Italian Art at the Milan Exhibition

Sizeranne, but the strength of their talent; they
have buried the “academic” once and for all.
To this splendid result the Venetian international
displays have contributed, while the co-operation
of foreign artists in Venice has raised the spirits of
our artists, ever sensible of the delights of progress.
At first this influence made itself felt in a negative
manner, for some of our artists were eclipsed
thereby, and their brushes began to follow the
track of the foreign painters—of course to the
great detriment of our national art. But after-
wards, when this disconcerting infatuation had
passed away, proportion, method, and discern-
ment took the place of want of reflection, and
the influence of painters from abroad resulted in
the purification of our artists’ blood, and became
vitale nutrimento—to use the phrase of the Divine
Poet—enabling us to approach nearer to the beauty
of our age.

Let it be noted then that our young Italian art
was fortified on the one hand by the spirit of its
men of genius, and on the other by the example
set by other countries, which set our youthful
school on the right path of study and movement

and individuality. None of our institutes of fine
arts could ever have aroused feelings such as these;
my opinion is that the official teacher would rather
turn his pupils off the path I have indicated than
accompany them along it, anxious for their success.

All this explains the present exhibition at Milan,
and its supreme importance lies further in this, that
it expresses and bears witness to the separation of
the national spirit from that of abroad ; for but
for this happy cleavage the foreign tendencies
might at some time or another overwhelm our own.
Moreover, it is right that we should cultivate our
national temperament, and be careful that it does
not stray in directions which do not appertain
thereto.

I referred just now to M. E. Tito. This Sicilian
artist, who lives in Venice, is well known to The
Studio. At Milan he has a salle to himself, and
his wonderful verve as a colouiist at once claims
our attention. Naturally, M. Tito, who is still
young, exhibits several of his earlier paintings side
by side with his new canvases, such as the
Baccanale, now reproduced. This, the most
remarkable of his recent works, illustrates his

“THE IRONERS

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BY C. CRESSINI