Evening star., 1922-11-05

NICTURES nave several reasons
- for being. Many people. how
ever, believe that pictures
sole mission in life is to depict
life so truly and naturally that one
may fairly smell the roses. hear the
birds sing and the brook ripple. If
picture doesn't do this it is rather
conten4ptuously discarded as the prod
uct of some queer artist. AS mat
ter of fact, no human skill can re-
produce the perfection of nature. and
an artist should not be judged so
much by the realism with which he
reproduces the colors and forms of
nature AS by the decorative or poetic
idea he expresses by his appeal to our
emotions and our imaginations, rather
than simply to our intellects.
Pictures are selected and hung on
our walls for one of three reasons:
First, because of their decorative
value: second. because of their appeal
to our emotions, and third. because OF
some sentimental association. In the
first classification are most OF the
landscapes, showing the many phases
of nature, in the grandeur of the
mountains. charming bits OF farm
ldEU, rnc restless tdSClldllCL VI liic
sea. Thes. not only bring the big
out of-doors into the home, but. with
their color balance and line. have
distinct decorative value. So. also, do
the fine prints and paintings of the
famous temples and cathedrals of the
old world-the finest examples OF the
worlds architecture. Many of the
works of the old masters, even when
the human figure is depicted. are more
purely decorative and poetical than
emotional. OF course. mural paint
iugS and wall tapestries also belong
in this class.
The pictures which appeal to our
emotions tell Il story. They deal with
som. incident of human experience.
They stir Us because they awaken
memory or bring back an old thrill
or they express more clearly than
words can a simple episode common
to the lives IF us all. They may ap-
peal to our higher natures or just
the reverse. These are the pictures
We cherish and never forget
While from an artistic standpoint
they would not qualify, still there
are not many of US who do not have
our own little private collection Of
photographs and pictures Of places
we have visited. of friends we have
known. These mean much to US. but
very little to any one else. and it Is
right here that SO many make a mis-
take. Because these associations
mean much to the owner. he covers
his walls with them. be they little or
big. good. bad or Indifferent 1t is
like boring a kind friend with the
recital Of all the petty detaius Of
ones daily existence. It would seem.
then. that the place for such pictures
would be ones private sanctum. or.
better still. an album which could be
brought out upon occasion.
The selection of picture or group
of pictures for a room Is no small
task. One naturally and rightly
wishes to express his own preference.
and yet the character Of the room
must be considered, the colcring. the
size and scale of the wall space
where it is to go. and, in general, the
character Of the other pictures in the
room. 1t doesn't require much
thought TO know that a fine sepia
print of the Parthenon would be en-
tirely too dignified and severe for a
French drawing room. but would be-
come an inherent part of library
paneled In oak. Nor would ore with
any discrimination group such type