New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
AN ARTISTS CREED.
NOT ART FOR ARTS SAKE.

the author of the volume upon English
PantingD which won such hearty commentator
from Mr.. Ruskin. In "The Education OF the
Artist NJ. Chesneau presents u book when Is, we
think more valuable than any OF its predecessors
Other volumes OF the Fine Arts Library" have
been mainly historical. and without dsparagement
of their value It is evident enough that the material
which they contain is accessible elsewhere. ms
is book OF ideas not of facts, either technical or
historical The author looks to the future. not TO
the past He writes in modern. progressive Spite.
shrinking neither from the breaking OF images nor
from the charge of radicasm From sucn a writer
one may expect a measure OF plain truths, and VI.
Chesneau does not disappont u.s. But he is not
merely \ Iacbrvmose jeremiah waiting over the
material character of the age and the vu garty Of
modern art. A new version of the lamentations
poured forth by Mr. Ruskin and his followers Of
recent years would find wraricd audience. but VI.
Chesnean's criticisms, trenchant as they are, are
constructivc For these virtue We commend this
book and for another, the most remarkable oil all
From beginning to end NJ. Chesnean, French
critic protests against the essentially French doc
trine of mr.. for arts sakc' The artist absorbed
in his materials making technique the end of bis
art he rightly regards n mere craftsman. IL -
art A. q means Of expression that NJ. Chesneau
breaches and as definitely he can he tells us
what to his way of thinking th' art OF this n'ne-
tcenth century should express He says" The end
of art is ac Interpretation OF the soul of man with
all ,ts emotions and feelings its Sorrows Joys and
doubts its nassons its enthusiasms. its loves and
haireds It's heartsickness and hopes. its know
of what is past and real its aspirations above and
beyond 1.-THE soul in its entirety. as completely az
the conditions Of each art will allow and without
any limitations but those set by these conditions
Now. granting that in nation general statc of
soul has existed of which its art has been the
exact faithful and full expression If. rs time goes
on that art persists in reproducing the formulas OF
expression which had then been devised and found
sufficient a certain lack OF harmony must presently
arise between the soul and the art of that nation.
Ii is this lack of harmony between people at large
and the art of the present day that causes VI.
Chcsneaus declaration, " Ihrou sh0ut Europe art
IS in its decadence." This is the result OF the
Inadequate education of the artist, the imperfect
development of his intellectual powers and moral
qualities. and mis- incomplete experience OF social
laws. These generalitics calculated at length,
but we must pass TO note NJ. Cncsneaus en-
pnatic protests against cosmopolitan ard
traditional art and in favor of indvdualizing art
and of naturalizin2 it. To remedy the present
discord between the evolution of the social pohty
and the evolution of the arts there Is need OF
general culture for artists on the one hand and on
the other of their development in congenial
social atmosphere 1t is rs true OF America as OF
France that artists rulo stand in great need of
a general education Professor Charles Waldsten
and other writer's have emphasized this need, and
we trust that VI. Chcsnean's vigorous words regard
ing nero painting and modelling machines" may
be widely circulated He pleads not only for the
culture Of artists but for the broader culture OF tho
public by the teaching of drawing and of the mis-
oIlo In al II.l
down no complete programme for the reorganiza-
ton of instructional education from the point Of
view of the interests of art" bnt he strengthens
his suggestions by arguments drawn from the i'm
mense practical importance of art applied TO in
dustry "Whcn art has its fair share in education
in every class from the ghest to the lowest, we
shall have given the artist of the future the means
of knowing his own capabilities. Besides
this. we shall have educated a public for those
artists"
In the second part Of his book NJ. Chcsncau makes
specific the relations of the artist to modern
society by laying down the requirements Of various
genres historical religious. archaeological art etc.
If except military subjects and rural scenes"
he says. modern lie affords very limited choice
OF pictorial or grand situations for the painters
art; sufficiently important that is to say. TO de-
mand large canvas for their adequate develop
curiously enough places scenes of human suffering
first as rousinG emotions most powerfully; and
lie continues to cnumerate &" grand religious cere-
monies public MORNINGS and festivals then rail
way stations. workhouses military asyums race
courses and modern sports" with domestic genres.
open air subjects with city views, drawing room
scenes. the life OF the town and the world" But
this is little profitable than the preparation of
lists of the L" hundred best books" NJ Chesneau re.
turns to more substantial ground in hischapters upon
decoration and tho decorator Commenting upon
the dearth of creative originality in the decorative
arts he is unable to find remedy in teaching and
training" The truth isl he says that there is
too strong tendency to separate Art az applied
to manufactures from what is termed High
Art" This is putting it mildly Through sheer
ignorance of the fact that the principles of pure
and applied art the same the popular mind per-
ceives gulf between the trio If we are TO have
second Renaissance in matters of TASTE" it must
come. according to NJ. Chesncau. from broad train
ing and avoidance Of routine, or. to be more spe-
cifc by educating great architects. great sculp-
tors ana great painters. instead of training design
ers for particular branches Of industry Put IN
less grand use phrase this probably that the
training for pure and for applied art is the same
mp to an advanced stage, which is perfectly true
and should be more generally recognized by art
teachers aud art students. The movement IN this
direction which began thirty years ago in England
has resulted IN higher art education and remuner-
atIve application of art to industry there and on
the Continent. and to some extent in this country
But ~ Chosneau regards this movement with dis
favor as being actuated by sordid motives and en-
tIrcly commercial" This is true in large measure
but ;" High Art" canno. become firmly rooted cx-
cept in the appreciation of art among tue people
and this must be incucated by means of applied
art. Nj. CLesneau closes with a few irrepressible
Gallicisms, but much of his book shows an English
influence. Without resigning his own rights of
opinion he has been faithful reader of Ruskin and
lamerton on ono side, and of the teachings of the
South Kensington lecturers on the other. and his
book is more catholic than much current French
writing upon art. His general purpose is incon-