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Sixty Years' Memories of Art and Artists XIX . T0 be sure art here is in a state of transition, but we have better schools of training, and all the necessary preliminary, and even advanced work can be done here as well as any-where, and all these young men and women students can seek their inspiration direct from nature, and our life and manners without reference to foreign work, and thus gradually they will form a truly American school of art. This is what is most truly desirable and even very possible in the not very remote future. Leaving out of the question the influence of the impressionist school of art upon present methods, I think that influence will be ephemeral, although like many new and startling notions, it may modify existing ideas and lead to an advance. I jot down these ideas as they occur to me without sequence or order, as I would talk with a fellow student-for I consider myself one even at this late day-and as all artists will discuss theories of art and manners of work, and if I seem to have taken up the cudgels in defence of the older forms of art and artists it is because I have been so intimately associated with many of the leading men in art, and have known their qualities and aspirations, and from feeling too that the men of today know little of them, and are prone to ignore all that has gone by in past American art. It must be remembered, too, that but a few years ago the advantages of study were nothing in this country, and ambitious young men were obliged to go without a serious course of training. It was difficult to know what course to take, and when one arrived in Paris what he must do for his art education. A few studios were open to him to be sure, but modern French art was not known and esteemed at that time by Americans or Englishmen. In fact it was not then what it has become today. Millet, Corot, Rousseau, Troyon, Diaz and Daubigny and other great men were unknown or ignored at that time. It is true that a famous awakening was going on, and all the elements of the great new school existed, and were seething, but the French themselves did not travel much more than outside barbarians. English artists were insular, and thought nothing could be tolerable outside of England or this side of the old masters, and thus there seemed nothing better to do than to turn to these masters of the olden time for help and study. And, why not? They were certainly far above all the efforts of the moderns. If with this study of the ancients, an honest training of the eye in drawing could have been had all would have been well, but the young student then in Paris did not know that, and with but a superficial knowledge of form he struggled to penetrate the mystery of the coloring of Titian, Correggio or Rubens with more or less success. The strong point was color without much knowledge of design or composition. I know I shall weary the reader with all these details of what was done in the past, and I only touch upon it to show what almost insurmountable obstacles the American student of earlier days had to contend with, as compared with the advantages offered now. Our country has made immense strides in wealth and material greatness, but in that strife art has been Pushed aside by the unthinking as of no Material value, when in truth by fostering care and government aid it might become one of the greatest sources of national greatness and pride. Art in this country should become American. Students should shake off the shackles and fetters of French and German art, and paint no more reproductions of foreign works, which, however skillfully done, can not have half the value of the originals. Then they could go seriously to work, study our own beautiful scenery, our manners, our customs, our history. Then we could have a national gallery in time, such as would add dignity and renown to our country, and give us honor in the eyes of the older nations. Congress might in time be liberal enough to vote money to begin such a work, and once well begun, such a scheme could not fail of success. All the states of Europe have done it, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, England, Italy and Spain. Look at the gallery at Versailles ! with its almost miles of paintings and statuary, representing the history of France from the remotest time down to the present day, and dedicated " a toutes les gloires de France." Then look at the gallery of the Luxembourg! where the government collects slowly, year after year, the choicest works culled from the exhibition, works of rising young men and women, who have a future, and who are willing to receive the mediocre price paid for the honor of having a work placed in such a distinguished position. England has its National Gallery of great interest, but the government has never fostered art as have their neighbors across the Channel, and, perhaps, in consequence of this very neglect art has never reached so high a standard there. We have followed too much in the same line of action and thought so far, but some day we shall learn the lesson better than the mother country has, and so gain honor and renown. I wish I had an eloquent pen and persuasive manner of putting down this idea that the government should take such a departure, for I feel that it would stimulate artists to make greater efforts to be Americans, and paint American life and manner and history. American illustration of today has made immense strides in the right direction. Stories and history have been illustrated in a truly miraculous manner, showing what might be done if the suggestion and idea contained in these illustrations could be carried to completion on a larger scale and in truthful colors. These drawings prove that there is talent and skill enough to consummate such a task, and I feel that in the not remote future it will be done, and that works will be painted of national importance, and worthy to be placed in our national gallery of the future. Before many years our wise legislators will see that for the glory and honor of their own great republic such a thing must be done. Then, in later times, pilgrimages will be made as to the older shrines of art in other lands. We are comparatively a young nation, though rich and powerful, but we can still learn much from the older civilization. |
