The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-24

rare pieces; statues Of sacred person-
ages la stone and in carved wood:
cupboards, altar SCREENS ia carved
wood and painted orucifixes, choir stalls,
tapestry from the Bayeux looms mfteenth
century,. sacerdotsl ornaments, tomb
stones. columns with characteristic Capi-
tais, woodwork. carved panels. group = ia
stone or In wood, &C: everything that
showed the intellectual condition and taste
at the same time AZ the manual skill Of the
time when they we're made.
1T proved once more that art in the
Middle Ages. in whatever form il presents
itself and with whatever material IL EN-
ploys "a "A means OF expression. il always
decorative. The architect has put mp his
building. but ia the completion Of this
edihce the artisans. sculptors. painters.
uphols,erers. sll have a part to play and q
mission 10 fulhll.
1T is impossible To say whether the edibce
il built for the saks Of the decoration with
which il IL enriched. or whether the decora.
ton Ia only an accessory to the primitive
plan Of the building. All hangs together.
all shares in the perfect carrying out OF one
signal inspiration. Proceeding from one
effort multiplied n hundred times through
II habit Of discipline in which the individual
necessarily disappears the condition Of work
IL therefore from the thirteenth to the AZ
teenth century one " the conspicuous
elements OF style"
In the thirteenth century the artist does
not restrict himself TO a precise copy Of the
reality. His ideal 10 turned wholly to the
Interpretation Of the thought. The long
figures carved in stone or in wood have a
deeply human thoughtfuiness. a sort of
melancholy which "a life itself, and some
times a "a yety which exceeds life. Ia the
fourteenth century art gains ia material
expression what il loses in delicscy. There
is q tendency to reject all ideality in order
10 msterislize the idea. In the fifteenth
realism OF expression il sought for. beings
are caught in the activity Of their life. and
il is this activity Of thought and Of move
ment that the carvers Of images try TO
interpret. and as they worship the detail
Astounding in delicscy aud a. they seek in
their endes vor TO be striking rather than
emotional they multiply ornsmentstion.
Applied to the figure their style seems
marked in capital letters.
As for the Renaissance, it's synthesis
cannot he expressed in a single paragraph.
because il comprehends At least Ave or
six different styles which followed one
another in the century and a half which
IL includes under Influences coming from
all sides and under most varied formulas.
II the word is useful to designate a period
Of transition il must not be understood
when used in art as a label OF unity ia
character.
Now this collection has gone to New
York. where | hope hat il may be in-
..alAl IN tia Aatrn.nlitan AlK.Anp, a. "a
was in the beautiful house Of NJ. Georges
Hoentschsi in the Boulevard f1andrin.
However beautiful and precious and useful
il may be. | am glad TO think that the Ameri-
sans. who are beginning themselves 70
produce in decorative art. will visit these
wonders to educate their eyes and re-
fine their esthetic sense. Assuredly they
ought not TO be melted to make copies.
which would he useless. but | fancy thai
the young architects who have come to
Paris from New York. Philadelphia. Boston.
Baltimore and other parts TO attend the
lectures of a master like NJ. Umbdenstock
will when they return home be able to
study the Hoentschel collection ~ it de-
serves. From that practical study they
will obtain a deeper knowledge Of the laws
which enable a work of art 10 be q perfect
work.
They will ask from these witnesses Of the
technique a more expert hsndicrsft. and the
closer comprehension which they will form
Of our styles will provide them perhaps
some day with the opportunity OF working
out a formula which will be really their
own and which they may proudly offer a.
an example. We must therefore con.
graduate ourselves upon the fact that no
veto stopped at their departure the three
hundred odd cases which carried to America
this admirable collection. IL was six
centuries Of our national art which were
going out there to teach what France and
what beauty are"