Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-13
GIUSEPPE DONATE
On the Essence Of American Sculpture

On the Essence Of American Sculpture
CCULPTURE, like any Of the other fine
~ arts. must develop n distinct national
individuality, II 1t Is to take signihcant
position in the history Of art, says Giuseppe
Donate, Of tbs city, one Of the leading
American sculptors. .,'
Like everything else in these lines" said
Mr.. Donate. "the public is the final arbiter.
and that public should interest itself more
in the real expression of sculpture and in its
artistic treatment. in order better to educate
itself in the Interpretation of the emotions
and of the life Of today. On the other hand,
our sculptors should do the same thing In
the matter Of Interpretation, and not be
content to reproduce and fill American houses
with antique copies or relics of the Greco
Roman or Pompean periods.
"We today cannot live the life Of the
ancient Greeks or of the Romans 1t is true
that there have been many copies made.
because in the past they have found a liberal
market in this country. But we have our
own lives TO live. and Unless this life Is
reproduced In our fine arts there will be no
American art for the future. Art Is truly
universal, but to the universal expression
Of 1t must be added the individual and the
natiOnalistic note.
Outlook Good in America
1.-THE people of the United States are
taking yearly keener and more critically
Of the younger generation Of sculptors are
showing undOubted talent. 1t has not yet
reached what might be called climax,
because the people rs a whole have not yet
had sufficient opportunity to educate them
selves up to the point of appreciating sculp-
ture as part of art, to the degree, for
instance, with which they appreciate and
understand painting and decoration. And
this education is not technical one, but Is
simply closer communion with and an
understanding of the beauties of nature and
the harmonious impressions which are given
by it, Almost all that the technically
educated observer can say that the non
technician cannot is whether or not one
figure is modelled better than another. an
appreciation OF the modelling of surfaces and
exhibit some knowledge of form.
'TherefOre. do not see the necessity for
the public to be technically educated even IL
this were possible, in order to appreciate the
beauty Of fine sculpture. In viewing the
glories OF the pediment of the Parthenon or
the figures of Lorenzo and Giuliano de-
Medici, by Michael Angelo, with the asso. So
ciated figures of night and day and dawn
and crepuscO technique sinks into utter
oblivion In the majesty and beauty of the
works, and the same may be said of every
great art work in whatever medium. A
sculptor like Michael Angelo put the char
acteristic elements of mans whole life
into q single pose
"As a matter of fact. the public is at nil
times impressed by the message which n
figure or Il group conveys. A technical
knowledge IL valuable to the student. but is
not necessary to public appreciation.
Is Less Easily Understood
"At the same time, it is undcniable that
sculpture is less easily understood than
many OF the other fine arts. In painting,
for example, the use of colors charms the
eyes and plenses the senses as music often
has the same effect upon the ear regardless
Of the ideas expressed by the creator of tho
work But sculpture Is plain form. and
unless the expression of the idea is ami :
mated by something behind it, it becomes
merely an imitation of form and therefore
does not attract either the mind or the eve.
but great pieces of sculpture have far
more than mere form, and they have thr
power to move the minds of men nrns
foundly. Take, for example, the ease Of
| the man who was SO overwrought hv thc
| plaster cast of Robins THE Thinker,
| when II was exhibited in front of the Pan :
| the0n In Paris that he broke II TO bits
! And this was not done in q spirIt of van
dalism. Intense emotions are also arouse
by Mchac, Ange'o's figure 'The slave n,
Robins THE Aye of Brass. "
'Hut in works like these we Gnl No,
| form. but srcerf IN form. II is anpirprt RI
every rcrSon Cf scn'ihi'i.icS who secs thc,n.
although to do ii the sculptor must trans.
late those secrets of Nature which ara
} visible to the, physical eye in. such. q