New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-11
10 the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Too much war discussion, too much
Of passing politics and no one seems to heed
such quiet appeal as that lately made by
the Art Museum of our city for fund for
the purpose of keeping up its conditions MT
tingly. Where is the privilege of neutrals,
Of our freedom from care, if we become abb
sorbed in the abnormal state of affairs
abroad. or in our own current problems of
whatever Importance they might be! Let
us sometimes glance at the peaceful world
Of art. let US have little chat on the Chi
nese side of il.
One cause for the reawakened interest
the old art Of China. not only from the
auasi-archaological but the aesthetic point of
view, is the recent occasional appearance OF
some long hidden rare piece, brought over
from the land that long ago reached its
zenith. That almost without exception the
older and rarer is specimen the more 1t Is
valued, not only for its rarity, but its innate
character its workmanship, is the charac-
teristic of Chinese art. In other words, we
ind that what is most valued now in Chinese
art ia the same quality that was most valued
in the remotest ages.
Long before Confucanism and Buddhism
ces sed their beneficial influence on the spirit
ual life of this once great people. that classic
literature hourished which may be put be-
side or even above that of Greece or Rome,
not only in form, but in profoundness OF
thought and lucidity of sentiment. Since the
form of expression of the human mind is not
necessarily confined to letters only, we find
the sphere of art in that country equally
astounding. The correspondence Of the tone
or the symbolic character of the one sphere
- l.. g H. al ic efr,nlv aIpnirah lo
In the same way as the Orientals still take
their highest and unchangng delight in the
old Chinese writings, so do the Occidentals
turn with ever-increasing knowledge and APP
probation TO ancient Chinese art. But
though the antiquity of specimen is guide
to its value, that antiquity is not always easy
10 Judge. The commercialsm of China
caused her civilization to degenerate, and
objects are sometimes faxed in such a man
ner as to deceive an expert. Sometimes
Chinese expert in his own country can no
mere be certain that piece Is genuine than
fisherman can be certain that tomorrow
will be as fine as to-day This is especially
the case with limitations of pictorial art and
figures Of moulded clay. both lending
themselves TO imitation Happily it is harder
20 deceive in the case of pottery and porce-
lain. Nay, the high quality Of the speci-
mons of these arts that remain with us
makes fake or close imitation impossible.
They are the crystals of the devotion Of
early ages, the triumph of their skill in re-
vealing unseen beauty, of transferring II to
visible and earthly elements. Science has
advanced, but no science has discovered the
secret that the craftsmen of ancient China
learned in producing these masterpieces. In
contrast to the mere dexterity, the vain
Celebrations, the heightened coloring that
one sees in later Chinese art. the early works
display the very quintessence of that spirit
which inspires. creates the finest human
taste, as they display in their form purity
Joined with elegance, simplicity with pro-
fundity. an increasingly high grade of reali-
cation according as they go back in time
On the other hand, the faxed copies of pic
toral art and of clay moulding cannot be
easily detected by those who either lack in
innate acquaintance with the early originals
or lack the power of aesthetic observation
Sculptures in stone. however, almost always
represented by Buddha and Kuan-Yn, defy.
with certain exceptions, such uncertainty and
keep their sanctity simply because CONNER
cialism deals only with tradable articles and
this art was till recently exempt from trade.
But. OH the whole. no matter VIVA. injury
commercialism has done TO the art by pro-
ducing these fakes, the real. the experienced
expert can distinguish them from the genuine
pieces as an experienced cashier can distin-
qush between real and spurious coins. And
the more so, ms one most significant peculiar
ity Of the specimens OF the old Chinese art
in existence is that only masterpieces exist;
they are already the selected specimens of
bygone ages. In pottery, in porcelain, one in
dvdual piece that remains represents one
success, one perfectng of tho idea out OF
ninety-nine that were but half successes or