The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-06
AMERICAS FUTURE In ART.
Is It to be in the Line Of Noble and
Synthetic Mural Psinings
A profound, Yet Lively, Discussion Of a
Subject Of High Importance

Subject Of High Importance
NJ. Theodore Chtd's Aavses to the Ar
stsAeat's LeaGue-whitbers Should Young
American Artists Look for EAueasiou and
Inspiratien Tho Methodns or the Eeole
dee Beasx Arts and the Aease.ie Jslisa
Are Anhs Marrow, Deprrssine. ssa Mad.
PARIS, Nov. 20-In the October number Of
Ha,pe's Magazine Mr.. John c. Van Dyke pub
lished an article on the Art Students League
Of New York. containing not only interesting
information. but most excellent advice and
sound doctrine. Mr.. Van Dyke puts the i'm
portant question whether the would-be Amer
lean artist can do better by being technically
trained in Europe from the beginning. or
whether it is. preferable for ''our suppositi-
tious Denver youth to learn the elements OF his
arr in America and then 60 abroad to supple
ment his technical education II need be. but
primarily to see how and what the great ar
lists OF the ancient and modern world have
produced In art" The writer inclines in favor
OF the latter alternative. and says: II we ever
have native art, or an appreciation Of any
art. It must spring from such source as the Art
Students League"
Mr. Van Dyke talks at some length about the
Ecole des Beaux Arts mt Paris rs the home OF
academic rule and method. seeking mo. only
TO train tho hand. but IL train the task "A
system winch. he says. generally leads to an
undue reverence for traditions. and worship
OF past art q. the expense Of present nature"
At the Ecole des Beaux Arts, says Mr.. Van
Dyke. little by little the impression grows
upon the student that the chief beauty in art
lies in good drawing and modelling.
The traditions Of the place. the paint
ings OF its professors. the works OF the
school, the staruary. the buildings. the very
air seem to breathe forth classicisn. On the
other hand. il the student goes to Julian's in
stead OF to the Beaux Arts. he will. We are
told. be led by a vaporizing CLIQUE to an ex-
actly opposite extreme. He knows very little
about art. and when Modernity at Julian's in
forms him that the works Of the old masters
are admired only because they are old and
covered with varnish. that they would not
stand . ghost Of chance Of getting into
the Salon II painted to-day. and that
the great men are Besnard Deeas. and Claude
Monet. he is only too likely to believe it In
either or any case It is generally the cleverness
OF technique. brilliancy OF touch. and facility
in handling that claim his attention. And the
end OF It all. concludes Mr.. Van Dyke. is that
when the time comes for the student to give
forth matter the world discovers that he is a
technican. but nothing more: he has the
painters knowledge. but he lacks the artists
breadth Of view: he lacks culture"
The questions raised in the article above re-
ferred to are Of very grave importance for the
future OF art in America There is much to be
said about them. and no better place for talk
ing about them can be found than the columns
OF THE Sun. So with that self-imposed author
ity which the journalist has the privilege OF
comforting upon himself whenever tho spirit
may moro him. I beg leave to proceed to talk.
In principle. and in detail. too. think that
Mr.. Van Dykes views are just and wholesome.
and that the programme and scope OF the Art
Students League are excellent Furthermore.
I agree with Mr.. Van Dyke that Paris is no
place for his supposititious Denver youth. at
least in tho early stages OF his career: but
would 60 further than he does and make no
distinction between the Ecole des Beaux
Arts and the Academic Julian. Both are
equally bad schools equally narrow and
hfeiesa II the Ecole des Beaux Arts or
the Academic Julian turned out even
those clever technicians which Mr.. Van
Dyke describes. the result would not be
so dsspicable: but in reality both schools turn
out ignoramuses. II the students OF the Ecole
des Beaux Arts were trained In the admiration
Of the art Of the past. as Mr.. Van Dyke mag
ines to be the case. there would be no great
harm. for that admiration could not exist with
out some culture. No The winner of the
Prix dc Rome at the Eeole des Beaux Arts and
the Captain of the Academic Julian have gen.
orally learned In the school nothing that Is
worth learning. and what they have learned that
10 useful they have learned by their own efforts
and under tho direction Of their own intelli-
senee. without the help of professors or
system.
In point OF fact and in sober reality 1t would
Be difficult to conceive worse system OF ar
tistic education. 50 far As painting is con-
oerned. than that which at present prevails in
Paris. whether that OF the Ecole des Bsaux Arts
or that Of the Academic Julian.
PARIS As SCHOOL
Theoretically. the Ecols des Beaux Arts seems
IN admirable institution. The national and
special School OF Fine Arts is devoted to the
teaching OF painting. sculpture. architecture.
copperplate engraving. and engraving OF
medals and precious stones. 1t comprises
ID oral instruction connected with the difler-
eat branches Of art: ~ the ateliers namely.
three for painting. three for sculpture. three
Tor architecture. and twoior engraving: ~ the
art collections: "A, the library. and o., the
school. properly SO called
The sta1 IL composed Of eleven professors.
ono for each OF the ateliers. and. for the school
proper. OF four painters and four scufptors
who take turas. month by month. to direct the
night classes. together with twenty professors
who teach ornamental drawing perspective.
anatomy. general history. mathematics de-
seriptive geometry. storcotomy or comic Sec
lions physics and chemistry. construction.
legislation conpected with building. tho his
tory OF architecture. decorative composition.
the theory OF architecture. literature. history
and archaeology. the history OF art and @sthet-
les. drawing. modelling. architecture. and
sculpture in stone and marble.
With such o staff and such lectures and
classes the school should afford complete ed
ueation. The conception and the plan are
excellent in theory they include at once
technical instruction and the means OF acIuir- |
Ing culture Of a general kind.
In practice. 50 far as painting is concerned. |
the ateliers alone count: the general and
special educational classes are as good as nom
lA