El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-05

f,,HE world picture OF The Immac-
/ maculate Conception" IS a eompo-
sition that came from q comparatively
new school az painting. the spanish
Unlike the art Of italy, which reached
its height after centuries OF slow de-
velopment, the art Of Spain seemed
to spring up full grown, and pro-
duced al once its finest painters, sec
ond only % the masters OF Italy Its
school Is. 50 peculiar and national In
its characteristics that 10 IS easily rec
ogniZed. The studies are mostly OF
the peasantrys portraits o. spanish
grandees and religious su1lec-s. OF
the biblical scenes the artists Of
Spain had great enthusiasm
But their poetic fervOr was restrict
ed by the 1nQuisition, for the church
has held fun sway over the art OF
spain, and the spanish people gladly
acceded TO as authority IL was q
body OF men who tried all cases OF
heresy and other offenses against
the church. This group OF Catholics
was appointed by the king and was
political as well as an ecclesiastica al
Institution. II barred out everything
that didn't accord with Catholicism
AT the time when the Inquisltion
flourished, persecution for heresy was
a universal practice amongst all
Christian peoples. and the methods
Of punishment inflicted were general
throughout Europe. Protestant Eng
lard prosecuted as harshly and Wig
orously as Catholic Spain and IN both
countries. denial Of the state religion
was equivalent 20 treason.
The Inquisitiou Period
The Inquisiti0u regulated the do
nestle as well as the public concerns
Of the Spaniards, and had its own
idea OF the mission and limits OF art
and took lt upon itself 70 sec that
such mission should be carried out
The instruction OF the masses was
considered its first object Tor the
learned and the lettered," says a
Spanish author. written knowledge
may suffice; but for the ignorant
what master Is Ike painting They
may read their duty in a picture. al
though they cannot search for Il in
books"
For this reason the life Of Christ
and OF the saints, and many scenes
from the life OF the Virgin we're de-
picted- Praying and devoted monks
met with great popularity. All pic
lures were extremely modest No
loosely robed Madonna vas ever al
lowed 20 come before the public. II
was strictly forbidden that the feet
o. the Virgin should be bare. and
even Murilio did not dare 10 violate
this rule, but he avoided the COM
mOnness OF shoes by coucealing the
feet OF the Virgin in clouds or drap-
cry. The penalty for disobedisncs in
such matters was accommodation,
a fine OF 1900 ducats and a years eX-
lie An amusing incidence e related
OF how the punishment vas not se-
verely enforced IN the case OF a young
art student who pictured the Virgin
in wide hoped petticoat-
Painting DrRBery.
=.
Of these restrictions. Spanish artists
had a very limited knowledge Of an
atomy, but they developed an ease
and a certain gracefuiness in paint
ing drapery which became a special
Characteristic Of the school Many
questions and problems arose. for Of
ten the painters artistic taste con-
flicted with his religious training. In
this event the matter was considered
by the Iu0uisitinu and finally de-
clded by some artist or saint who
claimed 70 have had a divine commu-
uicariou concerning the question. In
one Instance, the problem came up
as TO whether the devil should be
represented with horns or not, but it
vas promptly settled By a vision
which is supposed 70 have come TO
ST. Teresa A tail was given the devil
because eevryone agreed that he
PROBABLY had one
Coming into the brilliant 18th cen
fury OF Snaln. We find Esteban No
rillo, Young boy OF a Door but re-
spectacle family. He vas born in
Seville, and the streets OF this city
were his first studio Too poor to
study IN the lines OF his talents he
used what little knowledEe he had
gained from a relation who was a
painter. and wandered about the mar
ket place. painting flower girls and
raEEed street boys. Wren his var
enrs died he was left alone without
support He IonFed 20 20 TO italy 10
study tbs works. OF the great masters
hut he had no money. For his will
there was q Wav. He bought a roll
of canvas. cut Go into squares. and
painted on these. attractive 1fadonnas
and saints BE then sold them
cheaply hut profitably 20 the cap
tains OF ships. who IN turn sold them
20 American traders for the newly
converted Inhabitants OF Mexico.
Goes TO Meet TelasqueE-
With this n-onev, the young Murilio
bean his journey by going 70 Mad
rid. where he introduced himself to