The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-17
THEY STUDY THE
TECHNIQUE OF ART

In October, 1888, a few women who
wanted to study the history and tech
nique of line engraving and etching
formed a small class or club for that pur-
pose, called the Ruskin Art Club.
Mrs. Mary E. Boyce was the prime
mover in its organization, it's meetings
were held for long time in her home,
and to her untiring energy and intelli-
gently directed zeal, as well as her mas
tery supervision, is undoubtedly due the
substantial basis upon which the club
rests and its eminently successful career
Two years and half were given to the
study of black and white art in all its
branches line engraving, wood engrav-
ing, etching, and the secondary forms of
engraving aquatint, photo
graphic engraving, TYPOGRAPHY, etc. Dur
ing that period the membership increased
sufficiently to warrant undertaking house
keeping; room, suitable in size at the
time, was rented in the Y. M. C. A. build
ing, furnished with necessary chairs and
tables, and adorned with a number of fine
pictures which the club had accumulated,
and its small but valuable library of refer
ence books.
After having devoted nearly three years
to the study of art in a rather detached
way, and in only its less important forms,
the desire was awakened on the part of
the members to study it along the signifi-
cant lines of its development, i. e., archi-
lecture, sculpture and painting.
Immediately the necessity of a proper
historic background made itself felt, and
the most practical way to gain that
seemed to be to trace rapidly the history
and development of art from the earliest
times as a fitting and indispensable pre-
lude to the careful study of its greatest
achievements.
A short experience with the monuments
of ancient Egypt, however, convinced the
club that in entering into the domain of
archaeology, rapidity of moXement or ac-
ton on the part of the SS49E&ould be out
of the question: since tHeM1Shderful field
in which they found themselves was some
thing more. than dim and fading back
ground on the contrary, it was the under
lying structure upon which all modern
achievement throughout the ages rests;
and toward which so much of the modern
thought and investigation tend, that it
enters directly into everyday life, is a
matter almost OF current event; and is
brought into notice by the daily papers
IN numberless ways, as for instance the
revival of the Olympian games which will
take place in Greece in 1896, and are al
ready much talked Of
An eminent authority says that
archaeology will confer useful informa-
ton, foster and develop methodical
thought, increase intellectual pleasure
and widen new sympathies." The Rus
kin Art Club soon perceived the truth of
these statements, and that no study more
constantly and Enthusiastically asserts the
absolute unity of the human race: that it
is u marvellous likeness to ourselves-the
modernity that existed thousands of
years before Christ-and the club during
the four years they have devoted to an
ed surprises more wonderful than all the
fairy tales that ever We're written
Commencing with Egypt, the line of
study has run through ancient Arabia,
Chaldea, Assyria, Phenicia, Israel,
Jud9a, Persia, Asia Minor, and Greece; a
year and half having been spent on the
last named country, and they are still in
the midst of its delights.
The aim has been to give enough of the
history of each country to insure an I'M
derstanding' OF the force at work; to
gain, not so much an assemblage of facts
bearing upon certain subject, as to form
a clear and definite conception of the
character of the people and their civiliza-
ton, all of which has awakened feeling
of kinship and emphasized the everlast-
ing truth of the brotherhood of man.
In Greece the history, the art and the
literature have kept hand in hand the
aim has been to locate each work Of art
at the moment 1t made its appearance;
to know where, and surrounded by what
influence each great poet has arisen; to
rehabilitate SO far as was possible the
Greece of that long past day To know
the Greek people in their many-sded
activities, and to tbs Greats complet e
organism, and not machine of curiously
constructed parts known as history. liter
AZURE, art, etc. Interesting each in itself.
but only slightly related to one another.