The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-02-02
MISS SHOWS ART TALKS
Study of the Great Dutch Masters of
Painting Continued
Rembrandt Van Ryn.

ginning very largely the result of the
Flemish impetus. 1t developed
much more slowly and had very little
distinction. But with the Reforma-
tion 1t received new life AID direction
and with the birth of liberty assumed
y very strong aud individual char.
aoter. Strenuously rejecting the
idealism and symbolism of the Italian
masters along with other Catholic
teaching and tradition, the Dutch
artists became more naturalistic than
the Flemings. Every least common
thing received their utmost patience
and care aud when religious subjects
were chosed the Interpretation Of the
people was given rather than any
scholastic rendI ion.
So great was this revulsion Of feel
ing that the tendency for a time was
extremely materialistic. But because
men were free tn study the world aud
think what they pleased because
they could at least express what they
truths and fresh beauties began to be
revealed to them, and they were
slowly hat sur, ~ Informed with that
poetry of We hich defines the spin,
in everything.
They painted Land. cnpes aud ma
rlnes, portraits, still life aud animals,
..9 ~ Inc
found how rich in euhjtct and sugges-
ton the variousgeDre phi uses might be.
Their atmospheric conditions made
them great lovers and students of
light, their foreign relations gave
them oriental color, and 80 they be-
came masters of chiar-oscuro together
with tones of Venetian splendor.
Added to this they had an infinite
patience and u SURPRISING love Of de.
tail, and when the time was ripe the
man appeared who should blend the
intense realism of all this Dutch land
with the ideality that belongs to all
countries and all time.
Because of this double mastery and
its dramatic exposition Rem brandt
has been called 1.-The Shakespeare of
Holland" and the personal history of
tho man 10 As interesting as his
artistic achievement, the two stories
Issing closely interviewer, . thing
which does not always happen. Born
In Lsydsn in the propitious dawn Of
the Sevent zenith cestury, of parents
who gave him good advantages, he
showed from the first that sympsthy
with the life about him which ip the
key note of his power. An inde-
fAtiguabie student also Of material
and method, he painted every kind of
subject that came In his way, and in
everything he did he emphasized
character. light and life as the highest
motives.
His mother and sister filled his
early years with essential faith and
affection, and removing later on to
Amsterdam for larger opportunities,
he met the beautiful Saskia Won
,Ulenburgh who gave him through all
their welded life such happiness and
inspiration. Here, too, he had the
prolific Influence of Escheimer who
had adapted the Italian teaching in
u Characteristic manner. But he re-
solved to work out his own ideas up
on his native soil, and his sturdy in
Deepen dence very soon gained its
proper heritage.
He lived a quiet, simple, burgher
life in an intellectual, artistic circle,
painting portraits and religious
pictures of an individual, poetic ma.
ture and perfecting the skill with the
stchers needle which has made him
one of the worlds greatest engravers.
"The Presentation in the Temple" in
1881 and tine Lesson in Anatomy" in
1852 marked his first striking manner
in his peculiar treatment of light and
shade and I'm his remarkable force of
portraiture, and Swallowed forth what
he afterwards accomplished. His
tones were subdued and his handling
somewhat timld, but the work was
distinctly creative and prophetic, and
almost at bound he became the most
popular teacher that Holland had yet
produced.
This first period, however, was a
time of storm and stres in which the
soul of the artist was trying Itself
this way and that, seeking at once
for adequate subjects and sutlicien!
expression. 1t was ALEC a time OF
quick and happy fantasy. He loved
to picture Saskia in all the splendid
costumery al his command, and be
liked almost as well to paint himself
in silken searfs and nodding plumes
and golden chains. But having once
passed into his second manner, he ex.
pressed the assurance Of maturing