New-York tribune., 1921-03-26
Cold Shoulder to Artists
American Talent Blighted by Lack
of Encouragement


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your timely editorial "Helpine
Art Students" will receive the hearty
Endorsement Of all who desire Ameri-
can expression in art. Not that origi-
naiity, strength and virility are lacking
in the works Of young native artists,
but too often these qualities are ex-
pressed in language other than Amer
can. If this is true Of painting it IL
pathetically true Of national crafts
manship.
Perhaps because We are always in .
hurry in America we have been content
to import or reproduce the self ex-
preston of more leisurely races. As q
direct result the natural effervescing
fount OF expression in a young and
virile race has become Theoretically
sealed.
This condition has been further ar-
gravated by a curious national sian. on
matters artistic. We have only to
turn the pages of history to find the
high rank automatically accorded to
the painters, architects and ebenistes
of the French court and the men who
made possible the Renaissance in Eng
land. This circumstance without doubt
reacted strongly on the artistic tenn
pefament, always keenly sensitive to
any slight.
The result was those priceless works
of art the value of which cannot be
computed in dollars and cents because
they represent nothing less than the
soul of their creator. Art craftsman
ship truly representative of the Ameri-
can people cannot exist until there Is
removed for all time that invisible bar
rier which does in the large majority
Of cases exist between patron and
craftsman.
tinually confined to the mental environ
ment of First Avenue artistic gems to
grace the palaces of upper Fifth Ave-
nue..
We seem obsessed with the idea that
artists are something to be tolerated.
rather than the gods Of the race, car
rying the golden torch that will hand
down to future generations the art Of
our time.
The keen insight of Gertrude Ather-
ton has aptly portrayed this condition.
She says in Sisters in Law.
"Those people who think themselves
so much above US look upon authors
and artists as about on a level with
the working class.
Their fancicd distastc for people en-
gagged in any Of the art careers, with
whom they practically never como in
contact, by the way,sis partly an in
stinctive distaste Of anything they can
not do themselves and partly because
they have an Elizabethan idea that all
artists are common and have offensive
manners"
Abundant proof is at hand to prove
our singular native viewpoint. Two
years ago a well known illustrator
sketching just of Fifth Avenue was
arresteo, taken TO court and fined Tor
causing crowd to gather! And now
this week we have the amusing discus
sion regarding the exhibition Of cer.
tain Nude ctatue.
In the Metropolitan Museum there 10
a Cellini cup, beautiful enough to re-
Fay dozen visits, even if the museum
held no other treasure5. Here Is pre-
served for US the perfect expression
OF beauty-loving people. Above all,
1t is~the work Of q super-craftsman, un-
trammeled and unfettered in soul, .
man whose many crimes were tolerated
because Of his marvellous ability to
create beautiful things
VICTORIA WILLIAMSON.
New York, March 2s, 1921.