The morning call., 1894-01-28

There is little originality in this process
of imbibiDg what others imbibed when
they began, but the useful amount Of
originality left to create in art is limil ed.
A very learned German, whose opinion is
OF the highest value in determining the
minute differences of identity and style in
the old masters pictures, but who is
never, II possible, consulted by the fab
ricators who resurrect Rembrandis and
Leonardns In old garrets, has made it
passably clear that much of the so-called
genius in art has been communicated by
one painter to another, generation after
generation. IN unbrOken continuity. with
bits of knowledge added as the evolution
has proceeded. The heaven-ins pired artist
owes much to the past, if conscientious.
How Mr.. Coulter glided into art he is
somewhat puzzled to explain. There was
talent for drawing iB the old country
family from which he sprung. A cousin
in England is an artist, and that cousin
rather had ability in art. When in the
fo'c's'l, with perhaps nota rope TO touch for
weeks in the trades" young Coulter dab
bled in sketcEiDg to pass the time. One o f
bis first efforts was ship DO wiling along
very prettlly some distance above the
horizon, and an old salt critically remarke d
that it ought to touch the water some
where. But one marine on the lid of
his seachest filled the crew with admira-
ton, and even the captain aud officers
came TO look at it. blow their eyes, and
wonder.
1t need not be coniectured that Mr..
Coulter's genius was overlooking when he
forsook the main for the mainland For a
time be drafted sails and helped to make
them in sailloft, and the nicely of that
apprenticeship IN measurements and
shape has chung to him in the particularly
with which he now paints sails, and
neglects not the reef points. the lifts, the
hran Olo oil
wllderlng to landsman, but so fascinating
TO every eye. The notion of becoming
an artist gradually took shape, and
with perseverance, and conscientious
care he has become strong ma
rine painter, who has an accurate
eye for shipping in all its diversified pic
turesQueness, and has good artistic grasp
of the subtle interrelated phenomena of
water and sky. In the strict sense he had
10 Academic deS BeauX Arts training. but
mum bers of artists who know their meter
have helped him with hints. and the most
kindly OF these as quaint and Industrious
William Hahn, who had through mastery
of the Dusseldorf technique. But in the
main Mr.. Coulter has carved his own way
10 such success as he enjoys, and many
painters of eminence are of the same COM
pany, little indebted 10 he schools and their
rules. Clarkson Stanfield is an example.
After a career at sea az a common sailor,
lie UtHaU as II SctDe-Udlu III IUGdLeTS
and finished in honors where very few
marine artists since have attained.
No field of art bristles with more diff
Guilty than the painting of water in mo-
ton. Any one may depict calm water
almost perfectly in tone, tint. reflections,
translucency and forms beneath, but
waterfall. a dashiDg reach of river.
wavslet-dappled sea. lumpy waves, break
ing rollers. outspreading foam on beach.
or the leaping and sinking of wind and
tide or currents and tide can only De ap-
proxImately expressed by any painter.
The impossbiity of perfection comes from
more than motion, such as we find in
group of prancing horses. That lustrous
liquidity and unfixable fitting of color
over the surface of agitated water has its
explanation, partly in the multitudinous
mirror properties and partly in the eye al
An optical instrument of limited and
t1uctuating constituencies, perceiviDg SO