Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-07
SECOND LECTURE GIVEN
ON DUTCH ART
Their Ideas and Treatment Had a
Great Influence, Says c. H. Caffn.

Charles Fl. Caffin gave his second
lecture on Dutch Art Wednesday even
ing at Slater hall He referred to his
former contrast of this with Italian
art to emphasize the closer relation of
Dutch art with the work of artists Of
today. He traced the Dutch influence
upon the English artist Constable,
who in the end of the 18th century
was drawn toward nature and encour-
aged by the Dutch, and was the first
to pick up the thread Of their ideas.
Early in the 18th century Constable
exhibited at the Louvre, where his
work made a sensation. Delacroix saw
its value and began to follow Con-
stable. Others Joined him and since
1880 the tenor Of art has been the
working out of these same motives.
This immense change in the art world
comedies with an equal change in the
growth Of science and the study of
nature. The Italian artists believed
that the earth was fiat and the center
of the universe, with all other solar
bodies revolving around it. The effect
upon art was to make man the enter
Of everything and human figures the
chief thing in the picture. This was
the time of one man rule, when pope,
duke or king was a center
The Dutch found out better and
studied themselves and all other men
in relation to their environment. Here
they came to study the influence Of
light, and became students Of values,
both in color and in gradations of col
Or-the effects Of light and shade. Col
or was more to them than form, and
they grew into great subtlety in its
use and appreciative of nice distinc-
tons Of value. They came to substi-
tute values for mere display Of color.
The best society does this today.
Whistler's Nocturnes are examples
Of this subtle sense. So are Maeter-
lincks word values. Values are in
finite Representations and harmony is
adjustment of differences.
The greatest sculptor of today is a
master Of value. The Holland artists
were OF the naturahstic school There
is a difference between naturalistic
and realistic. The former studies sci
entifically what is in his hand, the lat
| ter studies it in relation to every
thing else. The latter has big mo-
ments and a. wide horizon, and all the
real work of today is realistic wheth
er In art OF in business.
The realist is always practical. The
| first painting illustrated was Rem
brandt's Anatomy Lesson. This shows
new idea Of beauty, impossible in
| Italian art, an idea of beauty of char
acter or moral beauty. Another OF
! Remrandes was shown, The Night
I Watch, an original study of light anC
shade, and chiefly interesting for this
/ staudy.
Several pictures by other Dutch art
| lists using the same device for bringing
| out form, relieving monotony and add
! ing decoration, animation or interest
/ or as a means Of expressing sentiment
were shown. Some showed their treat
ment of interiors to bring out the
| beauty Of cleanliness or to stimulate
to higher ideals in these Others, like
the Young Mother, show their sense
of the beauty Of depth and the sig
nificance of the third dimension. The
greatest of all these figure painter!
was Jan Vermeer Of Delft. Nine Othel
paintings by Rembrandt were shown
and his mastery treatment of values
pointed out, as well as the way il
which he made his painted light por'
tray the greater spiritual light