Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-11
THE FRENCH SCHOOL,.

~
N. Y Herald
THE FRENCH SCHOOL.
Art Students of To-Day Spend Too Little
Time with the Old Masters.
The modern school, with all it's mer-
its, has failed thus far to fulfill the
promise of the earlier ages. The springs
of inspiration are exhausted, because
the light of the spirit no longer guides
the imagination in it's conception of
forms of beauty. The brilliant tech
nique which finds SO ready applause is
not altogether sound, being to a great
extent an outgrowth of the prevailing
motives; and even if it were sound it
would not suffice to give to the works
of the school value equal to that which
the older art of the country derived
from its higher purpose and expression.
The qualities of the modern school are
not those fundamental ones which
make the art of nation truly great.
A school should not, of course, be
judged by any arbitrary standards, and
in the case of this school it is not neces-
sary even to apply those of foreign de-
velopments. It's own best achievements
in times past furnish, as we see, suffi-
cient standards. To these it may be
reasonably held, unless we are to sup
pose that the national genius has radi-
cally changed and become incapable of
rising to its former level. If this be not
the case it would seem inconceivable
that the people which in the Middle
Ages invented Gothic architecture
should not, if it would, produce better
art than that for which it is now famous.
In saying that the French school is not
doing itself justice, 1 do not mean to
imply that any other existing school is
superior to it. In fact, while much that
is excellent. and in some cases superior
to the. work Of the French, is accom-
plished in other countries, there is hard
ly anything elsewhere that can be
called = school. Contemporary painters
almost everywhere are now initiating
the French. The artistic influence of
Paris is practically universal. French
and the great Partisan ateliers for stu
dents are crowded with young men of
all nationalities.
The question of the results of this in
duence is a grave one, which may, how
ever, be safely left to the Judgment of
thoughtful people. when once they take
"
questions are not enough examined. In
matters of art. as in matters of fashion,
there is great deal of thoughtless &C
ceptance of whatever comes from Paris
This question bears not merely upon
the character of contemporary artistic
production, but also upon the ideas
now generally inculcated; deter
mining whether they be broad
and liberal or narrow and
doctrinaire. The doctrinaire element
is considerable in contemporary French
teaching. once, in Paris, ventured to
suggest that more study, in the Douvre,
of the works of the Florentine and We
netian masters might be useful to art
students in general. / was told in re-
ply that the works of these masters
were now considered obsolete. Young
Americans go to Paris and readily as
simulate the ideas, aims and methods in
vogue; while they fail to gain any serv-
iceable knowledge of the great works
of the older art preserved there, access
to which constitutes the chief advan-
tage of going abroad. If thorough
practice in drawing and painting from
the living model be all that is
wanted it is waste of time
and money to cross the Atlantic.
What is valuable in the Partisan disci-
pline might just as well be laid in New
York and Boston. Models may be found
anywhere, and it needs only the same
persistent practice, under such guidance
and criticism as many men in every
community of art students are COM
potent to afford, to insure results as
good as may be reached abroad. But
that discipline of the artistic sense
which study of great masterpieces af-
lords can not be had in America, and
is not acquired by the majority of stu
dents who go to Paris, because it is
not appreciated by the contemporary
painters and those who direct instruc-
tion there.
1t is not to be regretted that students
and amateurs at home find so little help
toward suitable preparation for foreign
study. OF the large numbers of youths
who 20 annually from all parts of this
country to pursue courses in fine arts in
Paris, the greater part have small con-
ception OF their meaning. They are
without that preliminary knowledge
which should give them a basis of judp-
ment as to what may be most profita-
bly, studied in Europe. In the Partisan
school they meet with few enlighteninp
and broadening influences. Nearlv
everything beyond the range and ROM
tine of the uniform technical drill is TO-
nored.-Prof. Charles H. Moore. in At
lantic,
"She Would and She wouldn't"
St Valentines monition Dolly vainly tries to
smother,
And she vows needy lover she will never,
never wed;
But the superimpostion of one heart upon an
other
Is cardiac disturbancewhose results AFFECT
the head
-uarper's Bazaar
Practical Muse.
The burden Of this song of mine
Is: Hi!I you be my Tdlent;nes
But should you acquiesce dear maid,
Please send yourself back postage paid