The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-05-18
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=OVER THE TEA CUPS. !


have found their way through the
Post Office this week have been invita-
tons to the opening of the Art Leagues
Spring Exhibition of drawing, paint
ing and sculpture. The cards are for
Monday evening, Members Night"
and are sent TO members of the League
only, but carry to each recipient a du-
plicate ticket for a guest After the
opening night, however, the public is
free to visit the room any afternoon
for three weeks, and surely the pub
lie will not fail to come in large num-
bers and show its approval of the do
ing away with the entrance fee hither-
10 demanded at the door,
The pictures have been very careful
~ chosen by the jury OF selection.
Consequently, fewer pictures are hung,
but these represent better work, as a
whole, than any previous exhibition.
rejoice that the standard of admission
is higher, and l hope it will be raised
each year. Only in this way can the
League stimulate its members to their
best efforts. 1t is only by insisting on
better work that the League can, first
VI ali. tltN ate inc AdSlt vi nav Ill.
Then l would have the artists go
further and search for the severest
criticism possible, not content with the
appreciation of their friends at home.
wish there might be a supreme jury,
which should judge what pictures are
worthy of being sent abroad, and then
/ ! would have these pictures, relying on
their own merits only, seek to gain ad-
mission into the exhibition rooms of
New York, London and Paris. There
would result a finding of level which
would be most salutary to the artists
! The test is severe. but il would secure
the verdict of the art world. and that
is the nearest approach to the only true
test of merit-the perspective of the
centuries.
! In the meantime. those who come to
/ look at the pictures have their share
of responsibility The flippancy of So
ciety when it visits art collections is
| proyerbial. 1t is easy to pick up the
catch-words of atmosphere. tone. "
texture values" and technique. -
It is easy to detect flaws in drawing. or
lcoloring. or composition, but construc-
tive criticism comes only with long
years of study If We the uninitiated
are so foolish as to think we know
something, let us, at all events, be
wise enough to keep it to ourselves. II
might, however. be in order to hope
that the Art League will consider the
state of those outside the pale of art
lists. and arrange for a series of lectures
to tell us how to look at pictures. II
seems to me that we need talks of this
kind fully as much as the pictures
Did l but dream it, or is Mr.. Hitch
cock really to inaugurate such a series
of art talks'
What Of those whose pictures are not
hung? That strenuous effort should
not always be crowned is hard, but
failure shows pitilessly some faulty
Training or lack of experience. or mis-
taken conception II not actual inahil-
Iity, or the wrong estimate of self. In
music and literature, as we'll as art
there are few compositions that main
tain uniform character throughout
So many qualities so 10 make up 4
masterpiece that the same creation
may have one part that is excellent
and another that is eNecrahle. Art Is
so high and so subtle, its visits SC
foeting and unexpected that any rec,
ord of an inspiration is likely TO be
lflawed, rather than perfect, A rejected
picture, then, may not be utterly bad
and happy is the artist who can take
1.-THE lesson 10 heart and, all undaunted
lstrive anew to give some true message
10 the world that needs must be ap
lpreciated, In building up a reputation
failure at the outset is a firmer scat
folding than premature success. Nc
sympathy OF doting friends, or consid
eration for brothers-in-law or great
lunches will avail Work must endure
on its own merits. An unwillingnesS
to stand a test indicates Incompetence
of some sort, We must be warned
against self-love, which prefers a false
but favorable estimate 10 a true val
uation that is displeasing. Repeated
failure, of course, would indicate a
mistaken vocation, and in that case
even infinite patience can never Gre
ate genius. Even if work wins no lau-
rel crown. the deepened insight into
art. the Quickened love of nature, and
the Joy of the inspiration have been
! recompense enough for the toll of the
lpainter, SIBYL.