The New York herald., 1921-02-27

viction that there is something more in
art or In being an artist, than the mere
making of pictures which some juries
will accept and some persons will buy?
do you ever wish. down in your
heart, that something could be done TO
check the success of the present over
whelming output Of insincere. inane
pretty pictures and TO encourage the
production and general appreciation Of
the work of true artists?
"If you do take art more or less seri-
ously. and If you are more or less dis
satisfied with present conditions, this
letter Will interest you.
'Purpose.-Be Believing that frank ex-
preston Of ones true opinion may be of
some benefit--and can at least do not
harm-the writer OF this letter will at
tempt to give an honest and. moreover,
logical estimate of the artistic status of
the Chicago artists and their work now
on exhibition-as a whole and individu-
ally-by the application of the simplest
and most universal principles which
have in all ages everywhere been agreed
upon as those which distinguish the
work of the true or creative artist from
that of the mere artisan, workman.
craftsman or technician.
principles for Artistic Criticism
How do we find these principles? BY
carefully stuyding those who are ac-
knowledged to be the great artists Of
all times-the classic, old. present and
modern masters. Not by comparing
the work of each with our work, but by
examining the attitude OF each master
toward his own work. Studied in this
light we find that. no matter how differ
ent these masters work was from each
others or from our own. the character
Of their attitude Is in certain points alb
solutely uniform-and it is these points
or qualities which separate them as true
artists. who are remembered and hon
ored. from the thousands of contem-
porary men who used the same mate
rials. the same subjects and perhaps
had the same amount Of slill-in other
words the mere craftsmen-who are
now forgotten.
'"rhe qualities which distinguish the
artist are perhaps intangible but never
theless perfectly apparent. They arc:
81. Persona!ity-Every great artist
expressed himself in a way OF his own
and never initiated or adopted (though
perhaps he adapted) that of another.
No mere copy or representation Of ma
ture. however perfect. has ever been
considered a work of art only when in
terpreted through the Individual view
point of the artist did it become one.
"2 Intensity-A real work OF art IS
only produced through n supreme con-
centration Of thought or OF feeling. or
both. The most skilful Workmanship
directed by q mere now will make a
picture never produced n work of art
The true artist is always enthusiastic
In his work.
"3. Sympathy: the true artist always
has synpathy-he Is strongly Interested
in either his subject or his picture. 1t
is this quality which furnishes the bond
between the artist and his public in
terms OF mutual human emotions and
intelligence.
after Judging this exhibition by ap-
plying only the criterion of the above
principles ! sm forced to the conclusion
that taken as a whole. this show indi-
Gates very low condition Of artistic
ability, appreciation and honesty In Chi
cago. The artistic attitude is rare ex-
cept in small incomplete amounts. In
stead Of personality, we find cleverness;
instead OF Intensity we find apathy.
There Is almost no trace OF enthusiasm,
except to win prizes or sell pictures. and
there is evidence of very low artistic
standard, with no apparent effort upon
the part Of any one TO understand the
causes of attempt to remedy the condi-
ton
Let us take the different points UP
one at a time. First as to technical skill.
sometimes wonder II our artists ever
take the trouble TO candidly compare
their own work in this respect not only
with that OF the masters. which they can
SEQ any time in the institute. but with
the average OF any OF the travelling ex-
hibitions that are shown here from time
to time. II they do. can they not see
that from every angle their own worh
liz very inferior?
Most glaringly is this true in regard
to drawing. How many artists in Chi
cago can draw? Almost none OF the pro-
fessional picture painters-but they
usually have the good sense TO disguise
II by painting pretty landscapes and
such things which do not require any
draughtsmanshlp. The average maga-
zine illustrator or commercial artist
could put IL all over the average OF
this show in drawing.
There IS no space and no necessity 10
reprint all OF the 'dishOnorable mentions
Of the Open Letter Writer, but one OF
two, without the names, VIII snow theH
flavor:
"Of prize winning picture he says:
Most fragrant example OF success
obtained through lack OF artistic con-
science, both on his own part and that
OF the public Has neither merit nor
ability. technical or artistic. other than
that he paints "A sentimental subject
which will always sell under existing
conditions. His drawing, color. compo-
sition and technique can only be char
acterized as hopeless
"of juryman Shows much more
personality and art than most, but un-
fortunately his pictures give an impress
sion OF trivlality'
"Of another juryman; one OF the
most diluted and denuded OF the Inn
pretty landscape" painters.
Technically mediocre In every respect
After about sixty such generalizations
the Open Letter Writer concludes:
Are not these criticisms just and
logical? At least, I have honestly tried
to make them so. What docs this
analysis prove? OF course. IL proves
what we all know. that there are very
few artists in Chicago OF more than
mediocre merit (less than one-fourth In
our FIRST two lists showed even troco
n. A