The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-25
AFT AMONG SAvAGES.

Tracinss of the Cave Dwellers-Arctlc
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-
zeal development. Travellers often men,
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
sketching lin outline) and ornanentation
are the prominent characteristics of both,
while the power of landscape painting, as
well as a sense for natural beauty, is a
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 a develop
ment of the one or other alone is possible.
The Maoris and FIJI islanders confine
themselves to ornaments, and seldom
draw figure. Among the Australians
the development of oInamentation has
stopped at a certain stage-with recur-
rent stereotyped forms of wedges, crosses
and 'sherring 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 III 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 conventionalisnl-
the art of ancient Peru is a notable ex-
ample--in different tribes. Other peoples
and here the Arctic tribes stand i'll the
first rank-aim at a faithful representa-
ton here: oTnamentatiCu 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-
tification.
Even the humorous is found on the
primitive canvas, " and especially among
the fun loving negro tribes. EXaggera-
ton of small peculiarities Gas i'll childrenJ
is the marked trait. The natives of Loango
coast carve in a spiral on elephants tusks
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 woven
fabrics: the Australians draw on blacken-
ed bark; the Africans carve in ivory.
The universal initiative bent, of which
the desks and walls Of aschoolroom otter
show striking evidence, appears in many
curious savage cart galleries. - On the
island of Depuch, off the northwest coast
of Australia, are found scratched on the
smooth rock Il crowd of men, birds, fish,
crabs bugs, etc, and colored black, white,
red, yellow and (seldom) blue. This
| seems to have been a pastime of these
fishermen for generations.
While the drawing talent is thus quite
a general one. the possibility of a 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 a Photographic Ian
guage.
In conclusion, DIR. 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 characterization Science.