Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-21
BIERSTADT TALKS ON ART,
An Interesting Interview With the Ocls
brated New York Painter
HOW TO JUDGE OF AN ARTISTS WORK,
The Time, Labor and Study Involved
In tho Prod uction of "a Great
Picture Som cthing
About Models

Mr.. Bierstadt, the eminent artist OF New
| York, spent several hours at the Omaha art
| exhibition yesterday afternoon in quiet CON
| ycrsation with those who were lucky enough
| TO secure an introduction. To any one inter-
ested In art conversation with Mr.. Bier.
stadt is golden opportunity He is entirely
| free from egotism, and yet he convcrses
freely and affably upon any topic that may bo
most in teres ting to those with whom he is
| talking, deity turning the drift of thought
now and then 50 as 10 relieve the monotony
and touch as many important points in art as
| possible in a brief chat
While in conversation Yesterday afternoon
with a BEE reporter, Mr. Biersadt was
| asked about his su berb pain ting, "Thc Moon.
| light Moose Hunter"
"Yes, sir Visited the hauns of the moose
great many times before undertook TO
paint that picture" b" said the artist II Sc
lected as the scene for that picture the edge
OF a lake in northern Maine. Invent with tho
hunters and made studyof the weird effects
of moonlight, camp fire and all as you see il
in that painting 1t is n study from actual
observation, even to the approaching moose.
The Indians in that region have custom of
calling the moose up to close range. They
| take piece of bark and twist it into small
tube with depression in the end of it. With
| wills huON Null Huhc IL lOlSt tNuCllN ike ludJ
produced by moose. | have the moose now
| in my studio in New York tn at was shot
during one OF my trips to the hunting grounds
Of northern Maine.n
"Do you find that instantan cous photo.
graphs are of much assistance to you in the
study of animasp'
"But very little. 1t is singular thing but
true nevertheless, that the instautaueo
photograph fails to give lis the expression we
need in a picture. The attitudes caught by
instantaneous photographing are doubtless
perfect so far as eXactneSs is concerned, but
they seem to be unnatural. The reason of
this Us that we have become accustomed to
slight eXaggerations in paintings, which eX-
press action or life just as we have
in literature or in we'll written article in tho
newspaper. To state the plain, bare facts in
descriptive article, or in relating some ex-
citing or interesting incident would fall Hat
upon the readers mind. Precisely so with a
picture where the intention is to express ac-
ton. We eXaggcratc, we paint the attitudes
that appeal most forcibly To the eye, the at
ttudes that the eye will choose and hold the
lon gest.'
''Do artists ever reach the point where
they cease to depend upon a modClN
lone may be so perfectly familiar with all
the bones and muscles in the human body for
instance, that he could paint a perfect figure
in almost any attitude without the aid Of Il
model but sucha thing isseldom attempted"
Gould you suggest way by which people
who are not familiar with art, and who have
enabled TO judge piece of work when they
see it and really know the difference between
fine work and that which has only reached
the grade of mediocritys" I"
''rhere is no standard by which to Judge
picture but nature itself. When you look at
a landscape, for instance, ask yourself if that
is like the actual landscape painted by the
great hand of nature of which we are ali
but imperfect imitatorS Is that tree you
see there like the tree that grows aud
shakes its leaves in the sunlight and in the
breezes of autumus Is that portrait of your
friend The counterpart OF the man you know
and with whom you have talked face to facet
If your Judgment is good and your eye well
trained the answer to the questions have
asked will certainly determine the merits or
demerltS OF the picture you are looking at.
But you should not make up your mind has
tly. Look at the picture and then go aud look
at the original. Get into the habit of studying
nature. 1t will make you better man a
better woman. Look closely into the face of
nature. Observe her changing moods and
her varying Countenance. Note the lights -
and shades and the delicacy of Color
ing to be found even in the most
common places where you would least expect
it. Study nature and learn to make careful
comparisons, that is the only sofe guide in
Judging artistic work.
"Do you tn ink there is as much immortality
growing out of the practice of employing
nude models as the recent discussion of tho
matter in London and New York seems TO in
dicater'
Il have known but very little wrong to
come fr ON the employment of nude models in
the studio You are aware, of course, that
the feeling in this country about such things
is very different from that in Paris People
in New York dare not do what they can do
in Paris without provoking solitary word
of criticism. lwould not advise, however,
the employment of nude models in the pres
ence of a mixed class of ladies' and
gentlemen. think there can be
no harm in the employment of
the modelif the aims and objects of tho
teacher and the pupils are perfectly pure aud
worthy. A person Of base tendencies may be
led into vicious habits of thought by tho
presence of a nude model, but we cannot
give up perfect ideals in the study OF art
simply because few vicious people find
temptations there for Them
''ls it an easy matter to procure models in
New York;
.'Yes, there are hundreds of people who
support themselves by posing, some as head
models, some for the arm, others for the
bust and still others for the entire ph ysque
1t is much more difficult TO get men models to
sit for women than to get women to sit for
men. / think at present in New York there
are no mixed classes studying nude models
We have never had much of that sort of
business IN New York. The sentiment is
opposed to it, and | am glad that 1t is son
Mr. j. N. H. Patrick gave another dinner
last night at his residence in the west end of -
the city in honor of Mr.. Bierstadt A num-
Der OF the prominent people of the city were
present and passed very delightful evening
Mr. Bierstalt leaves for New York today