essays and lectures-第20章

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to　vanish　in　the　distance。　　One　feels　neither　safe　nor　comfortable

under　such　conditions。　　In　fact；　I　did　not　find　in　the　art　schools

of　the　country　that　the　difference　was　explained　between　decorative

and　imaginative　art。



The　conditions　of　art　should　be　simple。　　A　great　deal　more　depends

upon　the　heart　than　upon　the　head。　　Appreciation　of　art　is　not

secured　by　any　elaborate　scheme　of　learning。　　Art　requires　a　good

healthy　atmosphere。　　The　motives　for　art　are　still　around　about　us

as　they　were　round　about　the　ancients。　　And　the　subjects　are　also

easily　found　by　the　earnest　sculptor　and　the　painter。　　Nothing　is

more　picturesque　and　graceful　than　a　man　at　work。　　The　artist　who

goes　to　the　children's　playground；　watches　them　at　their　sport　and

sees　the　boy　stoop　to　tie　his　shoe；　will　find　the　same　themes　that

engaged　the　attention　of　the　ancient　Greeks；　and　such　observation

and　the　illustrations　which　follow　will　do　much　to　correct　that

foolish　impression　that　mental　and　physical　beauty　are　always

divorced。



To　you；　more　than　perhaps　to　any　other　country；　has　Nature　been

generous　in　furnishing　material　for　art　workers　to　work　in。　　You

have　marble　quarries　where　the　stone　is　more　beautiful　in　colour

than　any　the　Greeks　ever　had　for　their　beautiful　work；　and　yet　day

after　day　I　am　confronted　with　the　great　building　of　some　stupid

man　who　has　used　the　beautiful　material　as　if　it　were　not　precious

almost　beyond　speech。　　Marble　should　not　be　used　save　by　noble

workmen。　　There　is　nothing　which　gave　me　a　greater　sense　of

barrenness　in　travelling　through　the　country　than　the　entire

absence　of　wood　carving　on　your　houses。　　Wood　carving　is　the

simplest　of　the　decorative　arts。　　In　Switzerland　the　little

barefooted　boy　beautifies　the　porch　of　his　father's　house　with

examples　of　skill　in　this　direction。　　Why　should　not　American　boys

do　a　great　deal　more　and　better　than　Swiss　boys？



There　is　nothing　to　my　mind　more　coarse　in　conception　and　more

vulgar　in　execution　than　modern　jewellery。　　This　is　something　that

can　easily　be　corrected。　　Something　better　should　be　made　out　of

the　beautiful　gold　which　is　stored　up　in　your　mountain　hollows　and

strewn　along　your　river　beds。　　When　I　was　at　Leadville　and

reflected　that　all　the　shining　silver　that　I　saw　coming　from　the

mines　would　be　made　into　ugly　dollars；　it　made　me　sad。　　It　should

be　made　into　something　more　permanent。　　The　golden　gates　at

Florence　are　as　beautiful　to…day　as　when　Michael　Angelo　saw　them。



We　should　see　more　of　the　workman　than　we　do。　　We　should　not　be

content　to　have　the　salesman　stand　between　us　…　the　salesman　who

knows　nothing　of　what　he　is　selling　save　that　he　is　charging　a

great　deal　too　much　for　it。　　And　watching　the　workman　will　teach

that　most　important　lesson　…　the　nobility　of　all　rational

workmanship。



I　said　in　my　last　lecture　that　art　would　create　a　new　brotherhood

among　men　by　furnishing　a　universal　language。　　I　said　that　under

its　beneficent　influences　war　might　pass　away。　　Thinking　this；　what

place　can　I　ascribe　to　art　in　our　education？　　If　children　grow　up

among　all　fair　and　lovely　things；　they　will　grow　to　love　beauty　and

detest　ugliness　before　they　know　the　reason　why。　　If　you　go　into　a

house　where　everything　is　coarse；　you　find　things　chipped　and

broken　and　unsightly。　　Nobody　exercises　any　care。　　If　everything　is

dainty　and　delicate；　gentleness　and　refinement　of　manner　are

unconsciously　acquired。　　When　I　was　in　San　Francisco　I　used　to

visit　the　Chinese　Quarter　frequently。　　There　I　used　to　watch　a


great　hulking　Chinese　workman　at　his　task　of　digging；　and　used　to

see　him　every　day　drink　his　tea　from　a　little　cup　as　delicate　in

texture　as　the　petal　of　a　flower；　whereas　in　all　the　grand　hotels

of　the　land；　where　thousands　of　dollars　have　been　lavished　on　great

gilt　mirrors　and　gaudy　columns；　I　have　been　given　my　coffee　or　my

chocolate　in　cups　an　inch　and　a　quarter　thick。　　I　think　I　have

deserved　something　nicer。



The　art　systems　of　the　past　have　been　devised　by　philosophers　who

looked　upon　human　beings　as　obstructions。　　They　have　tried　to

educate　boys'　minds　before　they　had　any。　　How　much　better　it　would

be　in　these　early　years　to　teach　children　to　use　their　hands　in　the

rational　service　of　mankind。　　I　would　have　a　workshop　attached　to

every　school；　and　one　hour　a　day　given　up　to　the　teaching　of　simple

decorative　arts。　　It　would　be　a　golden　hour　to　the　children。　　And

you　would　soon　raise　up　a　race　of　handicraftsmen　who　would

transform　the　face　of　your　country。　　I　have　seen　only　one　such

school　in　the　United　States；　and　this　was　in　Philadelphia　and　was

founded　by　my　friend　Mr。　Leyland。　　I　stopped　there　yesterday　and

have　brought　some　of　the　work　here　this　afternoon　to　show　you。

Here　are　two　disks　of　beaten　brass：　　the　designs　on　them　are

beautiful；　the　workmanship　is　simple；　and　the　entire　result　is

satisfactory。　　The　work　was　done　by　a　little　boy　twelve　years　old。

This　is　a　wooden　bowl　decorated　by　a　little　girl　of　thirteen。　　The

design　is　lovely　and　the　colouring　delicate　and　pretty。　　Here　you

see　a　piece　of　beautiful　wood　carving　accomplished　by　a　little　boy

of　nine。　　In　such　work　as　this；　children　learn　sincerity　in　art。

They　learn　to　abhor　the　liar　in　art　…　the　man　who　paints　wood　to

look　like　iron；　or　iron　to　look　like　stone。　　It　is　a　practical

school　of　morals。　　No　better　way　is　there　to　learn　to　love　Nature

than　to　understand　Art。　　It　dignifies　every　flower　of　the　field。

And；　the　boy　who　sees　the　thing　of　beauty　which　a　bird　on　the　wing

becomes　when　transferred　to　wood　or　canvas　will　probably　not　throw

the　customary　stone。　　What　we　want　is　something　spiritual　added　to

life。　　Nothing　is　so　ignoble　that　Art　cannot　sanctify　it。









ART　AND　THE　HANDICRAFTSMAN









PEOPLE　often　talk　as　if　there　was　an　opposition　between　what　is

beautiful　and　what　is　useful。　　There　is　no　opposition　to　beauty

except　ugliness：　　all　things　are　either　beautiful　or　ugly；　and

utility　will　be　always　on　the　side　of　the　beautiful　thing；　because

beautiful　decoration　is　always　on　the　side　of　the　beautiful　thing；

because　beautiful　decoration　is　always　an　expression　of　the　use　you

put　a　thing　to　and　the　value　placed　on　it。　　No　workman　will

beautifully　decorate　bad　work；　nor　can　you　possibly　get　good

handicraftsmen　or　workmen　without　having　beautiful　designs。　　You

should　be　quite　sure　of　that。　　If　you　have　poor　and　worthless

designs　in　any　craft　or　trade　you　will　get　poor　and　worthless

workmen　only；　but　the　minute　you　have　noble　and　beautiful　designs；

then　you　get　men　of　power　and　intellect　and　feeling　to　work　for

you。　　By　having　good　designs　you　have　workmen　who　work　not　merely

with　their　hands　but　with　their　hearts　and　heads　too；　otherwise　you

will　get　merely　the　fool　or　the　loafer　to　work　for　you。



That　the　beauty　of　life　is　a　thing　of　no　moment；　I　suppose　few

people　would　venture　to　assert。　　And　yet　most　civilised　people　act

as　if　it　were　of　none；　and　in　so　doing　are　wronging　both　themselves

and　those　that　are　to　come　after　them。　　For　that　beauty　which　is

meant　by　art　is　no　mere　accident　of　human　life　which　people　can

take　or　leave；　but　a　positive　necessity　of　life　if　we　are　to　live

as　nature　meant　us　to；　that　is　to　say　unless　we　are　content　to　be

less　than　men。



Do　not　think　that　the　commercial　spirit　which　is　the　basis　of　your

life　and　cities　here　is　opposed　to　art。　　Who　built　the　beautiful

cities　of　the　world　but　commercial　men　and　commercial　men　only？

Genoa　built　by　its　traders；　Florence　by　its　bankers；　and　Venice；

most　lovely　of　all；　by　its　noble　and　honest　merchants。



I　do　not　wish　you；　remember；　'to　build　a　new　Pisa；'　nor　to　bring

'the　life　or　the　decorations　of　the　thirteenth　century　back　again。'

'The　circumstances　with　which　you　must　surround　your　workmen　are

those'　of　modern　American　life；　'because　the　designs　you　have　now

to　ask　for　from　your　workmen　are　such　as　will　make　modern'　American

'life　beautiful。'　　The　art　we　want　is　the　art　based　on　all　the

inventions　of　modern　civilisation；　and　to　suit　all　the　needs　of

nineteenth…century　life。



Do　you　think；　for　instance；　that　we　object　to　machinery？　　I　tell

you　we　reverence　it；　we　reverence　it　when　it　does　its　proper　work；

when　it　relieves　man　from　ignoble　and　soulless　labour；　not　when　it

seeks　to　do　that　which　is　valuable　only　when　wrought　by　the　hands

and　hearts　of　men。　　Let　us　have　no　machine…made　ornament　at　all；　it

is　all　bad　and　worthless　and　ugly。　　And　let　us　not　mistake　the

means　of　civilisation　for　the　end　of　civilisation；　steam…engine；

telephone　and　the　like；　are　all　wonderful；　but　remember　that　their

value　depends　entirely　on　the　noble　uses　we　make　of　them；　on　the

noble　spirit　in　which　we　employ　them；　not　on　the　things　themselves。



It　is；　no　doubt；　a　great　advantage　to　talk　to　a　man　at　the

Antipodes　through　a　telephone；　its　advantage　depends　entirely　on

the　value　of　what　the　two　men　have　to　say　to　one　another。　　If　one

merely　shrieks　slander　through　a　tube　and　the　other　whispers　folly

into　a　wire；　do　not　think　that　anybody　is　very　much　benefited　by

the　invention。



The　train　that　whirls　an　ordinary　Englishman　through　Italy　at　the

rate　of　forty　miles　an　hour　and　finally　sends　him　home　without　any

memory　of　that　lovely　country　but　that　he　was　cheated　by　a　courier

at　Rome；　or　that　he　got　a　bad　dinner　at　Verona；　does　not　do　him　or

civilisation　much　good。　　But　that　swift　legion　of　fiery…footed

engines　that　bore　to　the　burning　ruins　of　Chicago　the　loving　help

and　generous　treasure　of　the　world　was　as　noble　and　as　beautiful　as

any　golden　troop　of　angels　that　ever　fed　the　hungry　and　clothed　the

naked　in　the　antique　times。　　As　beautiful；　yes；　all　machinery　may

be　beautiful　when　it　is　undecorated　even。　　Do　not　seek　to　decorate

it。　　We　cannot　but　think　all　good　machinery　is　graceful；　also；　the

line　of　strength　and　the　line　of　beauty　being　one。



Give　then；　as　I　said；　to　your　workmen　of　to…day　the　bright　and

noble　surroundings　that　you　can　yourself　create。　　Stately　and

simple　architecture　for　your　cities；　bright　and　simple　dress　for

your　men　and　women；　those　are　the　conditions　of　a　real　artistic

movement。　　For　the　artist　is　not　concerned　primarily　with　any

theory　of　life　but　with　life　itself；　with　the　joy　and　loveliness

that　should　come　daily　on　eye　and　ear　for　a　beautiful　external

world。



But　the　simplicity　must　not　be　barrenness　nor　the　bright　colour

gaudy。　　For　all　beautiful　colours　are　graduated　colours；　the

colours　that　seem　about　to　pass　into　one　another's　realm　…　colour

without　tone　being　like　music　without　harmony；　mere　discord。

Barren　architecture；　the　vulgar　and　glaring　advertisements　that

desecrate　not　merely　your　cities　but　every　rock　and　river　that　I

have　seen　yet　in　America　…　all　this　is　not　enough。　　A　school　of

design　we　must　have　too　in　each　city。　　It　should　be　a　stately