The Prague Arts ana Crafts School
... ,
"LA PROCESSION" BY CHARLES COTTET
and the coming on ot death. Apart, however, from /-"T^HE TEACHING OF DESIGN
these spiritual aspects, there are admirable qualities j j\ ■j THE PRAGUE ARTS AND
of execution in these nudes of Cottet's, even though CRAFTS SCHOOL BY
they lack charm and seductiveness. The solidity,
the impression of volume and weight, of resistance HEDWIG SCHANZER.
and elasticity in the flesh—how rare have such A generation ago the methods of teaching in
qualities become ; and it is all the more strange to vogue at the principal art schools, almost every-
find that these are the attributes of Cottet's work in where, differed fundamentally from those now
this genre when it is remembered that all his art pursued in most of these institutions. Under the
is devoted to the expression of two ideas which lie old system the student's training had the effect of
deep in his soul and in the very fibres of his being, making him a mere copyist, and no attempt was
the thoughts of Sorrow and Death. made to stimulate his inventive talent if he had
Cottet's work must be judged from a double any. The effect of such a system could only be
standpoint. He must be considered not only as a to promote a certain kind of mechanical dexterity
magnificent painter but also as a moralist and a devoid of that vitality which constitutes the very
philosopher. Among contemporary painting his essence of artistic expression.
work falls into a special category of its own and is The rejuvenation of traditional ornamentation
imbued with qualites of emotion, of thoughtful- had become an all-important question, and an effort
ness and able execution which make it worthy to had already been made to replace the fruitless
take a place beside the productions of the Great copying of historical forms by the study of nature
Masters. A. S. as the real source of all form and colour when at
- last this idea was taken up by the schools. The
At a meeting of the Royal Academy held at the old system of drawing from the flat and the cast
beginning of last month, Mr. Andrew C. Gow, was abandoned, and modern methods of drawing
R.A., was elected to the office of Keeper in place from life were introduced.
of Mr. Crofts, deceased. Mr. Gow was born in The fundamental factors in this new mode of
1848 and has been R.A. since 1891. instruction are both the early and intimate study of
277
... ,
"LA PROCESSION" BY CHARLES COTTET
and the coming on ot death. Apart, however, from /-"T^HE TEACHING OF DESIGN
these spiritual aspects, there are admirable qualities j j\ ■j THE PRAGUE ARTS AND
of execution in these nudes of Cottet's, even though CRAFTS SCHOOL BY
they lack charm and seductiveness. The solidity,
the impression of volume and weight, of resistance HEDWIG SCHANZER.
and elasticity in the flesh—how rare have such A generation ago the methods of teaching in
qualities become ; and it is all the more strange to vogue at the principal art schools, almost every-
find that these are the attributes of Cottet's work in where, differed fundamentally from those now
this genre when it is remembered that all his art pursued in most of these institutions. Under the
is devoted to the expression of two ideas which lie old system the student's training had the effect of
deep in his soul and in the very fibres of his being, making him a mere copyist, and no attempt was
the thoughts of Sorrow and Death. made to stimulate his inventive talent if he had
Cottet's work must be judged from a double any. The effect of such a system could only be
standpoint. He must be considered not only as a to promote a certain kind of mechanical dexterity
magnificent painter but also as a moralist and a devoid of that vitality which constitutes the very
philosopher. Among contemporary painting his essence of artistic expression.
work falls into a special category of its own and is The rejuvenation of traditional ornamentation
imbued with qualites of emotion, of thoughtful- had become an all-important question, and an effort
ness and able execution which make it worthy to had already been made to replace the fruitless
take a place beside the productions of the Great copying of historical forms by the study of nature
Masters. A. S. as the real source of all form and colour when at
- last this idea was taken up by the schools. The
At a meeting of the Royal Academy held at the old system of drawing from the flat and the cast
beginning of last month, Mr. Andrew C. Gow, was abandoned, and modern methods of drawing
R.A., was elected to the office of Keeper in place from life were introduced.
of Mr. Crofts, deceased. Mr. Gow was born in The fundamental factors in this new mode of
1848 and has been R.A. since 1891. instruction are both the early and intimate study of
277