The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-25
erners themselves. who have breathed
into every fibre of their artistic beino

erners themselves. who have breathed
into every fibre of their artistic being
the essence of western life. and scenery.
Not one Of the Wanted schools Of mod
ern art could say that it had passed into
actual existence as separate and dis
tinct entity, until it's artists had learned
to paint the scenery and manners OF
their own country in their own way.
The Dutch painters we're never national
until they had found out how to handle
the home life of Holland in way pecul-
iarly their own, and the Frenchmen who
first we're able to represent the corn
fields and vine-clad slopes Of sunny
France in style no foreigner could ever
hope to catch in It's entirety we're the
founders Of the rational school Of
France.
But as we have stated, a picturesque
country alone will not furnish us artists
Of the stamp we desiderate. We must
have in addition public Of sufficient ed
ucation and breadth Of culture in mat
ters artistic to be able to stamp with un-
hesitating approval the productions Of
the future western school, when they
deserve it, and who will not feel them
selves under the humiliating necessity
of waiting for foreign recommendation
and applause before they dare commit
themselves to definite opinion and defin-
ite action. Given the existence Of such
Q public, art may hope to thrive in the
wealthy west as vigorously as it has done
in countries of greater leisure and older
growth.
Last and, perhaps, most important we
must have the artists themselves, and in
this particular there seems no good rea.
son to believe that the nervous energy
Of the west will be unequal to the de.
mand, when it comes. One caution il
necessary. If we are to have such q
school, it must be one able to command
and enforce the appreciation and recog
milton of the artistic world at large. II
must not enter upon it's career like &
pampered child that needs coddling and
nursing to keep the very existence in it
it must need and seek no patronage il
cannot claim as right, 1t must be fret
and untrammeled as the winds that
sweep over our prairies, it must step for
ward and occupy the place that is pc
culiarly it's own, commanding the re-
spect and admiration Of all corners. I'm
trained enthusiasm and natural inclina
ton will not suffice to place it on such I
pedestal; we have abundance of that a
the present moment. No art has evel
been developed in isolation. Each ma
tional blossom Of artistic life has beer
the outgrowth of previous systems AM
has been nourished by the efforts o
earlier times. Thorough training in de
tail, and laborious study must preced'
even hopes of success. Without these
as we see around us every day, failure i
inevitable. Till the desirable day come
when our artists can be trained at home
we must recognize the fact that master
ship of the artistic craft, that master
ship without which hopes are dreams
can only be acquired by foreign study
Imitation as in literature and the othe
fine arts must precede originality. 1t
a charming fable, and no more, tina
Minerva sprang full-armed from tn
head of Olympian Jove. When wester
students, proud of the name, return al
ter years of arduous toll in Europea
art centres and, masters of techniqu
and the artistic requests of all the ages
devote their powers to the rendering c
western subjects by a genius peculiarl
and distinctively western, we shall Sc
the dawn Of the coming day.