Morris tribune., 1888-01-04
ART AMONG sAvAeEs.
Tracings of the Cave Dweliers-Arcti
Tribes---On the Toango Coast.

Tracings of the Cave Dweliers-Arctic
Tribes--On the Loango Coast.
DR.. Richard Andree, in reviewing the
art productions of savage tribes as shown
by their drawings, emphasizes the great
development which this talent can attain
in conjunction with low state of psych-
ical development. Travellers often mem
ton the power of savages to rapidly
sketch characteristic figures, and among
the oldest relics of the cave jewellers we
find distinct tracings of animal forms.
AS in so many other respects an analogy
is present between the drawings of prim-
tive men and Of children. Figure
ssketching Tin outline) and ornamentation
are the prominent characteristics of both,
while the power of landscape painting, as
well as sense for natural beauty, is o
much later acquisition. Among the
forms drawn plants are seldom found;
what is full of motion and life-the
horse, etc.-first attracts attention, and
is transferred to bone, clay or stone.
At times ornamental and figure work
go together, but much oftener develop
ment of the one or other alone is possible.
The Maoris and FIJI islanders confine
themselves to ornaments, and seldom
draw a figure. Among the Australians
the development of ornamentation has
stopped at a certain stage-with recur-
rent stereotyped forms of wedges, crosses
and ''herring bone" patterns = while
scenes from their doings are recorded
with much fidelity, and color is often
used to lend reality to the design. The
Bushmen excel in painting Though with
out perspective), and trace with great &C
curacy the scenes of daily life, of hunt
ing, warning, etc. AS figure painting
allows of very various development, we
find different styles Of onventionalism-
the art of ancient Peru is a notable ex-
ample-in different tribes. Other peoples
and here the Arctic tribes stand in the
first rank-aim at faithful representa-
ton here: ornamentation finds no place,
and such subjects as fishing, sleighing,
etc, are the usual ones. The attempts
at human forms are often failures; but
the drawings of their most common ami.
mails, as the reindeer, are sufficiently ex'
act to serve as means of geological iden-
tificatiofi.
Even the humorous is found on the
primitive ''canvas, and especially among
the fun loving negro tribes. Exaggera-
ton of small peculiarities Gas in children
is the marked trait The natives Of Loange
coast carve in spiral on elephant tuskt
o whole carnival of ridiculous figures
sailors, officers, savants, etc.
The material of the artist is very
various. Many cut and daub their uten'
sis; the Peruvians decorate their wover
fabrics; the Australians draw on blacken
ed bark; the Africans carve in ivory
The universal initiative bent, of which
the desks and walls of schoolrOom otter
show striking evidence, appears in many
curious savage TART galleries" On the
island of Depuch, off the northwest coast
of Australia, are found scratched on the
smooth rock q crowd of men, birds, fish,
crabs, bugs, etc., and colored black, white,
red, yellow and (seldoml blue. This
seems to have been a pastime of these
fishermen for generations.
While the drawing talent is thus quite
general one, the possibility of q large
development of it is limited. 1t usually
stagnates in conventionalism, and seldom
reaches the stage, as it does in the Eskimo,
of being utilized as Photographic Ian
guage.
In conclusion, DR.. Andree calls atten-
ton to the fact that almost everywhere
the men alone are the artists. In one case
this rather anomalous phenomenon leads
to curious results. Among the Papuans
of New Guinea, vessels and implements
of wood are quite generally decorated
while the pots made by the women are
devoid of all ornamentation. Science.