The record-union., 1894-02-13

neard enough of several conversations
III the beautifully decorated rooms and
galleries and IN the refined atmosphere OF
art 10 know that many contracts were
made that night, AID all in the same
plaln. bGSiness-iike way. 1t was done,
/ however, IN an unohensiVe tone. The
manager OF publishing house met his
man on the stairs or before his picture
ana, alter Chat about the exhibition,
! ofiered piece of work, say some Florida
sketches or some scenes in Washington.
The artist was busy, but might be able to
90. lie would see. Said the manager:
III Will be worth considerable more to
me than any previous work done for
The " eekly.' l viii do so and so. Done?
l am pleased. Do you like the tone
Jones gets in his 'barn-yard' there?"
And so the talk ran back into the paint
1t flowed from. But the impression was
left that the American spirit OF plaInness
Ia necessary material things was crop
ping out III our art. think an artist put
1t we'll IL the answer he made TO cynic,
who remarked:
''You artists show the effects of the
Germans III Your calls for beer instead OF
whisky: OF the French IN your pointed
boards, but what the devil has America
done for your"
cut our hair and our eye-teeth," !" said
the idealist.
1t was wrong impression, ii what l
have said conveys the idea OF a decline in
the purity of art feeling ana in the stand
ards OF good workmanship. The spirit of
practical common sense lis only
thrust under all that was worthy
IN art IN its foolish days and
besides giving a solid foundation
and preventing starvation; it adds an ele-
ment OF strength TO art work. Artists are
seif-reliant and, knowing their market
xFs4 i l.
coping with it and of understanding and
drawing it. Let them go with assurance
among men and they Will find more hu-
man and more real subjects to paint.
AS 1t Is, their work for periodicals has
taught them the value of American sub
Jects. and the meetings of the managers of
publishing houses Friday night had this
further parallel in their work; it was of
this country and OF our life. There was
only one picture of Venice. There were
twenty of New y ork and a hundred from
within radius Of as many miles. This
means studying and appreclating the
beauties at hand, the most difficult thing
in art, as it seems.
The chief deficiency in the men and
works seen at the stag" is a lack of "big-
ness" That is what artists call it. 1t Is
the most American Of ali human quail
ties. 1t means courage, originality and
power in any undertaking. 1t is
That which makes the difference
between shOpkeeper and mer-
chant, between politician and a states
man. The man who sat on kegs of nails
IN hardware shop at Of X street, Sacra-
mento, and planned a railroad across the
continent had it. Hundreds of fnanciers
havelt. But no artist we ever have had has
possessed it. L remember, when in
Paris in 1892, that the Temps, in a lead
ing article on the salon Of that year. said
that the best work was by Americans.
SO 1t is not TO depreciate our artists that
this is said. Nevertheless there is more
OF our great painters, who have what
many OF our business men, lawyers and
newspaper managers have, this bigness,
readiness to reach out boldly 20 do big
thing in big way. In the exhibition of
this year there was novelty, but no
originality; strength, but no power;
frankness, but no courage.
Like Europeans generally, like literary
men, scientists and critics, artists have
yet to understand and acquire what is
not looked for but is everywhere IN
commercial America-a great way of
doing great things. Or another way
OUT till some OF the men who go into
business, go into art, politics and science,
and take their heads along with them.
All this, despite the st. Gaudenos medal
scandal that occurred in Congress, where
a great many other foolish things take
place; perhaps because these same busi-
ness men sent politicians TO Washington,
instead of going there themselves.
j. J.. S,