Evening star., 1924-02-28
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN


like the barkers at the circus, pro-
claim its present-day triumph in su-
perlattve terms, there Is little to
choose. Probably the former are the
least Objectionable, for, in any event,
they make LESS noise. Furthermore.
their statement can be controversies:
art is not dead and never will die so
long as man lives, but when art is
made fulsome and that which Is spu-
rtous is presented as pure gold 1t is
difficult to maintain. an honorable po-
sition. -
But the chances are that conditions
In this particular are not very differ
ent today from what they have been
all along. The thing Is that the past
face to face. Time weeds out the un-
worthy and Succeeding generations
fix relative values through concur
renee OF Judgment.
art in this twentieth century that are
peculiar to the time. International
ism, for instance. from the point or
View OF civilization greatly to be de-
injurious, for it's tendency is to do
away with differences. to cast all
more or less in the same mold, and 1t
is differences which have lent variety
ences. When we all come to dress
alike and live alike, have common
pleasures and common interests, we
shall think 4like to q great extent
and our art will be very similar. II
is today; 1t will be SO tomorrow. But,
as internationalism may give birth
to a higher civilization, so II may in
time bring forth a greater art ex-
preston.
There are other perils which con-
front twentieth century art. and these
are modern advertising and publicity
methods. Inherently art Is q modest
fiower; like charity, 1t does not fiaunt
itself nor behave in way which is
unseenly. An advertising artist is
an anomaly, something which cannot
exist. for no true artist would stoop
to advertise his wares. But the ways
Of progress are devious. and the In
1uence Of big business" Is subtle.
Royal Cortissoz in his Field OF
Art" in Scribner's Magazine, recently
told Of a young artist who went to
hitton. He was told that he could
not be given an exhibition until he
had attained reputation. But how.
could a reputation be attained unless
his workss In New York. at the
height Of the season, there are some
times as many as thirty or forty ex-
hibitions opeNing simultaneously.
! How are patrons to be found unless
exhibitions, as it were, from the
housetops?
To the average young painter pub
Lofty is the key to success; there
to obtain press notices 1t is quite nat
ural. Competition is sharp in this as
In other fields. and as art is not sub
sidized. it is question often Of
making living.
But there was competition. and
sharp competition. IN the days Of
Michaelangelo and Raphael. and not
unusual was It then to have influence
brought to bear to- secure favorite
painters: commissions. There was
competition in the days OF Sir Joshua
Reynolds, Lawrence and Raeburn; in
fact, it will be recalled that when
Raeburn thought of going to London
and opening studio Sir Thomas
Lawrence wrote him that there was
no room in London for another por-
| trait painter, and that he had much
| better stay in dtnhurgh-which he
did.
A certain amount OF competition is
healthy. but if II is carried too far,
like many virtues. 1t becomes hurtful.
The artist who is too much engrossed
rin getting his1or her work before the
to sacriace quality and TO lose .nne-.
pendence Of viewpoint.
X X \
But II the living conditions and the
atmosphere OF the present day are not
altogether propitious to the prpduc-
tion of art. what is its effect upon the
general public in the matter of ap-
precistion? 1t is commonly agreed
by authorities that to fully enter into
the spirit Of art one must have calm
mind and. a reasonable amount of
leisure. How many among US, today
can lay claim to either of these valu-
able possessions? Life is so full, so
hurried, SO exciting.
II is said that the conductor OF one
Of our great orchestras complained
one time because a subscriber came to
an afternoon concert with bundles,
apparently acquired on shopping ex-
pedition. He contended that no one
could properly. appreciate the music
Of an orchestra when turning SO ab-
ruptly from other thing ngs-sandwich
ing q concert, as it were, between the
pretty extreme view, but, in meas
ure, as Washingtonians, who have
most of their concerts immediately
upon the conclusion of working hours.
will testify, 1T is not altogether, incor-
rect. 1t. is difficult TO adjust ones
thought from, an absorbing occupa-
tion to intellectual recreation. and
this Is what art at its best provides
and is.
eyfanf is toward law
thinking. Comparatively few realize
the: meaning of having fun with ones
mind. So much thinking is done Tor
| us that we almost cease to think
Of our intellectual pleasure is OF
passive rather than am active sort
Art undoubtedly makes appeal to the
senses as we'll as the Intellect; 1t
seeing seeing recently for the first time the
statue of Grant in this city. was
moved to tears. The power to so
move the acutely sensitive ana sym
pathetic is a test of great art, put
art which appeals only to the. emo
tions is Of a purely ephemeral sort.
X X x x
+ The question has been asked what
place art has in the lives Of the
American people today. This is a
difficult question to answer, even by
those who have given the matter CON-
siderable study. Undoubtedly ''exhi-
billions Of paintings and sculpture do
not rival in interest professional
base ball or intercollegiate foot ball,
but the Chicago Art Institute has a
record attendance of approximately
one million a year; the attendance at
the METROPOLITAN Museum in New
York is still greater, and in some of
the smaller cities when exhibitions
Of paintings and sculpture are held
the attendance in proportion to the
population is still larger. a well