The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-09
CONNOISSEURS OF ART.
Pictures and the People Who Collect Them as
Described by the Artist Steele.

The Indianapolis Art Association held its
first evening meeting last night at the
residence of Major and Mrs. W.. Richards,
on North Pennsylvania street. There was
a goodly attendance of members and few
visitors. After the company had been re-
ceived by the host and hostess, Rev. N. A.
Hyde announced that Mrs. u. j. Hammond
would sing two songs, which she did in a
manner to thoroughly please her hearers.
Mr.. Hyde then gave notice that the next
meeting of the association would be an ex-
hibit of etchings, shown at the residence
of Mrs. L. L. Sewall, No. S43 North
pennsylvania street, on Tuesday, Feb.
IL. when Mrs. Sewall would read
a paper on the subject. The artist L. c.
Steele next read paper ON ''The Develop
ment of the Connoisseur in Art" He pref
AGED his subject-matter with short sketch
OF art as found in this country, In which he
said that the first and greatest impetus to
art had been given by the Centennial Ex-
position! held in Philadelphia. There, in
the work of the greatest artists Americans
S Sodd bees d tba 4a agsa the best of bs
great public and private, galleries, and
from it had sprung the collections of A. L.
Stewart, Vanderbilt, Morgan and others,
both in Eastern and Western cities.
The day of the gaudy chrome, he said,
has departed, and in books and magazines
there are found engrayings and photogra-
vures representing the finest artistic effects,
but these representations lack the true
spirit of an original. The collector of pict-
ures takes four steps, which one can verify
If the prOgressiOns and additions of pictures
can be watched. First, he will choose a
picture as representing an object in itself,
and the artist cited as an example
of this, the picture which created so much
everyone, either from the original or the
many cheap copies that have been made.
1t represented violin, hung against a
door, near which was sheet of music and
a newspaper scrap. The object was SO well
painted that it seemed real. The second
step is thepicture chosen for it's story, where
the literary feature was the chief one. The
third was where artistic ideas had been
developed, and the last where the relation
of tones and the technical virtues showed
he had reached the true sense of con-
nOisseur. Mr.. Steele claimed that Ruskin, one
1T not the greatest art critic from literary
standpoint, was poor one when placed
In front of work of art. There are In the
Public Library some hundreds of volumes,
bearing directly OF. indirectly upon art.
One may read these books and yet if he
has not seen fine paintings, he Will not be
as well qualified to judge as one who has
seen the pictures ana not read the DOCKS.
1t takes time to cultivate a nation in art
as it does an individual. Back of the Ger
mans, French and English there were CEN
turtles of art; back of the Americans there
was the wilderness and the Puritians
which were little better.
Cincinnati claims to be the art center of
the West, he said. She has her art
museums and schools of art, all very
creditable. There have been many
students sent abroad for study, and yet
when these students return to that city
they are not able to make their living from
what they can do best but are obliged to
sketch, and turn their attention in other
directions. A student returning from
course of study in Europe complained of
the lack of pictorial subjects in this cOun-
try. The artist criticised the ''Christ
Before Plate as being the representa-
ton of story rather than truly
artistic, for even there more atten-
ton was paid to the mob than to the
Christ. He also called the statue of Colfax
In University square, an artistic blunder.
A true artist must consider the effect rath-
er than the object itself, and study and en-
joy the different tones with which nature
surrounds an object. Thus, dusty road
at midday becomes a thing of beauty to
the artist under the sparkle and mist Of
morning. After the paper Mr.. Hyde
thanked Mr.. Steele for the paper on behalf
of the association. Refreshments were
then served and the evening ended socially.