University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-11-14

The Blue Boy stood respectfully
with barred head opposite the Coun-
tess of Mexford. There was a quiz
zical half-smile on his lips and his
eyes were bright and rather teasing
as he noticed the loosely clasped
hands and general air of resignation
about the countess. You see, the
Blue Boy was very young: not that
the countess was old, but then she
had seen more Of the world and her
experiences had been more varied
than those of the boy.
The boy heard sigh and then her
weary voice, "Its dreadful to have to
sit in this position for generation AZ.
ter generation and never be able even
to change your expression when some
old critic says something unpleasant
about you or another praises your
beauty. wish John Hoppner had
never painted me-"
"Oh." said the Blue Boy, "You
should have been painted in q gay
mood. It is great to be able always
to look on the world with a smile.
But I do sometimes wish Sir Thomas
Gainsborough had made me a statue
instead Of a mere dash Of blue paint
on a piece of canvas"
"Ah, little Blue Boy, you wouldn't
want to be statue very long," (
The boy and the countess were
startled. 1t was a new voice, soft
and musical yet with a dignity and
coldness that made them shiver. They
could not turn their heads but the
countess was already facing that way
and her hair almost stood on end
when she saw that it was Venus talk
ing. Venus was lifesize statue and
the countess had often envied her
beautiful smiling face. She won
dered impatiently what this goddess
could have to complain Of.
"You may be just paint upon fiat
surface" continued Venus in her
hard sweet voice. "but at least it ia
in warm and beautiful colors. I am
always cold. And then my whole
clothing and body are of the same
material and color 1 heard an art
list say that not the thousandth part
of the details of the human body and
its clothing could be represented in
the materials of sculpture"
Il suppose we all have our trou-
bles," sighed the Countess of Mexford.
But you live here and do not have
to travel about from one exhibit to
another and have ignorant people
criticise you and stare at you. I
might be satisfied If people would
only learn to appreciate art"
perhaps your mission may be to
teach them to appreciate It," sug-
gested the Blue Boy.
"Ssh." It was like a chilly wind
and both the countess and the Blue
Boy shivered. Venus gave the warn
ing. She had heard human voices. A
professor of art was bringing his
class to see the pictures. They
stopped between the Countess of Mex
ford and the Blue Boy.
"These exhibits are an education in
themselves" said the professor, as he
let his gaze travel from one picture
to another in loving appreciation.
"Most great artists have told stories |
with paint But 1t is hard for us to
put into words the meaning Of a pic
ture. We should train the eye and
mind to understand the language of
art itself; language whose elements
are lines and forms, colors and
masses of light and shade. We need
to study these elements both in ma
ture and in art and observe how the
artist adapts these parts Of nature to |
his artistic purpose. Just as
writer selects his words and groups
them to his liking, so the painter Sc
lects, arranges and composes the con-
stituents of beauty which he finds in
nature, to something new and origi-
nal, into a work of art that is based |
on nature. However it must neces-
sarily be different since fiat surface
is used to suggest nature in its three
dimensions We should look there
fore, at a painting for it's own unique
beauty of spacing, charm Of color or
its harmony of all the parts which
compose a work Of art.
almost anyone can obtain accu-
racy of line, but the harmonies in