Arizona republican., 1915-11-16
Arizona Republicans Editorial Page

lacking. For some years it has been kept the art department of the Woman's Club. Phoenix has sent out creditable artists of whom more will be heard.
 While community are now giving more than usual attention to it may be well to speak of the lack of appreciation many of us feel of great paintings. We want of enthusiasm and utterly hopeless in the presence of futurist and post-impressionist schools art. We cannot understand how anyone attach meaning to pictures which seem to nothing more than uncommon nonsense.
 But and all such persons can take comfort from the observations of a critic of the more con- servative school of art. who recently said
 The things in art are appreciated bv the finer people. The finer things in art are incom- prehensible to the commOner mentality. Such would not of themselves have ranked the great masters of art as they are esteemed. Hence many finding the ultra-moderr school of art ineomprehensilIe imagine that il is therefore. great art
 This exposition is only in part satisfactory IT removes our regret that We cannot admire the futurist school. That may be dismissed by i,s as something not worth while Even artists cannot admire or understand 1t, why we? But there implied in this explanation that a real masterpiece is an esoteric thing, great because it conforms to rules understood by many It can therefore, be understood only by the finer people It is 'incomprehensibe to the commoner mentality"
 
 always appreciate really fine work is because our taste has net hean cultivated t. Mentality and eapabity are not necessarily lacking Much music does not appeal to though later we may. be brought to understand its delights. Most of us do not at first appreciate the higher forms of tre drama. Sculpture somewhat different It is more tangible and lends itself less easily to con fusion except where subject is alegoricaI
 But, generally, great painting should De under stood by all It separates from the general con- fusion a definite form Of shows us its essence well its form is the inspired artist helping us to see. Such picture find under standing and reverence in every thoughtful person. however little he may know about art.
 It is net of "ffheness' or mentality at all The recognized masters have made them selves pretty well understood while futurists and some mediocre artists of even the conservative schools have not done They have el:cited the pretended admiration of artists and others who regard their admiration as a sacred offering to an unknown god
 Artists nave not been alone in compelling un- knowing tribute. A years ago the country, was filled with Browning Clubs now happily almost obsolete Every little village had one It was the supposed center of community culture The devotees went into ecstacies obscure and shadowy passages that they did not could never understand since some of them wore so elusive that tine great himself in after years confessed doubt to the meaning of the message he sought to convey.
 We slow. ploddng mortals may therefore take heart knowing that there is not much in art hidden from that is revealed to others Ere quently what small artists put upon canvas is like the language of old Man Baou one of Mark Twains characters secret between himself and the Almighty. And, doubt as in the case of Browning the secret sometimes rests alone with the Almighty.