New-York tribune., 1885-03-08
REALISM.
Svpy MODERN CHRISTIANITY CoNpEMNe
MODERN ART.

OR. HOWARD CROSBY ON ihI e|"0"" W
roaRApH AND TIE CEssPooL-pEsPAfiEhEp
GENIUS.
Copyright 1889.
Art has been defined as the imitation OF nature-a
ono-sded definition that has led to much iaiso
criticism aud much erroneous work. Nature iS
rather the prolific storehonse whence Art ura"s
much of her material, and without whch she con.u
not exist The basis and framework OF all ar'suc
conceptions are found in nature aud 10 nature inc
artist must first go for bis enlightenment and the
furnishing of his soul. Aud we speak of nature IN
;ts hroadest sense as including not only the earth
with its mountains, dales, rocks, streams ana
verlure and the heavens with tbeir nightly glories
but also and chiefly man, and him not only III MS
outward form aud physical beng, but also al"
chiefly in his moral aspects and reiations as
betokened in his outward form and grouping. IL -
a nature that contains thought and emotoh' anu
exhibits the manifold combinations OF virtue ana
vice Poetry occupies the highest plane OF art.
il can best present these highest aspects OF
nature the initiative arts of painting and sculpture
being circumscribed to the representation OF
Thought and emotion by feature, gesture and sur
rounding objects, and denied the use of words The
name of initiative arts is itself misleading as in all
art a far higher aim and motive than imitation
marks the true genins. Genius is creative as well
rs initiative and the initiative faculty is servant 10
the creative faculty. 1t is the lack of this principle
that has degraded ait and made It's achevement
often Chinese elaboration, instead Oh pc"V
projected thought. 1t is this lack that has given
birth to realism in literature and the pTe-Raphaete
heresy in painting The httest emblem oil sueh ar'
is the photograph. Homer. Pheidias and Zeuxis'
Dante. Angelo and Titan must yield the PAIN 10
Sarony and Mora. materiaistic age draes down
art as it drags down religion. 1t denies all the
nobler sentiments and aspirations of the soul by
nd
religion is only an expediency. and art is only
imitation.
Religions minds seeing this form of art are natu-
rally repelled and too hastily condemn art as the
foe to religion only mnsterng to the lower tastes
aud passions of mankind. Tney see on every s'de
realistic initiative art representing with scrupuous
detail whatever can appeal to sensual appetite ana
under its pernicious influence tho minds cf youth
debauched and society deiled. and then illogcally
leap to the conclusion that art is the enemy OF
purity, when the truth is that depraved minds have
used art for their base purposes. and by SO DONG
have substituted bastard art for true one
before the public eye
Art have said. is not simply initiative of nature.
It ideaizes nature, and the ideal is furnished by
the creative faculty. As in tragedy the conditions
of time and place and the forms of dialogue are
s;mplv impossible in nature II use q nature" IN the
broad seuse) so on the canvas or in the marble M
possibilities are not necessarily errors but often the
oeeded supports of ideal truth. The savish natural
school has forgotten this axiom. What anafonist
would be satisfied with the tibia OF tho Apollo
Belyiderei What soolOgist wonld have gwen his
approbaton to the famous Centaur group OF Leuxisl
What botanist could analyze the fora OF Poussin
And are these irregularities errors in arti 1hey
would be errors if art onlv Initiative; bnt the
apprecatve soul protests against any such charge.
II & s,..x
1t is because of this ideal side OF art and because
this side is by far the more important side, IN! We
have ground for insisting on the moral sprit that
should move it. II art Oe merely ;di ,Sen ,a u IL
above all. a teacher. The Greek tragic theatre was
a teacher. The modern theatre is an amuseT. me
one sought to trace the ways of Justice and piety
the other socks to show the fobles OF men and
women. The one was elevating the other Is debaS-
II the ideal sphere of art is made prominent we
are at once led to the grave questions: w nat sal
the creation bef Shall minister 70 tne gonh, or
the abyss ~ The ideal artist may be satan rooed
as an angel of light. We do not claim perfection ior
all ideal art We only assert that ar is hor IN
which alone ii has its benehcent potentanty' W. tt
the low school it is a fayorite detnm tiaS i
(,hristianity is unfavorabe to art. that II checks
and restrains genius and that hence no Christian
age could or produce PraxIteies OF an apeiics
The proposition is as true as that 1.ncr ei i;;an
origin. that ignorance is the mother OF rehgion
both arising from gross Ignorance OF religion anu
TIE trom6le with us in this age not that Chris
tianity is in the way of art but that artists not
appreciatng Christianity, have departed iroin tne
ideaiism of art, and have reduced IL 70 lealI,ec
standard he trouble is that false school is
5om;nant. and Swinbnrne, Walt Whitman and
Zoa In their writings, with kindred workers on tlle
aud in the clay both cater 70 anu G iorn nrn
shocked by the display of nude women intended 10
convey no other than a lascivious idea: Inc hgh
emotions of love- pity. tenderness adinlration; are
foootber ionored by the artist and all he seeks TO
crafty is the sensual IL we turn from thesi
ndecencies. host of genre pictures Una, enu
their lesson in a costume or piece OF furnitnre.
The noble and sublime have gwen way 10 prc-a
brac Then follows a doleful array OF portraits.
families. And last of all the landscapes are with,
out souls, a mere effort to reproduce lines ana
colors ln spite OF the honorable exceptions where
n true genius and an exalted purpose have Deen
arts minister's the statement s painfully true:
might assert the same materiaiistc ana nechalicai
tendencies in other departments OF art as music anu
architecture, where mere tickling or bald utility
takes the place of eDnobling Thought But as these
spheres Of art are more circumscrieed IN their
mowers of EXPRESSION, the detection from truth Is
less readily seen and of less moment to society.
Poetry, fiction, painting and sculpture are IN
avenues through which art especially influence
humanity and animalism In these IS the poison OF
hold that art as an ideal teacher must be set
free from the initiative animal school; that IL must
take it's place by the side of religion that its every
ntteranee must be in harmony with the highest
principles of truth and righteousness and expressive
OF a positive and wholesome sentiment Christian
art. instead of beng a paradox, hold to be the
grandcst stye of art the representation of the best
and noblest thoughts and feelings man can enter
falu and the failure to apprenend this truth has
been In the prostitution OF genius to use art as
mere pauder to human pleasure and passion.
When genius condescends to such low services, the
public taste is corrupted for the public looks to art
as its instructor even when it has by its conduct
forfeited the name and place That the publ taste
is now corrupt is Iatcnt to every careful observer
and thinker. With what objects of art are the
srIops of the wealthy and refined ornamented
III you leave out the very few whose moral sense
where for the answer Nudties in every POSTURE
and with disgusting realism. in frames and on
pedestals, remind you of the Pompeii that was