DOI issue:
Nr. 176 (October, 1911)
DOI article:MacColl, William D.: Exhibition of pictoral photography by the Newark Museum Association
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43447#0349
Exhibition of Pictorial Photography
Exhibition of pictorial pho-
tography BY THE NEWARK
MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
BY WILLIAM D. MacCOLL
By the energy and enterprise, as well as the
fine discrimination, which it has shown in the
selection of materials for popular exhibition, the
Museum Association of Newark, N. J., is rapidly
coming to be regarded as one of the foremost
institutions of its kind throughout the country,
and the exhibition of modern pictorial photog-
raphy, which was hung under its auspices in the
Newark Free Public Library, April 6-May 4, is
only one of many outstanding examples of the
kind which it has already given.
There are perhaps obvious (even though un-
acknowledged) reasons why pictorial photog-
raphy should commend itself to an increasing
number of serious and intelligent people every
day. Easier of technical
achievement than some of
the other arts, it is never-
theless proving its ability to
provide an outlet for some
of those more purely abstract
esthetic ideals in man with-
out which he is never content.
In the art production of our
time, moreover, it is a mat-
ter of common experience
derived from our picture ex-
hibitions that a perfectly
mediocre invention of things
is very generally tolerated
for the sake, critically con-
sidered, simply and solely of
a colored representation of
them. And it is in contrast
to this that a young art like
pictorial photography, hav-
ing none of those superficial
advantages which mere color
lends, and having to con-
tend, moreover, with the
very special difficulties of
invention which the medium
itself prescribes, has evolved
for itself a discipline in the
study of the principles of
composition and design
which it is only natural
should bear fruit. The very
limitations of photography
are today of chiefest service
to it and are furnishing it
with motives corrective of
the opinion that any tran-
script of nature, however
lifelike or literal, necessarily
contributes aught to our
knowledge or enjoyment of
it as it already exists in the
universe about us. Incurious
OVER THE HOUSE TOPS, MEISSEN BY KARL STRUSS
LXXII
Exhibition of pictorial pho-
tography BY THE NEWARK
MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
BY WILLIAM D. MacCOLL
By the energy and enterprise, as well as the
fine discrimination, which it has shown in the
selection of materials for popular exhibition, the
Museum Association of Newark, N. J., is rapidly
coming to be regarded as one of the foremost
institutions of its kind throughout the country,
and the exhibition of modern pictorial photog-
raphy, which was hung under its auspices in the
Newark Free Public Library, April 6-May 4, is
only one of many outstanding examples of the
kind which it has already given.
There are perhaps obvious (even though un-
acknowledged) reasons why pictorial photog-
raphy should commend itself to an increasing
number of serious and intelligent people every
day. Easier of technical
achievement than some of
the other arts, it is never-
theless proving its ability to
provide an outlet for some
of those more purely abstract
esthetic ideals in man with-
out which he is never content.
In the art production of our
time, moreover, it is a mat-
ter of common experience
derived from our picture ex-
hibitions that a perfectly
mediocre invention of things
is very generally tolerated
for the sake, critically con-
sidered, simply and solely of
a colored representation of
them. And it is in contrast
to this that a young art like
pictorial photography, hav-
ing none of those superficial
advantages which mere color
lends, and having to con-
tend, moreover, with the
very special difficulties of
invention which the medium
itself prescribes, has evolved
for itself a discipline in the
study of the principles of
composition and design
which it is only natural
should bear fruit. The very
limitations of photography
are today of chiefest service
to it and are furnishing it
with motives corrective of
the opinion that any tran-
script of nature, however
lifelike or literal, necessarily
contributes aught to our
knowledge or enjoyment of
it as it already exists in the
universe about us. Incurious
OVER THE HOUSE TOPS, MEISSEN BY KARL STRUSS
LXXII