DOI Heft:
Nr. 191 (February 1909)
DOI Artikel:The lay figure
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20966#0108
The Lay Figure
T
HE LAY FIGURE: ON THINK-
ING FOR ONESELF.
“I cannot understand why there should
be growing up in certain quarters such an extra-
ordinary antipathy to the works of the Old Masters,”
said the Expert. “There seems to be now a particular
clique which takes pleasure in reviling everything
that has been handed down to us from other
times. I think this clique is a small one, but it is
noisy and energetic, and it may possibly have
some misleading influence if steps are not taken
to check its activity.”
“ Has it never struck you that this clique, as
you call it, may express the sentiments of a
considerable section of the modern art world?”
enquired the Art Critic. “ Do you not see in
what you profess to regard as merely a noisy
agitation signs of a coming change in the popular
opinion ? ”
“ But why should there be a change coming ? ”
cried the Expert. “ Where is the need for change ?
Have we not arrived in recent years at a truer
appreciation of the value and importance of the work
of the Old Masters than our predecessors ever had ?
Modern criticism has taught us what an inesti-
mable inheritance we have from the past, and
surely to protest against this teaching is as un-
gracious as it is futile.”
“ Surely we may protest if we consider this
teaching to be wrong,” said the Critic. “ Modern
criticism is not necessarily infallible, and people
who can see the weak points in it are right in
pointing out, and objecting to, what they believe
to be mistakes.”
“Are you, too, going to take sides against the
Old Masters ? ” exclaimed the Expert. “ What
folly ! You would destroy the tradition which has
been built up by a host of clever investigators !
You would encourage contempt for the work of
the ancients ! Why, what have you to offer in its
place ? ”
“ I offer you modern art,” said the Critic.
“ Modern art! ” sneered the Expert. “ What
art is there to-day? You are talking about some-
thing that does not exist. Art died a century or
two ago, and there are no modern men who can
bring it to life again.”
“May I say a word on the subject?” asked the
Art Patron. “ I have bought a good many works
by modern artists, and so I think I am entitled to
give some opinion about what is being done
to-day.”
“ By all means,” laughed the Expert. “If you
86
are not ashamed to confess your unenlightenment,
pray let us hear what you think.”
“ If it is a sign of unenlightenment to see good
in modern art, I am unenlightened indeed,”
returned the Art Patron, “because I say that the
bulk of the old stuff you would force upon me is
utterly dull and incompetent. I prefer the fresher
outlook and the sounder methods of the men of
my own time.”
“You prefer the raw, immature, purposeless
bungling of to-day to the magnificent achievement
of the past! ” cried the Expert. “ Then you are
indeed past praying for. Your case decidedly is
incurable.”
“I hope it is,” replied the Art Patron; “for I
am quite satisfied with my condition. You forget
that I have as much right to my opinion as you
have to yours. You say there is no art to-day ;
I say there is, and that it is better than nine-tenths
of the old work—better both in intention and
achievement.”
“And so you buy it?” asked the Expert.
“ Exactly,” said the Art Patron. “ I buy it
because I believe in it; and you can, if you please,
count me as one of the clique which protests
against the over-adulation of the Old Masters,
You want me to worship a sham, an idol that you
and your fellows have set up. I refuse because
I doubt your disinterestedness and will not accept
your dictation. And I have the advantage over
you, for I have studied modern art all my life, face
to face and honestly, and I have always looked
sincerely for what is best in it, while you have
habitually despised and ignored it.”
“ I do not ignore it,” protested the Expert;
“ I deny that it exists.”
“Your denials do not alter facts,” laughed the
Art Patron ; “ nor do they prove that I am not
justified in thinking for myself. You think I am a
fool, while you seem to me but a dreary pedant
who must always be harking back centuries for
your opinions. Why, if you had lived in the time
of these very masters whom you talk so much
about now, you would have complained that their
work was raw and immature and not like that of
some archaic person who had existed ages earlier.
You are sadly behind the times, my friend, and
you impertinently arrogate to yourself an authority
to which you are not entitled. Leave me alone ;
go away and preach your fallacies to the people you
can deceive; I am tired of having you always at my
elbow, telling me what I must do and must not do.”
“And so am I,” said the Critic.
The Lay Figure.
T
HE LAY FIGURE: ON THINK-
ING FOR ONESELF.
“I cannot understand why there should
be growing up in certain quarters such an extra-
ordinary antipathy to the works of the Old Masters,”
said the Expert. “There seems to be now a particular
clique which takes pleasure in reviling everything
that has been handed down to us from other
times. I think this clique is a small one, but it is
noisy and energetic, and it may possibly have
some misleading influence if steps are not taken
to check its activity.”
“ Has it never struck you that this clique, as
you call it, may express the sentiments of a
considerable section of the modern art world?”
enquired the Art Critic. “ Do you not see in
what you profess to regard as merely a noisy
agitation signs of a coming change in the popular
opinion ? ”
“ But why should there be a change coming ? ”
cried the Expert. “ Where is the need for change ?
Have we not arrived in recent years at a truer
appreciation of the value and importance of the work
of the Old Masters than our predecessors ever had ?
Modern criticism has taught us what an inesti-
mable inheritance we have from the past, and
surely to protest against this teaching is as un-
gracious as it is futile.”
“ Surely we may protest if we consider this
teaching to be wrong,” said the Critic. “ Modern
criticism is not necessarily infallible, and people
who can see the weak points in it are right in
pointing out, and objecting to, what they believe
to be mistakes.”
“Are you, too, going to take sides against the
Old Masters ? ” exclaimed the Expert. “ What
folly ! You would destroy the tradition which has
been built up by a host of clever investigators !
You would encourage contempt for the work of
the ancients ! Why, what have you to offer in its
place ? ”
“ I offer you modern art,” said the Critic.
“ Modern art! ” sneered the Expert. “ What
art is there to-day? You are talking about some-
thing that does not exist. Art died a century or
two ago, and there are no modern men who can
bring it to life again.”
“May I say a word on the subject?” asked the
Art Patron. “ I have bought a good many works
by modern artists, and so I think I am entitled to
give some opinion about what is being done
to-day.”
“ By all means,” laughed the Expert. “If you
86
are not ashamed to confess your unenlightenment,
pray let us hear what you think.”
“ If it is a sign of unenlightenment to see good
in modern art, I am unenlightened indeed,”
returned the Art Patron, “because I say that the
bulk of the old stuff you would force upon me is
utterly dull and incompetent. I prefer the fresher
outlook and the sounder methods of the men of
my own time.”
“You prefer the raw, immature, purposeless
bungling of to-day to the magnificent achievement
of the past! ” cried the Expert. “ Then you are
indeed past praying for. Your case decidedly is
incurable.”
“I hope it is,” replied the Art Patron; “for I
am quite satisfied with my condition. You forget
that I have as much right to my opinion as you
have to yours. You say there is no art to-day ;
I say there is, and that it is better than nine-tenths
of the old work—better both in intention and
achievement.”
“And so you buy it?” asked the Expert.
“ Exactly,” said the Art Patron. “ I buy it
because I believe in it; and you can, if you please,
count me as one of the clique which protests
against the over-adulation of the Old Masters,
You want me to worship a sham, an idol that you
and your fellows have set up. I refuse because
I doubt your disinterestedness and will not accept
your dictation. And I have the advantage over
you, for I have studied modern art all my life, face
to face and honestly, and I have always looked
sincerely for what is best in it, while you have
habitually despised and ignored it.”
“ I do not ignore it,” protested the Expert;
“ I deny that it exists.”
“Your denials do not alter facts,” laughed the
Art Patron ; “ nor do they prove that I am not
justified in thinking for myself. You think I am a
fool, while you seem to me but a dreary pedant
who must always be harking back centuries for
your opinions. Why, if you had lived in the time
of these very masters whom you talk so much
about now, you would have complained that their
work was raw and immature and not like that of
some archaic person who had existed ages earlier.
You are sadly behind the times, my friend, and
you impertinently arrogate to yourself an authority
to which you are not entitled. Leave me alone ;
go away and preach your fallacies to the people you
can deceive; I am tired of having you always at my
elbow, telling me what I must do and must not do.”
“And so am I,” said the Critic.
The Lay Figure.