The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-03-13

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passed through the critical art world
that there was no history of art In
America until the Centennial exposi-
ton, in Philadelphia in 1875. This
statement has been given form from
the fact that American art since the
exposition, has greatly eclipsed all
previous records in responsiveness to
American genius, but it does great
injustice to the work of early artists
No other country was similarly
situated and developed to America,
so it is not possible to draw compari-
sons or even to say our earlier artis-
tic attachments were as great or
greater than any other. History does
not record any other country in which
conditions like to ours existed. A
liberal amount of ease and strength
are essential to the production of a
national art, and while America
could boast of neither of these at
tributes at the start, we attained both
in an unprecentedly short time, and
our own artistic development has
made strides in proportion. This fact
is new to the student Of American
art, until some careful study and
sober reflection is made use OF. The
Centennial was point of collection
and display, showing to the world the
geat strides America had made in her
!. material, technical and industrial de-
gvelopment in general way in which
8 art was included. The exposition was
an unconscious dividing line in the
development of national art. A dis
tinction of what was done, and the
manner in which it was accomplished.
The distinguishing improvement since
s1876 is perhaps technique. When SO
many of our artists studied in Paris,
which has been the art center of the
world.in recent years, it is impossible
to escape the French influence any
more than students from any other
country should escape it, but Ameri-
cans adopted only the best influences.
There was never slavish copying.
The French influence could never
overcome independence of original
treatment and subject. Whistler is
perhaps an extreme case for he &C
knowledge no influence, but it shows
the American independence of
thought and action.
With Copely in 1887 to 1915 be-
gins the real history of American
art, that makes the student feel he
is treading on firm ground.
The decade following the 1876 ex-
position, marks its greatest benefit
upon the influence of the art of the
nation. There were already several
very good schools established in our
larger cities, and to these were ad-
ded the great help of the Art Stud
ents' league of New York and the
Society of American Artists, both
founded in 1878. Students were now
returning from Munich and Paris,
bringing with them to the students
at home a fuller, finer and broader
meaning of art, of technique, academ-
ic training and taste. All this has
aroused a deep and lasting infu-
ence, until now our widespread love
and appreciation for art, fills the GAL
leries and exhibitions with throngs of
visitors, opens the purse strings OF
our wealthy art collectors and con-
noisseurs, proving where the true
measure of the nations culture and
refinement lie.
We Americans have a way of
stripping things of their dignity by
applying a misnomer, so we dubbed
the Worlds Columbian exposition,
"The Chicago Fair" for crafty adver-
Using purposes. In like manner we
are apt to forget the clever, discrim-
mating influences VI lho OApooiIioh'
which was really school of marvel
GUS work in various ways, especially
in art. A critic thus moralizes over
the art collection, "The Greeks fin
ished sculpture. One can go no far
Their with it. AS pursuit it Is void
of hope. There can be multiplication
nothing more. Painting can; she
may add scenery and climate to her
FORM" And he went not back into
Statuary Hall, but passed his days
studying the pictures, for they were
to him a hand maiden of history.
Americans had raeson to be proud
of the recognized merit conspicuous
in canvases of their countrymen.
The exposition found us as a nation
cropping in the shadows Of art, ana
left us seeing the light of steady, per-
manent advancement along the
now open avenue of the future,
However, the education that was
manifest, should have been continued