DOI Heft:
No. 132 ( March, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Tallberg, Axel: Modern painting in Sweden
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0114
Mi
Modern Painting in Sweden
ODERN PAINTING IN I do not mean to say that there are not a good
SWEDEN. BY AXEL TALL- many of the older artists who are still young at
BERG. heart and bright in mind, but as these generally,
and in good comradeship too, struggle on the
"Ars longa, vita brtvis" says an old Latin side of " the unruly youths," the irreverent reversion
proverb, and no doubt it speaks the truth in many of the proverb alluded to cannot possibly apply to
respects, but certainly not in all. It would seem them. In truth, the feather or honour that fits
as if that old saying could very well be reversed their cap best is that very same proverb in its
and befittingly applied to the present state of old, original sense.
affairs in all artistic life and to some phases of the When I insinuated that some artists seem
recent evolution of art in most countries. to live longer than their art, I intend particularly
" Vita longa, ars brevis," appears of course to to refer to those among the elder ones who
be a decidedly unbecoming violation of such a cannot, or more probably do not wish to, grasp
long-established and time-honoured expression, the idea that decline in vitality, as a rule,
and it is doubtless one that more likely than not must correspond with at least the same decline
will be strongly and scornfully repudiated by a in mental power and, consequently, in a more
great number of old-fashioned artists who seem to or less rapidly failing capacity of conception,
have put their very hearts and souls into the of artistic expression, and of truthful rendering,
belief that their artistic ability will last as A man who was, forty or fifty years ago, a
long as themselves, and that their age and time- great artist decidedly must not on that account
worn methods, as a matter of course, must give only claim to be one now. His art is the out-
an enhanced weight to their position. come of a period in his life of executive vigour,
'winter evening" by a. schultzberg
XXXI. No. 132.—March, 1904. 97
Modern Painting in Sweden
ODERN PAINTING IN I do not mean to say that there are not a good
SWEDEN. BY AXEL TALL- many of the older artists who are still young at
BERG. heart and bright in mind, but as these generally,
and in good comradeship too, struggle on the
"Ars longa, vita brtvis" says an old Latin side of " the unruly youths," the irreverent reversion
proverb, and no doubt it speaks the truth in many of the proverb alluded to cannot possibly apply to
respects, but certainly not in all. It would seem them. In truth, the feather or honour that fits
as if that old saying could very well be reversed their cap best is that very same proverb in its
and befittingly applied to the present state of old, original sense.
affairs in all artistic life and to some phases of the When I insinuated that some artists seem
recent evolution of art in most countries. to live longer than their art, I intend particularly
" Vita longa, ars brevis," appears of course to to refer to those among the elder ones who
be a decidedly unbecoming violation of such a cannot, or more probably do not wish to, grasp
long-established and time-honoured expression, the idea that decline in vitality, as a rule,
and it is doubtless one that more likely than not must correspond with at least the same decline
will be strongly and scornfully repudiated by a in mental power and, consequently, in a more
great number of old-fashioned artists who seem to or less rapidly failing capacity of conception,
have put their very hearts and souls into the of artistic expression, and of truthful rendering,
belief that their artistic ability will last as A man who was, forty or fifty years ago, a
long as themselves, and that their age and time- great artist decidedly must not on that account
worn methods, as a matter of course, must give only claim to be one now. His art is the out-
an enhanced weight to their position. come of a period in his life of executive vigour,
'winter evening" by a. schultzberg
XXXI. No. 132.—March, 1904. 97