ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1929, 9 November 1888, Page 31

ART AND ARTISTS.

The Baroness Burdett Coutts sent to the art section of the Irish Exhibition a number of pictures painted by Irish artists. Princess Victoria of Wales has developed a remarkable talent for pastel-drawing, and has just completed a clever portrait of Queen Victoria. The Prince of Wales is pleased at this exhibition of artistic ability on the part of his daughter, and will use every effort to have it developed. MASTERPIECES OF JAPANESE AET. In a lecture on this subject delivered at Leeds recently Mr Ernest Hart said the true art of the Japanese was not revealed to Europeans till laf c years, and what is commonly shown as Japanese art is a mere bastard production of Japanese mercantilism engendered by the demands of the European commercial system, which requires from art in Japan something whioh shall have a faint j resemblance of the anoient arts of that country but none of its essential qualities. What we see of Japanese art in the ordinary curiosity shop is, in fact, a sham. The history of arfc in Japan extends as far back as the ninth century, long beyond the time at which art in Europe began. Mr Harfc, having dwelt at some length on the principles which formed the basis of Japanese art, pointed out the rare faculty for design which the Japanese possesses, and the elaborate and thorough character of their art work. He exhibited numerous specimens, including drawings, engravings on metal, &c. With respect to the metal work, he mentioned that the Japanese were nob content with the ordinary metals, but had invented a numerous series of alloys, and thereby obtained greater artistic effects ; also that the engraving was not merely on the surface, but in the substance, and would last almost for all time. WOMAN AND HER CHANCE AS AN ABIIST. The particulars of the last candidates' examination for admission to the Royal Academy schools shed some light on the capacity, or otherwise, of women to become artists of real eminence. Of the 87 candidates who presented themselves only a round dozen succeeded in forcing their way into the fold of the "probationers," while of these 12 no fewer than 10 were women, and women, for the most part— in all gallantry be it said— no longer in the first hot flush of ambitious youth and inspiration. Thus, indeed, ib must always be under the present Royal Academy rules, whereby is demanded in the probationary drawings a high degree of patient imitativeness — a simple and touching devotion to stipple and shadow — rather than true artistic power and breadth of any kind. In this sort of work, indeed — that of patient, dexterous manipulation — woman may always be depended on to asoert her power of execution ; but it is in invention and originality, or the realisation of them, that the failure of the sex in art becomes apparent. . . . The generally accepted principle that imaginative creation is out of the range of feminine capacity is nowhere more apparent than in art, and the sooner the truth of this is recognised by the sex the better it will be for those who, thirsting for fame and fortune, adopt the light and lady -like profession of art. . . . The explanation of "repression" and "lack of education," always advanced by the champions of the sex in so-called vindications of its non-performance, can hardly hold in the present case; for it has been proved a thousand times that art, like troth, will out, despite every disadvantage, every discouragement and lack of opportunity. — " Magazine of Art."

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