Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-08-21
Art in America.
Written for the TRIBUNE.


formed almost a sect by themselves,
adead of their age. Our early artists,
almost without exception, vera forced
to waste the best part Of their lives
at trades before they could fulfil their
aspirations. Many went abroad for
more congenial surroundings. and for
instruction which they could not get
at home. And now their works are
scattered throughout the length and
breadth Of the country, and the re
suits of their efforts, mistakes and
successes, invaluable to future de
velopement, will soon be lost. Mozart
period can be expected for America
until she establishes museums and
schools in which to preserve the art
Of the past. and more than this, to ex-
tend the culture OF art to every class
Of the people.
some American cities now recog-
nize the Importance Of this subject.
Boston has a very complete system Of
art education in her public schools,
and also a normal school Of art, and a
museum of fine arts; and many other
cities have introduced drawing into
their schools. But this recognition IS
not general, and eve III Boston had
d hard fight for the advanced ground
she has taken.
Not the least consideration which
should urge us to encourage art is its
influence on characters. The power
to do anything well is always enobl-
ing. The mar who will be master Of
his art will be master Of his passions;
and if sinserity c~haracterizes him in
one thing, it will in all things.
Michael Angelo said: Nothing
makes the soul more pure, so religious
as the endeayor to create something
perfect, for God is perfection, and
whoever strives for it, strives for some
thing Godlike." 6 the perfection
striven for is more than that Of some
mechanical process, when it is the per
lection Of some ideal which demands
the full exercise Of all the faculties Of
the soul, then the inspiration must be
amending. The painter, the musician
the sculptor, each strives to express,
in his own way, the divine in nature.
True painting",-to quote the great
master again-'is only the image Of
Gods perfection, a shadow Of the
pencil with which he paints Such
noble effort must impress its stamp
not only on the artist, but on all who
feel, no matter how dimly, his in
SEPARATION through his works.
In speaking Of Greek art-Lessing
says: Beautiful statues fashioned
from beautiful men reacted upon
Woman the young and tender vine
their creators, and the state was in
debted for its beautiful men to its
beautiful statues" There always
must be this double action, that Of
the people on art. Of art on the people.
L the people become degenerate art
will disappear, as was the case in
Greek art, and that Of the Middle
Ages. Or if art like our own, is too
practical, too much engaged in heap
ing up wealth, art will not arise spon-
taneously. But is it not our duty, in
view Of the moral influence Of art. and
its practical advantages, to encourage
it, and educate an art-loving and an
art-appreciatiye people? We have
the necessary means for such develop
ment; we have wealth, energy, indi-
viduality, and artistic sense; and they
are not mistaken who predict as posi-
bic a glorious art period for America,
but it will not come unless we make
use Of our opportunities. Some real
progress we have made; we have pass
ed through the infancy Of art, the
initiative period, we have outgrown
the passion of landscape painting in
minute details, which however had
the merit of being purely American.
Though no great height was reached,
yet these two periods were just as
necessary to the development Of
A,o. 81 - IL .l