The Washington herald., 1909-05-02
By JAMES B. MORROW.


cutioa, interest, healthfulness. and color
the concise reply reflected the mantle
shoulders OF whose coat were thickly
daubed with sly-blue and yellow paints
and the studio IN which he works. There
was a noticeable influence Of sincerity
and business in the artist and his shop
Bursting vines, green and gray. elung
Ike monstrous cobwebs TO the red walls
outside I observed them as lifted the
brass knocker on the upper half door and
let It drop. The building looked fresh and
English. suggesting the snug harbor Of
an author or an architect. The walk Of
brick upward from the street had turn
and finish that rescued It from COM
nonness Distinction. once a rare and
courtly word. associated with scholars
and statesmen. but now q popular noun
OF tailors and shoeuakers when they de-
scribe their goods, was impressed upon
the place.
Inside I saw pictures on easels, com
pleted or half done; colonial tables and
chests. aud models OF ancient ships How
ard Pyle, the worlds most famous Illus
traitor. Il may be. and a novelist. as well
came booming across the rOon-booming
IN the sense Of energy and not in the
matter OF audible noise,
Long hair and languishing look? No;
short hair and gray. virtually white.
where the magnificent head has any
hair az all a tall man with long.
straight legs. coils Of springs in his feet,
snail rnnTlfE q.
bland, but massive and slngulaTly youth
ful face. and immense gold spectacles- In
vestments he would look ike q slashing
bishop Of the church- A red wig and a
short sword; music. high lights, ard q
stage. and, behold, Julius Caesar On
the stump pleading for his party or him
self, a hurricane and q winner.
a Successful Man
We sit in plain rocking chairs OF wood
under great window in the roof Pyle
talks easily ani swiftly. He has written
books. Iectured about art. and IN curt
sentences and jerky pauses has disci-
pIined young artists who have begged his
judgment on their work He has the
gifts Of expression. imagination, and
style. Furthermore. he would have sue
ceed-d at the bar or prospered in bank
For the world which cannot compre-
hend." I said. viii you obligingly ex-
plain what is meant by those cryptic
words, an artistic temperament
y should say" and Howard Pyle ceased
his nervous rocking for a moment, that
there IS no such vice or human quality
as sn artistic temperament It Is a
phrase and nothing more. which Is en-
ployed 10 cover a good many delinquen-
cies- Artists, studying the beautiful
want 1t; but beauty costs money. The
teller IN the bank. counting in your de-
posts and mine and paying them out.
ventures upon a little speculation OF his
own in Wall street When he is caught
his lawyer would ridic1ls his case were
he 70 plead any sort Of a temperament.
artistic OF otherwise Yet the analogy /
draw IS not Inconsistent We desire the
thing which We specialize in our work
and interest
Men in my profession sometimes IN
dertake that which Is beyond their means.
There is house. or a picture. OF rug.
Or some pottery Il IS bought fmpru-
IDENTIFY Debts press. and dUns. II repeated
often enough, engender carelessness
Then comrades and admirers. bearing the
flimsy mantle called artistic tempera-
ment.' fry 70 hide the follies Of the Of
fender against thrift and the elementary
principles Of sound business Eminent
singers and actors. up during all hours
OF the night and eating indigestfbIe SUD
pers, are bad tempered the next dav
There is an OUtburst 4 cup thrown a. a
wafer, for instance. followed BY mora or
less nonsensical comment concerning the
eccentricitie5 Of genius
Man Of TaIent.
a successful artist" Howard pyle
earnestly continued. is lust Ike any
other successful nan-consarvative. provi-
dent and normal He does his work and
takes care OF himself and his credit
Titan. the Venetian. industrious and an
bilious. had ministers and kings Tor MS
friends and companions. Leonardo da
Vincl, whose Last Supper the vail
painting az Milan, has made him immor-
tai was 1 brilliant architect. sculptor.
engineer, scientist. and musician Pa
phael tremendously practical. was not
only the architect Of St Peters hut vas
go 49, - ---1---s s-oA e-lll dl 4lLLDFlLT on
the antiquities OF Rome. Michael Angelo
wrote poetry, drew plans for splendid
buildings and was one Of the most learned
ANTAGONISTS Of his time. The old mas
ters' were sensible men. So are the Young
masters. whether they he artists LAWYERS
doctors, OF preachers. Nor is anv great
achievement the completed effort Of an
inspired instant Nothing worth while IS
done without toll. and toll compeIs one
TO be sober minded and careful
''Candidly," I said, what Is your op;n-
ion Of the paintings OF the old mas
tersZ-
That their best work IS uneouaIed.
However. many OF their pictures, notvitb-
standing the veneration Of subsequent
generations, are inferior in quality An
artist OF a writer Is measured by his best
work Even the old masters were human
and were not free from the limitations
and infrmities OF the rest Of mankind.
II IS sufficient that their greatest work
at It's greatest is among the greatest in
the world"
Art Is Making HeadWay.
'Is art making any headway in the
United States?" I inquired.
Splendid headway." Mr.. PYLE answered
enthusiastically Consider my own art
of illustration The magazines Of the
country are spending millions Of dol
lars for pictures; enough each year. I
dare say. 10 build a battle ship. Are they
spending it to indulge q sentiment7 DO
they want something pretty for them
selves2 Not at all They are hard
headed men OF business and have long
since discovered that the people want and
demand the best pictures that are obtain
able Why is Minnesota spending an i'm
mense sum Of money FER a State build
ing and paving many thousands Of dol
lars 10 mural artists2 Why do We see
pictures. cut from periodicals.. hung in
almost every American home? Why do
manufacturers even OF those calendars that
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