ARNOLD RONNEBECK
435 CLERMONT ST.
DENVER COLORADO.

Editor, The Rocky Mountain News.

Editor:

As a former pupil of the great sculptor
Aristide Maillol, with whom I studied for three years
in Paris, I should like to comment on the article
"Art, Morality, Clash at D.U." (Rocky Mountain News,
March 7, 1941.)

I resent its sensational, utterly vulgar
and most unignified style, unworthy of the high stand-
ard of the Rocky Mountain News, which covers the plastic
and allied arts in such a distinguished manner in Miss
Alberta Pikes "Books, Music and Arts" page every Sunday.

To all who take art seriously such an
attitude towards an immortal work must be most offensive.

It undermines the culturally educational efforts which
are constantly being made by universities, museums, art
schools, Women's Clubs and public schools. It reflects
in a most unfavorable and destructive way on the gen-
eral cultural level of the West.

As to the facts, it is true that I was
responsible for the purchase of this magnificent bronze.
The statue, photographed from three different sides was
reproduced Nov. 28, 1926 in the Rocky Mountain News, with
an accompanying article by me. It is likewise true that
Mr. Joe Hare, Librarian, is responsible for its temporary
placing in the Renaissance Room of the Mary Reed Library.
As far as this replacing goes I should like to remind those
who object to it that hundreds of churches in Italy, start-
ing with St. Peters in Rome, have nude figures of genii
placed close to the altar. Rubens' innumerable religious
paintings are full of nudes. Think of Michelangelo's
ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Indeed one could write
a book entitled "Nudity in the Church"

Mr. Joe Hare acted wisely when he placed
Maillol's statue where it stands: in order to understand
and appreciate fully the beauty of a free standing piece
of sculpture one must be able to walk around it.

As to objections on moral grounds on the
part of some students and even members of the faculty
I must express grave doubts concerning the truth of this
statement. As professor of sculpture in the Art Depart-
ment of D.U. I have frequently lectured on art in the

Mary Reed Library room, and in the Chapel on the Campus.
(Incidentally at one time I gave a talk on my great
teacher Maillol) Each time I was detained after the
lecture for at least an hour by intelligent questions
from the students. These questions proved their seriousness and their eagerness to know more about art than I
could possibly tell them in forty five minutes. The
students attitude towards the everlasting contributions
of art and culture is not an attitude of frivolity, it
is one of earnest respect.

The collaboration between the University
of Denver and the Denver Art Museum should be warmly
welcomed by all those who are conscious of the fact
that we must give our growing generation an education
and background of the widest scope,-- today more than
ever.

Arnold Ronnebeck

March 9th '41

435 Clermont Street