The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01

mas to-day turned quite commercial. Here.
in architecture is benefited, for there is q
general tendency everywhere to make
good painting decorative adjunct of spa
cious and lofty architecture.
X X X X X
Education Versus Talent.
l suspect that almost every American
boy who has ever broached the subject OF
following art as profession to his parents
has had held up to him as illustrative OF
genuine talent the case of Benjamin West.
He is told that when West was wears old
he made brush out of a cats tail, bor-
rowed some yellow ocher and painted his
small sisters portrait in a remarkable
manner.
Now, John has never painted his sisters
portrait even when IS years DID, so Johns
father says: "You? You'll never be an
artlst. You've never shown any talent"
So John is either refused aid outright, or
along with ms material help come all the fond
and heartless, discouraging words which
ones family so well know how to give.
But the historical account of West and
his portrait happens to run a wee bit
otherwise. Some friendly Indians were
his first teachers. They impaired to the
boy West the secrets of the mixture of
their war paints, and to their red and yell
low his mother added indigo. His brush
was made from hairs cut from the cats
back. He was never opposed, but always
encouraged. When he grew older a coun-
Gil OF the neighboring Quakers was held 70
decide on the question of young Vests
following his calling. They wisely agreed
that God would not bestow faculties and
forbid their employment, and so he went
to London TO study.
Now John is an artist because he has to
be. 1t is disease he has. Unlike the
measles or the mumps, he doesn't recover
so quickly when doctored.
Finally he comes to Paris. Fortunate
for him, if he is by nature a gentleman
and has already an education, even an
ordinary one. 1t always helps to be gen.
tleman. Education, to be sure, does not
make an artist nor originate talent, but 1T
does develop it and often brings out great
and unexpected powers. Ignorance seems
to go with an artistic temperament, ana
specializing always tends to narrownesss,
which in time cramps and finally kills all
feeling and originality.
When John arrives in Paris he is filled
to overfiowing with all the young students
dreams of future greatness. He takes up
his studies at Julien's and talks
of nothing but Woodworking, noon and
night. The old men listen, but say nothing.
They know that he will cool off in a lit
tie while and work only half day. When
have learned to value quality more than
quantity. On the other hand, he may
have learned the greatest fault of modern
Bohemia-incorrigibl laZineSs. This laZi-
ness may be shown in many ways. He
may be simply bummlng, not dreaming
great dreams of work, as he lies on his
couch and gazes at the chimney pots
through wreaths of smoke. He may waste
his time by taking models out to the coun-
try, or he may go out to study new sights
and scenes in earnest. Often 1T takes
weeks to adjust the proportions of this
grand new experiment and pleasure, and
during the adjustment work often suffers.
Everything is in his favor here if he will
only make it SO. He has all sorts of acces-
sorry instruction. For a reasonable sum
(5 francs half day. he can have the best
private models in his own studio. There
are numberless indictments here to study
his profession which America cannot give,
and all these cost him nothing. The
streets are filled with picture-shops and
galleries. The people themselves are pic
lures walking about. The churches, the
theaters, the concert-rooms and the res
taurants are covered with pictures. The
atmosphere is surcharged with art. He is
also away from all restraints and free to
do as he will.
X X X K 4
In few months letter comes from his
father, asking if Johns masterpiece is
ready. Then small army of sisters,
cousins and aunts who think that he has
already done great things in the sketch
which he made of Aunt Mary, conse-