The New York herald., 1922-01-15

41dHy.
A LTHOUGH the PENNSYLVANIA
"A Academy of the Fine Arts is
- more than one hundred years
old and our own National Academy
of Design is within six years of a
century of existence, it can hardly
be said that American art is a real
part of the life of the people Hun
dreds of artists and laymen have tried
70 solve the problem presented by this
condition of affairs. and few of them
would admit that they saw any light
on its solution. The annual reports
Of the best known art museums of the
country usually contain an official la
ment over the failure of urban people
TO appreciate the treasures of these
institutions. And the figures of the
attendance for the year always ac-
centuate this plant.
The publication of Mrs. Burnet's
comprehensive history of the art and
artists of Indiana points to both a
weakness in American art history and
a possible first step in the solution of
this problem of bringing art into
closer relation to the people of the
United States. Any one who has made
a study of the development of Ameri-
can art has been presented with the
paucity of the material available for
his work. What art stories we have
are usually centered in New York. and
Philadelphia, almost no attention be-
ing paid to it's westward growth. And
thic in cY1it IF 10 N
West has been a lavish patron of
American artists through individuals
and through its many art museums.
This history of Indiana art may
forge the first link in chain of such
works that may spread across the
continent and enable the student of
American art to gain a knowledge of
it's progress now almost denied him.
If so ii will have served a very great
purpose. Moreover, by inculcating
pride in local art it may engender just
that spirit of more intimate relation
between art and our daily life which
now is almost totally lacking among
us. Either of these missions would be
a signal accomplishment. But If the
last one was achieved Mrs. Burnet
would have good reason to be proud
Of her missionary work. These broader
elements aside, she has produced a
history of her own State that will be
the authoritative work in that field
for many years to come.
THE history of art in Indiana" she |
writes, "is but the history of art in
every other State in the Union; that
of slow development, small encourage
ment, and slight appreciation on the
part of the preoccupied public" She
tells of the itinerant portrait painters
who, when commissions failed them,
painted coaches and signs for living.
Her record of men who have left their
work behind them begins with Chris
topher Harrison, a Maryland man who
took to the Indiana wilderness through
an unhappy love affair and who with
out doubt was the first artist in In
DIANA this i'm the first two decades of
the last century. In 1920 Chester
Harding was practicing portrait paint
ing there and went into Kentucky, |
where, in addition to painting a por-
trait of Daniel Boone in six months, |
painted nearly one hundred portraits
at s25 each"
There is an extremely interesting /
chapter on New Harmony and it's |
foundation, which carried the spirit |
Of art and literature into Indiana and |
left an indelible and worthy mark be-
hind 1t, particularly in tie work of
that remarkable genius. Charles /
Lesueur. and in the popular pano-
ramic art, which originated In the |
work of John Banvard OF New Har-
mony Another chapter describes !
George Winter and his contemporaries /
Of the '40s and SOS. including De Scott \
Evans. Before this day one artist -ad-
vertised in addition to painting por-
traits that he would execute the fol- (
lowing kinds Of paintings In superior \
style: Signs for Public Houses Stores,
Shops or Regimental & Company Col
ours. together with all kinds of oil 4
gliding and fancy painting"
Separate chapters are devoted to
Jacob Cox and his Friends" to John .
Zove and the First Indiana Art
school" to William VI. Chase and
samuel Richards" and THE Hoosier
Group Of our own day The art as
sociations and art societies of the
state are included IN this history as
well as a who's Who" of Indiana
artists. lists Of art schools associa-
lions and clubs. and Indiana monu-
ments In addition 10 the complete
ness Of the text the volume Is adj
nirab1y Illustrated with reproductions
of early and contemporary paintings
ttat add much TO its interest and
value as permanent record