Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-08
ART SCHOOLS.
Comparison Between the Institutions of
Europe and America.

In my judgment, we have arrived at
that place in the development of the
means for sound instruction in this
country that provides q perfectly ade-
quate course of discipline for the art
student. The academies of Europe are
not more thoroughly equipped than are
some of our own Institutions. They Of
fer no facilities that may not be enjoyed
at home. with this exception, viz: That
of working by the side of clever, eager,
earnest fellow pupils This exception
may, indeed. be said to comprise almost
everything that is of value, as it includes
the traditions of prestige of the ateliers,
which rest in the pupils. The cursory
visits of the master or professor, devot-
ing but an hour or two week to eighty
or hundred pupils with a word of con-
demnation or approval for each-hardly
more than brief eiaculation-is, how
ever, a stimulus that the students them
selves can only rightly estimate; the
value of its force rests in the exalted es-
timation in which maestro is held; q
word of approval, which is of rare oc-
currenee. having from them the charac-
ter of flash from Olympus. 1t is the
CoPAits liiC atmosphere, tAS OhluuSlaStA,
that does the business.
While we have the institutions, there
fore. we have not vet the pupils that
may form favorable comparison with
those we find in the crowded academies
of Europe. Time is required to supply
this material of the fiber and consisten-
cy we find abroad. Independent of the
merits of the master, time is required
to form the traditions that hold the pu-
pill to his tasks, that curb his will with
bit and bride, and bend him to the
fundamental elements of discipline. In
Europe the pupils themselves govern
the ateliers, and in a democratic way;
they regulate affairs, form the rules and
see that they are enforced. The tone
and character of the work even is often
in reality the influence of few vigorous
leading pupils whose power is recogniz-
cupy, in fact, without commission, the
places of tutors in colleges, who, being
nearer the pupil than the professors, are
better able to understand their needs
and make known to them the elemen-
tary methods that they themselves have
but recently learned. The master, hav-
ing long passed the Rubicon, has to re-
trace his steps to reach his pupil, and is
apt to look down upon him with impa-
thence from too high plane to fully I'M
derstand or sympathize with his strug-
giles. Among the pupils, however, the
eve of the weaker one is ever fastened
on the stranger; he sees theprocess laid
bare in what is going on under his OBJ
servation; he "gets the hang of it,
that is, of technique-and Sc he learns
to handle the implements and manipu-
lates the means with some skill; things
which the master gives little attention
to, teaching rather how to see the object
you are working from; to initiate it
simply, broadly, Enthusiastically; to
observe the plans, model the forms, give
the surfaces aud substances truthfully-
in short, it is drawing, modelling sub
stance, and relief that concerns the
masters oversight; you may founder
with the palette as you please if you
only get at the nature of these qualities.
To sum up these considerations all these
means of instruction can now be found
at home; and, with the exception of the
quality of the pupils and the prestige of
famous names, there is but little distinc-
ton between the instruction that may
be had here and that which obtains in
Paris. - John T.. Weir, IN Harper's
Weekly.