Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-28
VTHEN Is a work OF art TO be
. regarded as being Grimm
v ally indecent? What are

NV h6AN ~ WIN vi ait W W
w regarded as being Grimm
" ally indecent? What are
the qualities that distinguish an
immoral painting from one which.
probably much the same In subject
and execution, is quite proper On
what fine lines must discrimination
be made between the ht and unit
in painting and sculpture2 In the
case OF q genuine work OF art--per.
haps by q great master--what are
the circumstances that would Jus.
tify legal action to prohibit its ex
hibition7
These questions have been
asked In regard to the work OF the
New York Society for the Suppress
sion Of Vice. While | make the
point Of not setting up a personal
opinion as 10 what should be the
finally guiding elements In deter
mining the propriety OF art in
painting, sculpture, the drama and
literature. would point out that
In conducting the work Of this So
ciety, with an opinion subordinate
TO public opinion, and subordinate
TO the opinion OF courts, we must
work with certain principles in
mind and guide our action after
various considerations.
Should a painting by a world.
renowned artist, masterful In it's
technique, beautiful In It's coloring.
ever be removed from public view?
Are there occasions when statues
by the greatest geniuses OF sculp.
ture might be moved 10 the eel
lar? Under what circumstances Is
the exhibition OF one work Of art
Objectionable. and under what
others quite unobjectionable7 The
works OF Rodin can be seen In the
great galleries. But does not the
occasion arise when a figure by the
celebrated French master--prop-
erly shown In the Metropolitan
Museum, New YoTk-might exer-
else q deleterious effect upon
morals In the shape OF reproduc.
tionsf
There IL . well.known case which
years ago was decided by the Court
Of Appeals OF the State Of New
York wherein q dealer was In the
first instance arrested for purvey.
ms small, cheap copies OF nine
works OF art. They we're all by
celebrsted artists. Eight had been
exhibited In Paris and one In
Philadelphia. Exhibited in an art
gallery no objection might have
been made 10 the original or re.
pleas In marble. Reproduced In.
artistically and cheaply on post.
cards or otherwise all OF these nine
copies were Objectionable and Jus.
tiled action.
Whyg There was a difference be.
tween the originals TO be Viewed In
galleries by people interested In
their artistic qualities and the cop
les which, being poorly and cheaply
done, focused the indecency and
we're designed to be circulated In.
discriminately and could readily
fall into the hands OF the young.
unframed and impresslonahle,
whose minds would respond not to
the qualities OF art and beauty but
TO the suggestive and prurient.
In determining a recent case, the
Judge declared that one must con.
slider the place and circumstances
In deciding whether exhibitions and
sales OF works OF art. OF possibly a
suggestive nature, constitute a vio-
lation OF the law. This Is quite
correct. A painting may be legit-
imateiy exhibited In one place,
while Il may spread a moral con.
tagion IN another. A statue. quite
innoeuous IN a gallery. might con.
stitute a source OF moral pestilence
II put up in 4 public square. A
painting, 70 which no one might
find objection in the home, might
be quite thoroughly Objectionable
in a show window.
In dealing with the quality Of In.
deeency In art works, we must con-
slider where that work is exposed,
the conditions under which Il Is
shown and the people whose atten-
ton Il would likely attract. While
the place OF its exhibition could not
remove In any case any intrinsic
indecency in an Individually i'm
moral picture 50 far as it's charac-
ter Is concerned, distinction must
be made In determining the ele-
ments Of improprietry by the at.
mosphere In which a picture is
shown.
was walking up Broadway one
evening and saw a dozen young
men standing before the window
Of q picture shop. Every eye was
.Naanaw~AA -.
art gallery the original would have
been viewed by admirers of art and
art students from an artistic stand
point; they would have admired its
beauty, color and technique. In a
cheap reproduction these youths
saw nothing Of this. BY their con
versation ] realized they were at
fracted merely BY the saiaeious In