The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05

want to bring out. For me the most serious
fault lies in the lack Of inspiration and emo
tionai refiexiye power. The War group az
executed fails TO appear as the expression
Of great national thought because the
artists. on account of their own foreign ma
tiOnality, were unable and should not have
been expected to give utteranee TO emotions
and memories which on this side Of the At
lantIc a great commonwealth OF people has
been cherishing and fostering ever since the
civil war--a war that meant so infinitely
much to them and so very little to the
artists who were chosen to commemorate it.
Our people do not understand this tragi
comic effort of strangers to talk in our lam
guage, l. e., to be American. Some say that
the work looks German because its figures
are too heavy in flesh. Let me assure those
that the work is as little German as some
dry goods clerks are mobiles of Brabant sim
ply because they figure as 'supersY in
LohengTin" The group is neither good nor
really bad; it is neither American nor Ger
man; 1t is meaningless and Indifferent.
THE GERMAN RENAISSANCE.
The German art industry of the present
takes its national individuality from the
form Of the German Renaissance, with fire.
quent infusions Of Gothic and sometimes
with this style in original form. But most
especially 1t is through the renaissance that
the artists of harmoniousy decorated inter-
iors appeal to US. 1t would carry me too far
were l TO essay the artistic Justification
requirements,
OF this, in our case distinctively northern
Style 1t is sufficiently entirely apart from
us province as connecting link between the
Old art and the new to call attention to it's
alstmcuVe and organic character as Raum-
tyle or the decoration of interiors. One
point, however, in which / perceive q con-
SHERATON of the highest Importance is that
the northern or German renaissance speaks
d language OF form peculiarly adaptable to
our race. 1t would be, indeed, strange to
consider how nation so overwhelmingly
putt up as ours out of Germanic that is
saxon ana Teutonic stock could find any
satisfaction in so threadbare and meaning
Tess a style as that of the French empire,
were 1t not that this brutal, heartless form
tailed to annoy us simply because we did
not take the trouble to observe it at all.
Many people are content TO accent and en-
SHRINE IN their homes articles which utterly
outrage the most fundamental principles of
GOOD taste, simply because some $50 per
month clerk has told them that this or that
IS just the stylish craze Crazy style would
be much more pertinent expression. In
the interior decoration of our homes we will
nave 10 settle down to one good form, and,
from the standpoint of adaptabilty, the
Renaissance most strongly commends itself
to our taste and judgment. Unlike any
other style, it admits of the greatest variety
and allows the assimilation of beauty from
almost any source Because of its modern
character 1t IS SYMPATHETIC with our concep-
tlon or nature and its forms are conse-
qrently spontaneous medium of expression
Tor our artistic thought. Al the same time
II opens retrospective vista into the deem
and solemn beauties of the Gothic and Ro-
E-anesque and shows US clearly what we
may adopt of the art OF these past ages to
our modern purposes. 1t is so to speak a
brldge or art development between the old
conception of the world and the new L
would not be here understood as advocating
Il one-Slded and narrow cultivation of any
single style as the only one through which
national art could pass from it's present un-
fortunate position to it's ultimate DESTINY
but the thorough study of this one distinc-
tive style will help to teach us what we
want and enable US to more intelligently as
simulate the beauties of other forms, no mat
ter how varied; for Notwithstanding infinite
variation in detail, we all bring home this
great truth: That the art development of all
the ages mas Deen progressive expression
OF human striving after an ideal supernat-
ural reality. And we of this land grown to-
gether into a great nation from racial Gle
ments SO varied and composite, will gladly
observe the preponderant influence of the
Germanlc tribes and Germanic inspirations.
1t is to me as though the old fable of the
broken and revealed sword. Nothing were
fulhlled beyond our strong and beautiful
young nation, which has brought Saxons
end Teutons so long separated, into re-
neWed and organic union. Why should not
the recognition and application of this old
neurological conceits perhaps lead us most
truly ana surely to the requisites of a ma
tlonal style for our people? In the
meantime, however, pending the realization
or our ultimate hopes and ideals, each one
or US should, according to his ability, con-
tribute to the culture of the beautiful; and
the home is the rational place to begin.
Then from the home let growth extend to
local circles, and from these farther to the
uttermost corners of the land and the world
Let us begin the application of this to our
own local circles by more generous recogni-
ton of our various home enterprises in ar
tlstic lines, for they have in them the posi-
bilities of great things. Sturdy seed in
| home soil is the surest Ernest of a rich
harvest, and when we recognize and foster
| that which is among ourselves we will no
| longer be open to the reproach to-day so
sadly justified, that artists like Mcdowell
MacMonnieS and G. d. Gibson are better
Known and appreciated in foreign lands than
at home Or, to remain still more local and
| pertinent. that New York, Chicago and St
Louis should first grant recognition and
honor to indianapolis painters and men OF
letters.
If, then our art develops organcally from
our immediate environment it will have per-
maneucy because it has homogenity and JUS
tincation. We will remain even in our
choice of material-a consideration too often
FAR underestimated-true to home and our
tiOnal art this complete allegiance to our
own true self and environments cannot fail
| to appeal to the people, to their higher con-
seriousness and noblest emotions. and by
such an art the latent sparks of art enthusi-
asm, an inspiration in the popular heart will
be Nndled and famed TO a brilliant flame
! 1t is a long and thorny path, weary
! cline per aspera ad astra but if we porse-
! we're and teach our children to strive and
/ falter not on the same steep way they shall
| Yet plant triumphant foot on the far sum-
nit surrounded by the splendor of true
| national art. RICH. LIEBER.
/