New-York tribune., 1905-11-03
HOW TO BE ARTISTIC.
Il Short Course an the Marims of
Modern aesthetics.
yn Underhtn, in The London Outlook.

Evelyn UndeThill in The London Outlook.
Artstic-or, it has been better called.
smartistic-society is obtained by eliminating
all artists and all students from the ranks OF
the people who talk about art 1t is your bust
ness to attach yourself TO the residue-that
happy band Of irresponsible enthusiasts who fit,
like gregarious butterflies, from flower to flower
of the aesthetic field. If you a beginner, and
it is only for beginners that l presume to write.
there many little things which YOU must
learn before you can move with ease and assur-
ance in your new sphere. Now that we all dote
on old furniture and tolerate French painting,
il is terribly easy TO make fatal mistakes. You
are 1 suppose, intelligent and hope to become
interesting To a well founded contempt for the
philistines who have provided your education,
you probably add natural horror Of the decent
behavior which is called conventional 1t is
here that prudence is needed Do not rush TO
the opposite extreme. and put on the more rigid
and less reputable fetters of lower Bohemia.
Neophytes are apt to confuse cigarettes with
salvation, and antimac2sSars with original sin
You must learn to discriminate Liberty is
artistic if costly, but license is only cheap.
Having put on the manners you will next
learn the maxims of modern aesthetics. They
are many. but the most important is this
ALWAYS admire the means. never the meaning
To the really artistic person, the important mat
ter is the paint Learn to speak Of handling
surface technique. "'Tactile values" though
superannuated as far as the italian school is
concerned. are still quite good enough for the
Royal Academy Whatever You do, beware OF
regarding Watts as a teacher or Fra Angellco
as a saint: remember that the first was an un-
certain draughtsman and the second merely an
illuminator large scale. Call Gainsborough
scratchy and Holben tight Hogarth you VIII
not notice: he so literary.
In admiring old masters. always a tiresome
thing for a beginner. do not specialize IN Ma
donnas this may give rise 10 the mortnylng
and unwarranta bic suspicion that you are onIy
High Church after all. Avoid catalogue at
tributions and where possible make your own
Choose as your guide one of the many can
tankerols critics who make their nests in OBJ
scure Italian cities, and thence cast their hght-
and too often their shadow-on English sale
rooms and museums. Adopt his language ana
wayer with his whims- Speak vaguely, but with
authority about the Bellini ear and the Leon
ardo nose Do not mince matters; be arrogant
and if necessary, rude Ignorance without ia.-
pudence is nothing worth.
It is good plan to keep q few ntth rate
italian painters, whom no one ever heard o. up
your sleeve: Messer Semolina. of Berganno, cele-
brated for the creamy quality OF his whites ana
that interesting precursor OF Giotto, Fra Clan
battista d'Oliogiailo. To one or other OF tneso
YOU can ascribe many OF the restored or ooiitef-
ated altar pieces which come your way ana
SO build up a nice little reputation as a spe-
cialist. :.
Travel but he careful how you talk about It.
I et your wandering mind be chiefly in evidence;
a wandering body is within every ones reach
Select your locality with care. or course aVoluIHg
the popular and the plcturesqLe. lou iicst
evince a lively hatred for tourists, motor cars
and connforta HE hotels Your choice VIII be re-
stricted for Italy is overrun, pfoFlnciai france
ie getting fashionable even SPAIN becomes less
dirty and distir guished year by year. 90. IL you
can ford II further afleld: or, IL you must
cont7,7 yourself TO trodden paths, neglect every
thing that is starred in Baedeker and reserve
1olIr enthusiasm for the uncafaloSued ana the
obscure With patience, you may yer discover
,nsanitarx, villages with really native inns and
naI,1aiese frescoes whence you can bring home
facts and opinions which no one VIII be able 10
Contradict Avoid autobiography You may
l7,yeIi an the reculiarlties OF the architecture
but never the quality or t.ie pees. In aftis1-o