Evening star., 1923-03-22
The North Window
ny LEILA MECHLIN.


it's occasional journal. This society
has as its object the prevention OF
disfgurement Of town and country
by advertising signs. painted or post
ed, it matters not. 1t was organized
in 1898 and the distinguished artist,
Albert Waterhouse, was one OF It's
first presidents. Through its instru-
mentality in 1907 parliament adopted
an act regulating boardings over
twelve feet in height, and since then
other bills of a restrictive nature
have become laws The beautiful lake
district of England is thus protected
against despoilment. In most IN
stances regulations or prohlDltory
measures have been legalized Dy tne
local governments-count counclis
and the like-which effectively puts
a stop to the nuisance.
The fact is that outdoor advertis-
ing has and does still menace the
beauty of cities, towns and rural dis
tricts In Europe as we1i as In amer
ca, and though in some instances the
commercial posters OF Italy, france
and England are superior 10 our
American posters, they can, misplaced,
be quite as offensive as those or less
artistic merit. France regulates OUT
door advertising by taxation, but has
not succeeded in eliminating IL, ana
in some of the French rural districts
painted signs have become an oHense
to the eye.
In no country has this form or ad-
vertising been carried to such an ex-
tent or taken on so menacing an
aspect as in the United States. and
it is difficult to know to what extent
it may be carried unless public opin-
ion Wills to the contrary AS Brit
ish architectural magazine declares:
$50 long as it is possible to display
advertisements in prominent posi-
tions the rivaly of commercial nrms
renders 1t unwise for one firm to re-
main unrepresented while its rival
shouts to the passing pedestrian or
railway traveller. If one nrm OF
mustard makers advertises, it's rival
cannot afford not to- and this though
both may regret the money which
has to be spent in making the world
hideous." And here's the pity Of it!
The posters displayed on bllboards
are by no means bad: some are ex
ceedingly handsome. really works of
art; but very few, in conjunction with
nature, add to the beauty of land
scape. OF course, the architects and /
city builders complain of the dtsf1g-
urement of advertising signs-and
possible to relate outdoor advertising
to city life in such a way that 1t is
not offensive. 1t is not possible to
bring it into relationship with land
scape, so far as any one as yet has
been able to discover. A conspicu-
Gus instance is An advertising sign
set on an island or peninsula in the
Susequehanna river, to be read and
reread by those going by railroad
from Washington to New York. The
,a,,sIr NNfvl,r hrrf
intrudes upon the vista, it spoils the
picture.
A distinguished lecturer on lttera-
ture declared in a recent lecture given
in this city that the average indi-
vidual was more sensitive to beauty
in art than in nature, but it is the
conviction Of the writer that he was
wrong and that among our. American
people the majority are appreciative
of beauty in nature. whereas only the
few recognize and delight in 1T In
art In witness to the widespread
appreciation of beauty In nature
among Americans may be quoted the
number of persons who yearly visit
our great national parks. According
to the latest figures, over million
tourists visited these parks In the
summer Of 1922. approximately SO0,-
600 going by train. over 100000 by
motor.
OF course there are those whose
eyes have not been opened to the
beauty of landscape which is close
at hand and familiar. The man who
ran pa ssenger boat on a picturesque
canal. being told by a traveller that
it must be a great privilege to spend
his days amid such charming
scenery. replied: Scenery. Where's
any scenery? I amt seen none
around these parts But that same
man would probably have stood in
awe and admiration before Niagara
1t is true that at Atlantic City the
benches on the boardwalk are turn
ed with their backs to the ocean. but
Nice: vet II is the beauty of the ocean
which draws many visitors to both of
these resorts. 1t is the beauty in
nature which gives the inspiration
for art. and it is. in turn, the truth
OF the artists Interpretation of ma
ture which lends art its real value.
This fact has been delightfully."- set
forth and elucidated by John w.
Beatty. director emeritus of the de-
partment of fine arts of the earn egie
entitled "The Relation OF Art to Ma
ture," just issued by the press of
William Rudge, New York. Mr..
Beatty, who is himself a painter OF
landscapes. claims that the art Of the
painter and sculptor is initiative, not
creative: that the great masterpieces
Of art which have withstood the test
Of time rest firmly upon the supreme
expression Of character and beauty
found dn nature. and that 1t Is the mis-
sion of art to reveal and make plain
these rare and lovely qualities In sup
port of his argument. he qnetes Michael
Angelo. Albert Durer, Leonardo da
vinci. Hogarth. Reynolds. Constable.
Gilbert Stuart, Corot. Millet, Whistler,
Abbott Thayer. Winslow Homer. La
Fargo, and the great sculptor, Rodin-
splendid procession Of towering
figures.
Mr.. Beattys contention is not, as
some may misunderstood, that the
artist initiates, nature to the decep-
tion Of man, but that he strives to
copy it in its every mood with the
utmost truth and sincerity. He re-
calls asking Winslow Homer If in
painting nature he ever took the lib
erty of modifying the color. Of chang
sake Of effect, and the reply he re-
ceived was: Never, never. When I
have selected the thing carefully I
paint 1t exactly as 1t appears" Mr..
paint everything nor anything one
saw, but must wait, and wait pa
tiently for a particular effect and
must have sense enough to know it
when 1t arrived. In other words that
the artists business was selection as
we'll as transcription: that he must
perceive beauty in composition, in
color, in arrangement, and have the
ability to truthfully set it forth. Alb
bott Thayer said: ITO the artist see
ing is the ll-important'thing.
He discovers beautiful and har-
monious colors in nature which were
unseen at first. He realizes the ex-
quisite grace of line to be found on
every hand, but unperceived before
the movement, charm and beauty Of
natural forms. New beauties are re-