International studio (80.1925)

inceRiiACionAL

matter resulted in partial ab-
straction—partial departure
from the actual appearance of
things in nature for purposes of
design. This process was called
stylization. All classic art de-
pends upon such stylization to
make possible its escape from
the particularized to the uni-
versalized subject. The laws of
design, or visual organization of
the parts of a picture, were the
very foundation of the training
of the old masters, as they had
been of practically all artists of
all ages. (The exceptions were
during the few periods when
representation gained tempo-
rary ascendency, such as the
late Greek and Roman, now
called decadent.) Rembrandt,
the father of representation in
etching, was full heir to the
highest development of these
laws and a thorough master of
them, yet he discarded the styl-
ized drawing of Diirer and
Schongauer and carried repre-
sentation to a height of achieve-
ment which has never been sur-
passed in etching. In doing so, Number Four. These are universalized shapes. All accidental, particular details
however (and this is the signifl- are ignored and the essential forms are built into design. Note the masterly rela-
cant and generally overlooked tions of curved lines.

fact), he did not discard design.

He built representative subject matter into de- nature, have one serious weakness. They depend
sign. This was his great contribution to etching mainly on subject matter, as such, to give interest
—the contribution which has been overlooked, to the picture. Representative etchers, and
which has failed to influence, with very few excep- painters for that matter, search for interesting
tions, the etchers who have followed him. His subjects. The quality of the picturesque in nature
achievements in representation were hailed as gives this subject interest above all other qualities,
masterly, and, since they were in line with the and therefore old buildings, boats, ragged beggars,
scientific awakening which was then beginning to smoke-draped factories, or the transforming ob-
prompt inquiry into the facts and concern itself scurity of twilight, make a quick appeal and are
with their accurate reporting, inspired his fol- transcribed to the copper plate along with as
lowers in all directions to turn their efforts toward much of their charm as the etcher can capture and
similar achievement. Rembrandt put skillful rep- report. The weakness in this process from the
resentation on a pedestal; the scientific attitude standpoint of art value lies in this: by its depend-
of mind enthusiastically approved, and has kept ence on subject matter to supply interest it
it there ever since. And, in the excitement, design demotes the maker of the picture from the great
and the power of organized relations of lines, role of creator to the lesser role of interpreter, or,
forms, spaces and colors to arouse visual esthetic in cases of faithful truth to nature, to a mere
emotion, were gradually forgotten, and have re- skillful imitator or craftsman. When interest is
mained largely forgotten, by our civilization, to shunted to subject, no creative contribution is
this day. demanded, or even looked for, from the man—the

Representative pictures, or those which copy supposed artist. He gives skill and the flavor of
objects essentially as they appear to exist in his personal style but none of that organized

february i 9 2 5

three eighty-nine