The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-06
HELP In PICTURES
CAREFULLY SELECTED, THEY GIVE
PLEASURE AND BENEFIT.
Silent Aids and Educators-Bue There
Must Be Discrimination In Selection
influence They Exercise Over Children
Evolution In Taste.

Walls hung with pictures of the right
sort condUce toward intellectually and
refined taste in the younger members nc
less than the older ones of the family. Pic
lures are silent educators, giving elimpses
OF life and nature of the world over and
like an open window, make US acquainted
with something beyond our immediate en-
vironment. They broaden the horizon Of
the young and untrsvelsd and bring them
in touch with other lands and scenes
Some sage has stated that TO iii the
nation with music and pictures, you have
nation of pure women and good men. /"
Ii Is quite certain that no part OF the house
furnishings is as productive Of pleasure ~
interesting pictures. They may eyen be
inspirations
Charles Sumner used to say he gained
inspiration for each days work from a
certain picture which he kept in his break
fast room. The morning light fell at
certain angle upon il, and TO him the
streaming sunlight or gray, shadOwy light
of stormy day was like the smiles and
tears of a beautiful face. To another il
might have been but filling up of wall
space. y modest art collector of New
York keeps n cheap print of the beautiful
hay of Naples where il is continual re-
minder of engagement days spent upon Its
shores. Another man, less wise, hangs
in his library q bronze medallion, which
he points TO and says, THAT cost NE SEQ
O00" thus keeping in sight the unpleas-
ant reminder of a swindle.
The power of pictures for evil is some
times as well exemplited. \ physician
whose practice is much among persons
afflicted with cerebral troubles, tells of 4
man jumping suddenly into the violent
stage of mania al the sight OF large can
vas showing in vivid detail victim of the
inquisition on the rack before his judges.
Up to the moment of his upsetting moi
Their his physician nor friends had consid-
cred him more than slightly and curably
affected mentally. On the other hand, q
keeper OF an insane asylum testifies TO the
soothing power sometimes of quiet pic
ture over the most violently insane.
There are pictures which are without
this personal relation, which give food for
thought and speculation-as, for in
stance, Boards frolicking bears, J. q.
Browns Disguised" (bootblacks) and the
like Then, to study that greatest pic
ture by Dore, Christ Leaving the Prge-
torium, seems almost TO live at that su-
preme moment and to touch the divine
garment. The pleasure afforded by good
seaScape to one who loves the sea viii
bring back the swish swash" of some
familiar point and make the dash and
splash" almost audible if the picture can
be hung where quiet moments are enjoyed.
Young persons can be taught TO appreci-
ate these points in picture, and therefore
the aim should be TO select those which
tend to such lessons no less than such as
lead to sweet, high thoughts
A young lad whose father took great
pleasure in possessing the conceptions OF
artists who portrayed poverty in its vari-
Gus phases became a young philanthropist
and always asserted that he owed IL TO the
pictures with which his boyhood was IA
miliar.
The plan of one of our millionaires Of
New York is hardly TO be commended He
commissioned buyer to fill his gallery
with valuable pictures. The higher the
price the better Fabulous prices were
paid, and the gallery was filed with curl
osities in that line, and the house was dec
GRATED with all sorts of subjects, inappro-
pirate and minus sympathetic pleasure.
Over the crib of the little daughter of
certain house hangs The Death of Ris-
ziO." In another home where lace and
satin hold sway III an exquisite bedroom
hangs nightmare in black and white TO
chill the sunniest days awakening
A few years ago this kind of pictures
was only exceeded in beauty by family por-
traits, Biblical prints, temple of Solomon,
shell and seaweed escapes" or pressed
leaves. Then came, set in gorgeous gilt
frames and brilliant colOrs, the chrome. .
1t enlightened, though to look back upon
some of them one wonders at ones con-
ception OF nature. a certain half dozen
purchased at one time show as many i'm
possible cows standing at correct angles,
all pointing one way, as though marching
out of Noah ark. They were beautiful
then, but education has overthrown many
idols and the transition from these through
scrap pictures and decalcomania brought
us to the Christmas and Easter cards The
last two shared laurels Of lace and satin
and lilies with one another They were
refners and threw those poor substitutes
which came before far behind Then the
that much beribboned record Of
time, giving income 10 many deItrous fin
gers and carrying its elevating influence
far into the heart % the country. lending
a beam OF sunshine 10 many a humble
cot, where its like had never been seen.
Now we are prepared 10 find Raphael, an
Angelo or a Millet side by side with "a
yard OF roses or a a yard Of puppies In
palace cottage, tenement or gallery.
Every one can today possess copies Of
the finest pictures Better a cheap copy
# what IS beautiful than an original tina:
may be a nightmare to some one.
In our bedrooms there should be only
The bright cheerful kind Who wants 70
open eyes upon scene of murder or
Jartlefeld' Relegate the old, depressing
scenes to garnet or gallery and put the sub
ects for sentiment where they may lead
% such thoughts
Children are impressionable. Their sur
-oundings are as the mold into which the
lay Is put A we shape IL, 80 viii Be the
'esulting figure Give them refining pic
ures. those that have instruction In them
,alling the attention Of children 10 fes-
ures Of a picture which will teach them
j. q biz Of wisdom
IL = Detter 70 have one good, eievating
ubJect than dozen meaningless speci-
pens merely 20 cover the walls Historical
Genes which show the horrors Of murder
nd war are h-st left for galleries Gen ,
le LANDSCAPES or seascap@s, child life and
Domestic soenes. animal life and those
tuoies which viii attract the eye because ,
{ their harmony q color no less than ,
heir pleasing theme arr the sort 20 bring
1to the hOuse. New York Times.