DOI issue:
No. 62 (May, 1898)
DOI article:Keyzer, Frances: Some American artists in Paris
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18391#0272
Some American Artists in Paris
French acceptation of the word. Perfect as far this stamp who interest us and who are engrossing
as technique is concerned, but without that divine our attention.
spark that enthralls, that moves to tears, that Paul Weyland Bartlett came over to Paris when
creates a feeling beyond that of admiration for he was quite a child. His father wisely sent him
form or colour, construction or tone. Every artist from America, where he was surrounded by things
must be capable of impressing his public to the commercial, to make his home here, to love the
extent that if only for a moment they forget the old masters, to grow up with the sense of the
language in which he is speaking, and are enveloped beautiful, and to have other gods than money,
with the beauty of the thought he expresses. For he felt that America may be a grand country
Be it in any one of the sister arts it is only when for artists who have name and position, but it is
we forget the medium through which the artist no place in which to make either one or the other,
communes with us that he is great, and we arrive Bartlett is to-day one of the finest sculptors we
through him to be as great as he during that have in France. His Dancing Indian-and Dancing
moment that we have understood him. Bears, which secured him the gold medal in the
But why ask of Americans more than we do of 1889 exhibition, brought him first into notice, but
Frenchmen or Englishmen or Italians ? There are it is in his Columbus and his Washington that we
many clever, skilful men among them, but no greater find those qualities of mind that bear the stamp
artists than in other countries. Genius is rare of greatness. Living within himself, away from
still, and although the new
country is expected to en-
gender a new epoch in art,
at present the rising men
are personal, interesting,
are talked about, studied,
blamed and praised, but
the true artists among
them are scarce. The few
that are to be found in
their midst are content to
wait their hour, satisfied
that they will be recog-
nised in time, and not
striving after the attention
of the crowd by eccentric,
extraordinary effects of
colour or some equally
sensational trade-mark.
Yes, trade-mark. For
what else is this at which
they aim ? Nothing be-
yond that A.'s sheep or
B.'s fields or C.'s figures
shall be known as clearly
as certain brands of corned
beef. We reproach the
Americans that they in-
vented Bouguereau, but
as Bartlett remarked when
it was said in his hearing :
" We also invented Mil-
let ! " But Bartlett is one
of the American artists in
the highest sense of the
word. It is only men of statue of Washington by r. w. bartlett
247
French acceptation of the word. Perfect as far this stamp who interest us and who are engrossing
as technique is concerned, but without that divine our attention.
spark that enthralls, that moves to tears, that Paul Weyland Bartlett came over to Paris when
creates a feeling beyond that of admiration for he was quite a child. His father wisely sent him
form or colour, construction or tone. Every artist from America, where he was surrounded by things
must be capable of impressing his public to the commercial, to make his home here, to love the
extent that if only for a moment they forget the old masters, to grow up with the sense of the
language in which he is speaking, and are enveloped beautiful, and to have other gods than money,
with the beauty of the thought he expresses. For he felt that America may be a grand country
Be it in any one of the sister arts it is only when for artists who have name and position, but it is
we forget the medium through which the artist no place in which to make either one or the other,
communes with us that he is great, and we arrive Bartlett is to-day one of the finest sculptors we
through him to be as great as he during that have in France. His Dancing Indian-and Dancing
moment that we have understood him. Bears, which secured him the gold medal in the
But why ask of Americans more than we do of 1889 exhibition, brought him first into notice, but
Frenchmen or Englishmen or Italians ? There are it is in his Columbus and his Washington that we
many clever, skilful men among them, but no greater find those qualities of mind that bear the stamp
artists than in other countries. Genius is rare of greatness. Living within himself, away from
still, and although the new
country is expected to en-
gender a new epoch in art,
at present the rising men
are personal, interesting,
are talked about, studied,
blamed and praised, but
the true artists among
them are scarce. The few
that are to be found in
their midst are content to
wait their hour, satisfied
that they will be recog-
nised in time, and not
striving after the attention
of the crowd by eccentric,
extraordinary effects of
colour or some equally
sensational trade-mark.
Yes, trade-mark. For
what else is this at which
they aim ? Nothing be-
yond that A.'s sheep or
B.'s fields or C.'s figures
shall be known as clearly
as certain brands of corned
beef. We reproach the
Americans that they in-
vented Bouguereau, but
as Bartlett remarked when
it was said in his hearing :
" We also invented Mil-
let ! " But Bartlett is one
of the American artists in
the highest sense of the
word. It is only men of statue of Washington by r. w. bartlett
247