St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-17
AN ARTISTS IDEAL.
Painter Gutherz Tells of His Con
Ception of the "Incarnation,o

CeptiOn of the "Incarnationo
few days before the departure of Carl
Gutherz, the artist who exhibited here dur
ing the latter part Of September, while he
with his family was paying a temporary
visit to his relative, Gen. Mark ID. Flower.
engaged him in a conversation about his
| famous picture, the Light of the Incarna-
ton" To me there is always a mental phi
losophy in the conception and construction
OF significant work of art, which l fairly
yearn to unrayel lii and between the words
of the author, So, student-like, importuned
this most genial of men to tell how he came
to paint the picture which has given hin
niche i'll the palace of fame.
well, SIR" said he, you seen so earnest
in your interest of my work that when
meet person who does &C tually appreciate
the hidden viItues' of a work of art, feel
companionable--a mood that is the habit of a
student among his fellows whom he under
stands and who understand him. as far as
their profession is concerned. l will tell you
what my first incentive was to create the
Light of the incarnation, which won for me
the attention of all France while the pict-
ure hung Ill the salon of 80.
some eight years ago, whilst composing
Tor my amusement some Christmas cards,
read the Bible to supplement the force Of
ideas l proposed to illustrate. 1 CHANGED
upon the word and thought of incarnation.
1t flashed upon me in an instant that up to
the time when Christ was born upon earth,
the light of God came from heaven to earth.
Then for the dawn of my picture: My mind
became sensate in an instant with the thought
that at the very moment of Christis birth
His light returned from earth to heaven. The
theme impressed me, it absorbed my mind
for time, and then in the glow of my mental
nITIfin lie Of a
themselves in the fancies of my brain! l
mused-'God on earth-the spirit-the soul
1ncarnate In man. came upon earth to
prove to mortais the Immortality be-
yond this vale / cOgitated, and l
sought for a poetical Interpretation of
the Biblical passages bearing directly up
on the subject which now possessed Inc.
AS labored. the potent characters OF my
mental composition began to reveal them
selves. The angels in heaven see and ap-
preciate the divine act. They exult il
their celestial beatitude and look down
In ecstasy as they are touched by the divine
light from below. The air is filed with music
and perfume. birds and flowers are seen in
spiritual incarnation; the roses, lilies jas
mines, orange blossoms and passion flowers
weave themselves about the symbolic figures
of angels and form themselves into clouds
that angels may poise and float uponY
''All this was to me the conception of
moment or so. Grasping a notebook which
L carried. made an extensive memorandum
OF the emotions which still shook me. Thinks
], I will ponder over this find, and bide the
time in developing composition for my first
sketch on canvas
AS the subject formed itself into pictorial
aspect in my mind, was so pleased with the
conception that resolved to paint the prin-
NV
abandoned as incompatible with existing
circumstances in my affairs abroad. now
regret that did not adhere TO my first inten-
ton and paint the figures life-size; but some
day may do so yet.
MY study and idea of a picture is always
developed ere 1 commence the painting
Itself. But the finishing process never ends
until the picture leaves the studio and l
seldom depart from the original conception;
as therein lies my strength and inspiration.
You have noticed, undoubtedly that my
work is scrupulously realistic, for in the
German and French academies my sketches
are placed on the wall as prize work There
l am the slave of the model, but in painting
finished pictures pursue a different course.
To paint composition without some under
lying thought or theme gives me no pleas
ure, nor does it CRAFTY any artist 1 consider
brush work and fine drawing only the be-
ginning of real art, and in this particular l
use the model as the slave of my conceptions.
In portrait painting 1 try TO combine the
pictorial with the real in such q manner that
the most pleasing personalities are brought
out; hence picture may be produced that
may prove interesting to an observer who is
unacquainted with the object in life. Such
is the life estate of good work
of art-to be q pleasure and a study
long after the subject has passed
beyond human contact This peculiar feat
ure you must have noticed in all portraits
painted by the great masters. In them you
will find that very investment; and when one
gets so that one can detect this and other
skillfully unrevealed qualities, it is then
that one feels for the infinite depths
of the work of some of the old
masters, who, by the tyro, are contempt
uously passed as uninterestiug and de-
void of merit The qualities of high class
work of art are too fine for the coarse eye and
sense-it requires sympathy, TASTE keen per-
ception and culture and knowledge of art
principles. love my profession, and aspire
to do homage to my muse. My stay in your
city has been pleasant one, and when 1 re-
turn to Paris, shall recount with much
pleasure the sights of st. Paul-so different
and all so advanced from what they were in
ST.