The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-08-01

Almighty has given us green, and you
may depend upon IL it's a fine color.
There Is among us band OF young
men who, though English, persist I'm,
painting with broken French accent. ALI
of them much alike, and seemingly con-
tent 70 lose their identity IN their imita-
ton OF French masters, whom they are
constitutionally, absolutely, and IN the
nature OF things unable to copy with
justice either 10 themselves or 10 their
models. Imitation. however, Ia pardon
able In young men--dnd only Ia youpy D,en
and sooner or later their ability win
inevitably lead them TO assert their indi-
yiduality-if they have any.
The commonest error into which a critic
can fall is the remark we 80 often hear
that such and such an artists work Is
careless" and "would be better had more
labor been spent upon IT," AS often as
not this is wholly untrue. As soon as the
spectator can SEQ that "more labor has
been spent upon it, he may be sure that
the picture Is TO that extent incomplete
and unfinished, while the look OF fresh
moss that is inseparable from really sue
cessful picture would Of necessity be abb
sent. IL the high finish OF picture Is so
apparent as to Immediately force itself
upon the spectator he may know that Il Is
not as II should be; and from the moment
that the artist feels his work is becoming
a labor he may depend upon II Il viii be
without freshness, and 20 that extent
without the merit OF a true work OF art.
Work should always look as though II had
been done with ease, however elaborate;
what we see should appear to have been
done without effort. whatever may be the
agonies beneath the surface. M. Meis-
sonler surpasses all his predecessors, as
well as all his contemporaries, in the
quality Of high finish; but what you see IL
evidently done easily and without labor.
| remember Thackeray saying 10 me, con-
corning a certain chapter IN one OF his
books that the critics agreed In accusing
OF carelcssnoss, "Carclessf III I've writ
ten that chapter once I've written Il n
dozen times-and each time worse than
the last''--a proof that labor did not
assist In his case. When an artist fails Il
Is not so much from carclessness; 20 do
his best Is not only profitable TO him but
Joy. But IL Is not given 20 every man
not, indeed, 10 any-to succeed whenever
and however he tries The best painter |
that ever lived never entirely succeeded |
more than four or five times; that IA TO |
say, no artist ever painted more than four |
or i've masterpieces, however high bis 1
general average may have been, for such /
success depends on the coincidence, not
only OF genius and inspiration, but OF
health and mood and q hundred other
mysterious contingencies.
It will be remembered that Rembrandt
In his first period was careful and minute
IN detail, and there Il evidence OF slip
ping In HIS flesh painting; but when be
grew older and In the fnlness Of his
power, all appearance OF such manipula-
lion and minuteness vanished I'm the
breadth and facility Of his brush, though
he advantage OF his early manner re-
The latter manner Is OF course,
much the finer and really the more I'm
shed Of the two. / have closely exam
ned hts pictures AZ the National Gallery, |
md have actually sces, beneath that grand
ell OF breadth, the early work that his art !
oncoals from unframed eycs--thc whole 4
cicnce Of painting. And herein lies his ,
uperiority 10 Nelasquez, who, with all ,
"a mighty power and magnificent execu-
lon, never rose 10 the perfection which,
bove all with painters, consists In Ara I
dare Arf<n. III