The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-16

~ ARIS, November 15.-(Special)
- ''Impressionism" in art and, incl
dentally the application of its
crudity of coloring to womens dress has
not come to stay. 1t is but a passing
craze declares no less authority tnan
Emne Renard, professor at the Beaux
Arts, the telnch national school, and re-
garded as the foremost conse ryatlVe
painter of this country
Paris, of course, especially that part
made up of the unthlnKng and lnartIstic
crowds that I'LL to overflow the various
more extreme art exhibitions, has gone
mad over what are known as the new
movements" in art. Shows by the Pic
toral Vlsionsts," "Cubsts," "Roundistsn
"F'uturists' and the even newer lists
who appear almost every day, follow one
another with bewildering speed In these
circumstances the writer turned to Re-
nard for his opinion, which proved an
uncommonly interesting one.
"Post-impressionism decided has not
come to stay he said to me. Neither
can the effect it has exercised on women's
dress be other than passing. The brazen
diseords of colors so in vogue this season
can never remain popular in France, Eng
land or America because they are against
good taste. They are not natural. In
our climate they are forced and iarrng."
His reference to womans dress was in
answer to my question, IF the strange
combination of coors that screamingly
announce the wearer would be perma-
nent?"
You ask why the new and very bright
oolors are not natural he continued BE
cause our taste is arranged by nature.
All. how wonderful nature Is and what
an artist! She loves harmony. She un-
derstands, creates, the eternal fitness OF
things.
Vivid, glarng colors are only harmon
ious in very hot climates. AS she nears
the equator. natures colors grow In IN
tensity. The flowers are enormous and
glow under the beauty of the pure cardi-
nal colors; with the plumage of the
birds; while the insects shine with their
eoatings OF gold, silver and bright greens.
In the more temperate climate like ours
and yours, the sky is seldom without
clouds, the color of vegetation is atten-
uated by mist and during a certain part OF
the year things are gray indeed. Again
as an Illustration: In the extremely cold
countries there is little color we might
say nearly everything is black and white.
Il do not mean to say that In our coun-
try all artists should put their sensations
on canvas in Wistleresque tones, nor that
our women should dress entirely in the
sombre tlnts of grays and browns n
only here and there touch of some deli
cate shade of old rose or light blue. Not
and 1t Is just because of this that l do
not believe in 'post-impressionist' colors.
IF we We're all disciples and followed
their teachings we would all be dressed
high In key and how monotonous and
wearying othe eyes these noisy reds,
crude greens, yellows, purples and blues
would quickly become. The leaders OF
these new movements will not admit any
thing low in key either in household fur
nishing, painting or dress. while we are
broad enough to see and believe in
things high in key, but not everything,
regardless of taste or appropriateness.
THE same rich yellow so becoming to
a dashng beauty from Seville would look
vulgar indeed on an English belle. The
Neapolitan In her native dress would ap-
pear incongruous with gray Parisan
boulevard as background, and the Par
isian must seem sadly out of place in a
severe tailor made suit on the vioToddo
1T Is climate and nothing else that
makes the English girl prefer more sober
attire than her French neighbor, while
the Partisan il turn cannot tolerate the
haring ribbons and multitudinous feathers
worn by her cousin in Marseiles. They
each think the other has bad taste. They