The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-06-11
KILOHANA LEAGUE
D. Howard Hitchcock Gives a
Talk About Art.
HARMONY MUST Be PRESERVED
Nature May Not Always
Be Taken as She is.
True Art is the Beautiful Express
sion of Thought, Sound,
Form of Color.

On Thursday evening D. Howard
Hitchcock delivered the following lee
ture on Art before the members OF the
Kilohana Art League:
In reading a quaint old book some
time ago / found an Introductory para
graph that seems so apt I take pleas
ure in giving it here. The introduction
began somewhat thus:
There are those who have formed
their associations on their own theo-
ries or hypotheses, and not on that
which exists and can be observed OF
fairly inferred from actual observation
Hence, they reprove but they do not
reform; they lecture, but they do not
instruct; I profess not to teach; 1 can
only point out to others the way in
which / fiatter myself that l obtained
instruction, aye, and some of that NOR
al self-confidence that poises a man
erect in his position let the wind of the
world blow as it lists"
Not then in the guise of a lecturer do
l come before you, but to give, if pos
sible, point or two that may be in
structive TO those who may be engaged
in art work, and perhaps interesting to
all
If in the course of my rambIings !
become too abstruse, deal too much
with the abstract, it is to be hoped you
will bear patiently with me. for this is
a new role in which l appear before
you this evening.
Vou oama bapa IN 1ic+ap +o rrrba+
have to say about Art. At once we are
dealing with subject that is almost as
elusive as a will-o'-the-wisp- some,
thing that simply is-and that all ou
petty strivings TO elucidate changes
not nor alters-talk as we will, write
as We wish-aye point as We may
perchance. We may even touch her
Art will endure all this and be effected
not-for she is above it ala mistress
at whose feet her votaries too often
pour out ill-savored offerings.
If l trespass too deeply tonight my
plea is my desire 10 give of the little
may have acquired
True art culture takes one away
from the common places of mere cir
cumstance, placing him on a higher
plane from which the enjoyment of the
senses is lost in aesthetic pleasure
be it from the sense of sound or oil
beauty in color, form or line. More
practical in expression what l would
say is:
In pictorial art the cultivation of the
sense of the beautiful leads one beyond
the interest in a painting or decora-
tion simply because of its being the
representation of an object or spot
with which one is familiar.
The beauty of expression. perhaps
merely of color. the sense of power ol
sweetness. or peace. or whatever senti
ment he has expressed in his worI
and the perfection of the skill show1
in losing sight of the means to tn,
end is the true artists joy-the essenc
of what he would give TO his handi
work
''The desire to see. for the sake o
seeing. is, with the mess, above tn
one 70 be gratified hence the delight il
detail"
The joy of the Philistine and tn
death of Art. But the artist asks no
always of what is the painting a repre-
sentation. His one thought being-i
it a perfect picture For illustration
Suppose | paint a study of orang
and grev-taking as the basis of m,
color scheme a snow-scene at sunset
and find that an accent is needed nea
the center of the canvas. | introduc
as that accent a figure in black with
red shawl To me it has its value as
necessary point in my color scheme
and I ask no further why it is there
although probably the interest to tn
average observer would be centered o.
that figure. particularly should I nam
the nicture. "The lost waif." or "Trot
ty Dimple on her wanderings," eithe
of which appelation would be entirel
erroneous. Ny one idea having bee
the presentation of color as suggeste
by snow at sundown.
Art is not always Nature. no NOR
is Nature always Art, and here I sha
quote from Whistler. because he ha
expressed in clearer terms that whic
I would tell He says:
Nature contains the elements /
color and form. of all pictures, as th
keyboard contains the notes of all mt
sic. But the artist is born to pick an
choose and group with science thes
elements that the result may be beat
tiful. as the musician gathers his note
and forms his chords until he brins
out from chaos glorious harmony.
Ito say to the painter that Nature
TO be taken as she is is to say to tf
PLAYER that he may sit on the plan
THAT Nature is always right is a
assertion artistically as untrue as it
one whose truth is universally take
for granted.
Nature is rarely ever right to sue
an extent even that it almost migl
be said that Nature is usually wrons
that is TO say-the conditions of thins
that shall bring about the perfection
harmony worthy a picture is rare ar
not common at all.
Seldom does Nature succeed in pr,
ducing a perfect picture"
And thus we find the beginner di
covering joy in the multiplicity of d
tail in his work and the uninitiatt
vaunting an limitation" of Nature