The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-04

] may say in regard to the young American
| artists who have frequented my studio pupils,
! and with whom have been perfectly satisfied,
/ well in regard to those whose merits
! have been able to appreciate at the different
| intelligent desire to do good work. that they
are persistent and conscientious. that IN words
they are worthy OF our deep interest: How
| ever, / must add that, in the matter of eleva-
/ ton Of mind, they do not rise above the modern
conceptions of art, which, according to my way
/ of thinking, rather narrow, and, naturally.
| do not give promise of great future for those
| who ching to them These conceptions are. In
/ word, vulgar might say, bourgeois. and not at
| all in accord with the grandeur of your country.
| Every work of art whether relastic or histor
| ic, must show, if it is to live. the stamp of nat
| ure in natures most powerful mood: that is to
| say the canvas must reveal what the artist sees
/ beyond and outside of his own personality.
/ The aspiration OF his soul must leave Its trace
| on his work.
Right here, if I am not mistaken, will lie the
| defect for long time TO come, of your Ameri-
/ school Your artists in too great
| hurry to make tie world admit its existence
even its superficial exlstence and have recourse
| TO other means than meditation on and study
| of, the old masters. whose influence is. and al
| ways will be. the soul of every kind OF art and
| Ct every new tendency, without exception.
ALEXANDRA CABANEL.
Is. Rue Alfred de Vieny.
Cabanel needs no introduction. He is particularly
famous in the Salons for his decately painted female
portraits. Perhaps the bestknown of his American
pupils is Mr.. Henry Bacon, of Boston.
believe in the future art-life of the United
States Those of your compatriots whom We sea
in our studios and in the Salon are, generally
speaking very talented. am acquainted with
some who have q charming conception OF nature
and skillful hand in giving expression TO it
However. there is at the bottom of this artistic
movement-it is found, IN fact. everywhere to-
day-too much haste TO succeed and TO be known
an immoderaae desire to be at the Salon
and 10 be talked about in the newspapers There
Is nothing really blame worthy in this but it has
bad effect on the early studies of the artist,
and, later in life, the best endowed of them
i ...IxrA s~ /
done them.
-s ss-ses;ssssrv. therefore. in yorr ssaIstsy, 81
weikas in my own. to combat this widespread
tendency. this impatience, pr the artistic future
of country depends tho foundation that
laid. The start should be we'll made. II should
be solid study. knowledge is the base of every
thing. Gounod has said: .fThere is art with
out scisnce." You never know enough.
You soon find this out when you brought
face to face with nature and long tell all that
it Gays; when you endeavor to embody it on can
vas and to give form to just what you see. And
this is true of all of us-the smallest as well as
the greatest.
very gifted Some of them have given striking
proofs of this The United States has already
veritable artists, and will shortly have many
Impasse Helene. Avenue de Clichy.
M Benjamin Constant is celebrated for his richly
last Salon of the most remarkable
vases exhibited.
to that of its neighbors to the science of draw
ing And it is to School of Fine Arts, to
its instruction based on the experience of sew
ersl centuries. that this science alone is due.
To succeed In the plastic arts. imagination, IN
the generally given to that word is not
sufficient The imagination of a painter
sculptor is not the same that of writer. To
the painter and sculptor, beauty of color, per-
fecton of design and form are Indispensable.
They art itself. An arm, hand, head
modelled by Phidias are pure masterpieces,
while the same arm, the same hand, the
same head executed by an ordinary artist would
be worthless. Consequently. it is drawing alone,
form, which gives Phidias mis- great value Now,
the realization of this beauty. this wonderful
suit obtained by Phdas, is due not only to his
deep rtistic sense. but above all, to the knowl
edge that he was able to acquire.
have had many American pupils. Gener-
ally they were very gifted They did their best,
but. unfortunately, they left Paris too soon, be-
fore having obtained thorough acquaintance
with their art.
If fAmerica, in her turn, wishes to have good
artists. she must begin by founding a school like
ours. modelled after our school of fine arts. The
only difficulty in the of realizing this would
be securing good professors But if high enough
salaries were paid. capable French artists would
doubtless cross the ocean. LEON BONNAT.
43 Rue de Bassano.
Bonnats remarkable portraits have made him
famous the world and especially in the United
States, where his work is largely represented. 'Your
countrymen have been good friends of mine" he re-
marked to not long ago. 1t is but natural. there
fore. that he should have many American pupils,
Pearce. Mr. Z. L. Weeks and Mr. Walter Gay. ali of
Boston. and all of whom have made mark at sue
cess:ve Salons.
Perhaps nobody is better situated than 1 am
to give opinion concerning American art and
American Assists, for have had very large
number of Americans my pupils. Almost
all of these young men were characterized by
great energy and desire to do their best. They
carefully followed all the advice given them and
make every effort to profit by it. They are. in
word. studious and teachable. / have
doubt the number OF talented American artists
will go on increasing from day to day.
AS regards American school, properly
speaking it does not exist and will not exist for
yesterday, it caunot rest any national tradi-
tions. American art, for many years come,
can only be the reflection and continuation OF
the schools of the old world.
GUsTAyE BoULASGER.
Rue BALM. Member of the Institute.
American pupils may be mentioned Mr.. Charles Fl.
Davis. whose soft landscapes have been remarked at
than one Salon: Mr.. E. E. Simmons. of Concord,
Mass, and Mr. T. b. Chadwick
hold in high esteem. speaking generally, the
American artists with whom i acquainted.
Several have made really astonishing progress.
They are hard workers and energetic. Some of
them seem made Of iron Others will certainly
become artists who will be an honor to their
country. J. HESNER.
IL. Place Pigalle.
The reddish hue and obscure outlines of II. Hem
ners nude figures have given his work individuality
possessed by few other artists. His Alsatian Girl
window OF every print-shop IN France. has spread
Henners name far and wide.
To give my whole opinion concerning the
present and future of art in the United States
would take up more room than Jon could SPARE.
will condauee m thoughts and borrow the