any time. Among these ho
cites examples the ordinary implements OF agrcul
ture, the form OF spade a rake or hatchet.
Sometimes, he says, we find this beauty to be of
a very high order, as in the case OF the plough.
the beautiful lines of which have always been the
admiration of artists. When he comes to the house
Mr. po vnt haaa n faai IN nv iua,,
pirate decoration, taking example bunch of
roses or lap dog painted the black japan of a
coal scutte and yet he there is hardly drawing
room in the kingdom where of these atrocities
not to be seen In writing of painting he speaks OF
the ignorance shown in the appreciation Of pictures
from nature. Most persons. i'll looking at picture
of moonlight scene. for example, see the moon in
the sky. the reflection in the water, the light catch
ing the roofs of the houses and they consider that
the artist has worked miracle OF truthful painting.
The truths of nature. says Mr.. Poynter, "are so
many. subtle and various that 1t re-
quires that born insight Of artist which
is his greatest gift to discover but part OF Them.
Most OF popular art, he continues. depends
tor its success almost entirely the facts repre-
sented in the pictures. and not the art which is
expended In the painting of them. certain amount
OF technical skill is required by the more knowing
way. OF mannerism he says the mannerism Of
English artists is often that OF complete igno-
rance. aud ignorance has a manner Of its own made
TO conceal ignorance. This mannerism is known by
the name OF ceverness. Mr.. Poynter mentions the
frcze of the Parthenon the finest example of dec
orative art in the world
In the chapter "Old and New Art" Mr.. Poynter
has no hesitation in saying that art has lost
than IL has gained by our modern modes OF thought
aud feeling. and that IL it be asked why cannot put
away the traditions of the past and work in the
modern spirit the answer is that the modern spirit
is becoming daily opposed to the artistic spirit,
and is precisely what hampers its expression;
that what is good in the art of to-day is
good in the same way and for the same
reasons as the old; that We have no lights on the
subject which not also clear to the old masters
and that whore seem to have struck out new
path we have only chosen which they purposely
aud rightly rejected. while. where to have
discerned truth. it proves to be beside the
question. Mr.. Poyner to think that q want of
seriousness is the trouble with modern art and that
artists from motives of Incidence interest have
allowed themselves To be led by the opinion of the
public instead OF being of DID, Indifferent to it,
themselves leading the way to better appreciation
the part of the public of the capabilities Of
.sy stems of Art Education" Hints ON the Forma-
ton OF STYLE" "rhe Training of Art Students"
ION the study OF Nature" "value of Prizos." cob
jccts of study" professor Ruskin on Michael An
geo" and "rhe influence OF Art Social Lite" are
the subjects TO which the remaining chapters are
devoted Mr. Poynter takes every to hit
rap at Mr. Ruskin. who. no doubt, deserves u good
many.
SCIENCE FOR ALL.
work bearing the above title, and published by
Messrs. Casseli. Potter Il dapin. of New York, has
just commenced lie. 1t s issued In parts of fifty
pages each, containing articles scientific sub