The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-02-28
THE STANDARD OF CULTURE.
Esthetic Progress Truly Measured
hY the industrial Arts.


The following is from an inter
esting article by Alfred T, Goshorn,
on "The Worlds Fair and Industrial
Art" in the current number of the
Engineering Magazine:
AS a general principle it may be
stated that the culture of people
is measured far more accurately blythe
degree of development of its indus
trial arts than by the higher esthe-
tic expressions of its fine arts; since
these industries exist for the pur-
pose of satisfying wants more or less
widespread and distribute their pro-
ducts through channels compare
lively inaccessible to the great works
of sculpture and painting. With
out the commercial prosperity as
sured by this demand manufacturers
do not long continue to produce OBJ
jects of arts. This is opposed to
the experience of painters and
sculptors, whose work is frequently
so far in advance of their time that
it is encouraged neither by financial
support nor even by an intelligent
comprehension. The supremacy of
France in art and most matters of
taste has been maintained through
several centuries by her artisans
rather than by her artists. 1t is the
comparatively high development of
art industries that has in measure
made possible the great painters.
The great art finds an essential
foundation in the less. Nor can we
expect healthy support of Amer
lean artists by American buyers OF
paintings until from persistent con-
tact with multitudinous products OF
art industry our people shall have
acquired not only spasmodically
sound ideas of beauty applied in
simple forms, but even more than
this-the habitual association with
things possessing esthetic interest
to the point that their absence will
be to degree painful.
To secure material advance in in
dustrial art in this country we need
WORCESTERSHIRE provision for techni
cal training in schools, that we may
prepare here, as is done in Europe
skilled workmen and superintend
ents who will be fitted to direct
intelligently the operation of com
mon laborers. mean schools fol
immediate instruction in the pro
cesses employed in the applied arts
schools for the teaching not only o
drawing, painting and modelling a
fine arts, but of decorative art in al
its applications, and for technica
and scientific training in the purel,
mechanical processes of the art
Further, a different conception o
the value and dignity of the applied
arts must be cultivated among ou
young men and women who are seek
ing occupation in art. A large nun
Der of purely art schools are nov
firmly established, and are prosper
ing in many cities throughout tn
land. They are crowded with stu
dents, especially women, ambition
to become artists, pursuing arts wit
a restless hope of success and fame
to be won somehow or other, rathe
than that persistent search for truth
and the means of expressing it whel
found, which is characteristic of
real artist. 1t is natural impossi
bility that all, or even respectful
minority of these students can be
come artists whose works shall hav
, any permanent worth as fine art
Gradually year by year some drol
out of the race, to teach, or to aban
don art altogether. How muc
more satisfactory to themselves, an
how much more useful to the CON
munity, if their activity could b
3 continued in the applied arts, for tn
training in drawing and painting al
ready received would especially hel
them in the study of industrial al
in some appropriate school. So ia
g as remuneration for decorative wor
is concerned, it is on the average ia
better than in the painting of thir
and fourth rate pictures, or tn
modelling of statues no one cares t
see second time. five are to carr
our industrial arts much in advanc
of their present state steps must /
taken in this direction of raising tn
study of applied art to highe
plane. In no other way can we St
cure a corps of trained designer
superintendent, master-workme