The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-02
2 A NEGLECTED FINE ART
Woodcarying Is a HandicE>fs Suitable
for Women and Girls.

for Women and Girls.
One Of the subjects Of great ilaerest
to the public now Is that Of occupa-
tions for women, and the question,
"What shall our girls learn to do thas
will make them. self-suppoTtng and
comfortably Independent" is asked
on all sides. Among the calilngs suS.
gested that have been tried or foltoW-
ed by women, little attention so far
has been paid to the industry OF wood
carving, which must be cIassed unoec
the head of art
In considering this general topic &ac
the advantage offered by the, various
classes of artistic effort commonly pur-
sued by our students, surprise has
often been expressed that there mas
not been established in this country
years ago and properly equipped schoot
or master teaching wocdcarylng or
wood sculpture as a fine art.
In Europe" said one Of the workers
in this art, this delicate handiwork
has for centuries been one of the
favored forms Of artistic pashme
among the women of the nobility, and
to-day it counts as its devotees many
of tho most exclusive and most highly
cultured women on that continent
LesSG:.> are As generally taken there
in this fascinating art by the young
women OF the upper classes as arc
m;isic and pain ting by the daughters
OF families or Ike social rank = this
country.
1T is indeed Strauge that this craft
adaptable IN is application to so wide
q range e UEc and ornament, has
never. heretofore been properly pre-
senIed 10 the cultured classes here.
| The work l.; far more cleanly thaa
painting, either j? water colerS or in
oil, and the implements require less
attention and care. The simple and
most exact principles upon which true;
art is based are from their very ns.-:
ture susceptible Of more ready COM;
prehension and mastery thai those uLr
DERIVING many other branches CON-
monty taken up.
1.-The skilful handling Of the few
tools required is quickly attained. and.
in few lessons the average schoar Is
able to execute eXqsisite work at once
e surprise and delight.
''In addition to the rare pleasure re-
suling from known ability to create
beautiful things, there are greater
benefits accruing to the sculptor, not
| to mention others. There is tie tact
that he has learned the better to ap-.
preciate and value proportion, form
and delicacy Of outline, and TINS
| knowledge, aside from the personal
| satisfaction it brings, enables him to,
Judge with true accuracy the artistic
merits Of all things, natural or manu-
factured, having form as their basis.
This essential sense can be secured in
no other way so readily. Indeed, the:
artistic faculty, the aesthetic taste 1T
self, can be perfected only by q far
knowledge Of the truths which q
course in wood sculpture supplies.
This fact is being recognized IN this:
country now, as it has long been
recognized and observed in the centres
of high art In Europe, and even in the.
Far East. Wise masters Of the chisek
now bring their dainty craft to the art
lovers Of our Nation, and the void that
has been felt In the art education OF
this young country will not long coll-
| tnue. Art IL every form is but the
expression Of refined sense. Indeed,
nothing more surely marks the spirit
Of true refinement than the degree in.
which an intelligent love Of the beau
! tiful is manifest Hence it is that
cultured persons are not only constant
patrons Of art, but seek themselves to
become proficient in some one or more
Of its branches.
Music, sculpture, painting, ceramics
and various other familiar forms Of,
like endeavor have furnished eNpres-
sion to mems increased and increasing
culture, and given broad opportunity
for the development Of individual
! faculties and tasces. Great as have
been the benefits to mankind from the
! achievements Of masters in the several
lines mentioned, it may be well assert
ed that the chiefest good has come,
from the attention given thereto By
cultivated men and women, who
sought only further self-improEements
and not the mere making Of fortune or
q name.
.I,his chaste love for the refined haS
| become markedly dominant in recent
times with the better classes, as is
evidenced by a large number of suea
persons who, in every department OF
| aesthetics, seek such scholarships un-
der the great masters who have un-
selfshIy reIinouished the broadening
advantages OF public service for the
restriction Of studio or instructions
room. Under the guidance and in the
companionship Of such tutors our fa-
vored youth have grown in technica1
knowledge and proficiency along SCI
lected lines, until now it is by no
! means rare to hnd among our women
and men those who work with brush.
pencil or pen. or whose ability sS
j vocal or instrumental musicians Yies
with the best professionals in the re-
spective directions. And yet In every,
such case, the only end sought was,
: as before stated, the high culture OF
! self and the increased means thus see
cured Of contributing to the pleasure
Of others. The perpetuity and the pen.
! fecting of our civilization rest, and
safely so, upon such citizenship. -
! Nar, vo,1- TNriJnrua -