Ui
ILLINOI S
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

PRODUCTION NOTE
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign Library
Brittle Books Project, 2010.

ANNUXL LECTURE COURSEI

PRlEVJ\JLING EItR6RS INAT EDU6ATION
-BY-

CO N RAD
]DJBEH L.

]Ielivered ip
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9@bapel of the

Upiversity

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te state of

JANUARY 22d, 1882.

MISSOURI STATESMAN PRINT, COLUMBIA,

MO.

Mo,

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In Public Domain.
Published prior to 1923.

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PREVAILING ERRORS IN
BY PROF.

ART EDUCATION.

CONRAD DIEHL.

NUMBER I.

When you are addressed by an aesthetic writer, you may expect to hear a treatise on Art from a general standpoint, since he
makes Art as objective a study, as does the Historian of all that appertains to the history of a people. But of the Artist, as well as
of the Poet or Musician, you must expect to hear nearly as much
with regard to himself, as with regard to his Muse; because, as far
as he is concerned, he and his Muse are one and inseparable, i. e.
he lives as much in his works, as do his creations through him.
Although I have been with you several years, I have not been
able to furnish much tangible evidence in justification of my
claims to being a professional Artist; and this because I was not
called into your midst for the purpose of plying my profession, as
such, but for that of carrying forward a work that had been auspiciously begun. The work of the Art Department, together with
the preparation of material for leading up to it through our District Schools, have hitherto commanded my entire time and attention.
The first and greatest error, prevalent in Art Education, is the
the assumption, that Art is

anz

Exotic-a hot-house

plant.

To the salutary influences of Art, we are in a great measure
indebted for what is refining; and hence a people, devoid of Art,
however favorably conditioned, materially or politically, must borrow its art from art-producing nations; and then, but too frequently, artifice takes the place of Art; sickly sentimentality that of pure
Art-sentiment; heartless affectation, that of true affection for the
beautiful; and prudery, that of fudeur.
Art is a hardy plant. It will thrive and bear rich fruit in any
community, if it is not left to shrivel and die; it will prosper and
grow in any atmosphere except the atmosphere that chills

365915

2

2RROIRS

IN

ART EIDUCATION.

its life current by untimely frosts. The ultra Puritan, who
looked upon Art as the chiefest instrument of the evil one for
sowing perdition, because of its abuse on the part of Popery and Feudalism to perpetuate their dominion in the Old World,
went too far in his overzealous strife for reform, when he choked
off Art and all its ennobling influences, and surrounded himself
with a purity-like to that of snow.
Icebergs and white-washed
walls, are the greatest enemies of Art.
The semi-circular wall of the lecture-room of the "Academie
des Beaux-Arts," in Paris, of which the general form of this chapel constantly reminds me, furnishes the surface for a tableau by
Paul Delaroche, which brings before the Art student, in one great
train, all the links that form the chain of European Art; the masters of every age and nation in chronological order, placed by skillful grouping in their relations to each other. In the center, surrounded by allegorical figures of the sister Arts, Sculpture, Architecture, Painting and Engraving, is Fame, throwing laurel wreaths
broadcast to the votaries of these fair sisters. What an emulation
to the Art student, to imbibe his lessons in such company-such
surroundings! What a grand Art-lesson it teaches! As I look
upon these walls, which stare at me as cold and blank as a winding sheet, nothing suggests itself to my mind as more appropriate
than to render them resplendent with pictorial illustrations of
Christian virtue, of self-abnegation, of self-sacrifice.
In order that we may be largely benefited by anything-of
whatever nature we must learn to prize it for its real worth.
This can only be when we are brought in contact and thus in sympathy with an object.
During a great famine in France, during the last century, one
Parmentier caused the King to have the potato cultivated. The
prejudices against this vegetable were so great, that the people
would rather starve than eat it. What neither persuasion nor
royal command proved equal to, the philanthropist accomplished
by stratagem. He caused the government potato-patch to be fenced in, and had a guard detailed to watch it-after having it proclaimed a penal offense to trespass on the field. By some it is held
that Parmentier himself mingled with the marauders, sharing the
pleasures of their preparations and their feasts and -that he even
paid extras to watchmen who displayed a bustling inactivity.

ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

But whence all this difficulty in a civilized community? Because of some persons having cooked and eaten the berry, instead
of the tuber, which so ill-agreed with them that they pronounced
it a poison. Hence, the masses were under the impression that the
King had caused this poison to be cultivated in order to relieve
their misery at wholesale, and this the more as they knew Parmentier-the instigator, to be the apothecary of the "Hotel des Invaids." Nothing is more perverse than suffering humanity. Rather than poison themselves voluntarily, to please his majesty, they
patiently resigned themselves to their fate, until Parmentier's
scheme succeeded.
The Frenchman does not live to-clay, who is not lavish in his
praise of pjommes de terre cutes; ommes de terre frites; fommes
terre a la maitre d'/lotel;
puree
dte fommes de terre; in short,
of all the various modes which the Frenchman has since devised for
cooking and serving this wholesome tuber; modes which have
become the standard in culinary art, and which the time allowed for this lecture would barely suffice to enumerate.
"But," may interpose the historian, "your version does not
agree with the facts;" then I shall reply with Voltaire, "Granted,
but you must admit that my way of telling it is the more plea'-

,de

ing."

To us, Art culture is nearly as foreign to-day, as was potato
culture to the French during the last century. We have been, and
are still the sufferers of a great famine. To relieve our State, the
President of this University caused its Curators to establish an Art
Department, which was placed under the fostering care of Gen. Bing"ham, an artist thoroughly imbued with the true spirit of his profession. But before the plans of organization were completed, he
received that summons to which we must all respond, sooner or
later.
The dearth which caused this wise and timely move on the
part of the far-seeing President and administrators of this University, is an outgrowth of that innate and irrepressible demand of the
human mind, for something, which before it is cultivated, cannot
become intelligible to the great mass of our people. Yet, every individual member of our great commonwealth, responds to its dictates to the full capacity of his judgment and his purse. What
doting father will not be lavish with his means, to render the ob-

ERRORS

IN ART EDUCATION.

ject of his paternal felicity and affections "j ust as pretty as a picture'?" Where is the infatuated youth who would not press all
the resources of the Universe sun and moon. and all the starsinto his services, for the sole purpose of enhancing the idol of his
heart--the object of his Aidoration, in such a measure, as to cause
all mere Art-works to sink into titter insignificance by comparison?
Have we not here a touch of the highest instincts of creative Art
A lug-out is made, a log-hut is built for temporary use only.
A frame-dwelling, a brick-building take their place, which in turn
are replaced by residences that are constructed-not alone with a
view to comfort, but with an eye to elegance-to beauty. The
minds of our shifting, moving, venturesome. prospecting, enterprising, speculating population, never senm willing to cast anchor
-with a view to permanency until amarble--front mansion with
suitable surroundings, has been secured.
But it is in the inner appointments of our abodes. that this
insatiate demand for the beautiful becomes ever more exacting;
and this in a proportion-rather in excess that below that of our
growing prosperity. Objects of u illy are supplanted by such of
conefort, and these give way to objects of Art-industry-of luvury.
We have now, without apparent effort. refuted the prevailing
error, that a susceptibility for the refining influences of Art, as well
as for the cultivation of Art-taste, is restricted to the enjoyment of
a favored few. But why are no such distinctions urged on

physi-

cal1 ?
grounds
physical

Because it is recognized that the differences of our
composition are quantitative and not qualitative. Furth-

er, when we fail to exercise aim organ, a faculty or a limb, such
in the waters of
organ, faculty or limb beconmes stunted. The
the "Mammoth

Cave" have no eyes. Why?

need ally; for they couldn't use them if

fish

Because they don't
they had them.

Nature

economizes, and hence, whatever be our native endowmentsphysical or

mental-what we don't develop,

we can't possess.

The readiitess with wlich people in gemneral admit that they
have ino taste for Art, is truly touching; yet easily explained.

Tlhings of which we only learn from hear-say, we may hold in esteem--but we canmnot have any predilection for them; and things
which we do not cultivate in common. we surely camnmot develop a
gemnem'al taste for. More than this; whtat our fellowv-citizen secuires
for his exclusive use-unless we can afford to follow his example,

ERRORS I

ART EDUCATION.

we usually make up our minds to have no use for. What use, for
instance, has a hostler for a groom? No more, indeed, than people in the ordinary walks of life stand in need of a horse and carriage; for when we have a long journey to make, we neither employ a horse nor driver, even though we could. We take the
steam-cars, which afford a rapidity of transit and a comfort that
are incomparable. What matter if railroads in our country are
still under the management of private corporations? They are
justas much our common property as are the great Monuments
and Museums of Art that of the citizens of the Old World. What
would we do without them? This view of things is so far from
being hair-brained (which seems to be the accepted synonym of
"ideal") that even he who looks at it from a purely common-sense
standpoint must, on due reflection, pronounce it ultra-practical.
Art Monuments and Art works-like railroads-are levelers.
While we occupy a seat on a train, the engine carries us onward as
rapidly as it does any other of its passengers, whatever be their
fortunes; while I contemplate a work of art, that work is virtually
as much my property as it is that of its owner, and all his wealth
could not divest me of the impressions received; nor could I, for
the time being, enter more fully in possession were it common
property; in which case my claims to ownership could be second to
those of none. "But," may be objected, "is this not also the case
in Europe ?" No, there the case is entirely different: Whilst
works that are marketable have their price, works that are common
property are priceless. Art among the Ancients was as free as is
to us the air we breathe. The possession in common, of the highest products of a Nation's genius, constitutes its greatest wealth;
and these embrace the greatest works in Poetry, in Music, in
Sculpture, in Painting, in Architecture; which do not-as is sometimes, but erroneously held-differ in quality, but only in kind.
Who can, with any degree of reason, hold up a tragedy of Shakspeare to the disparagement of a "Venus of Melos;" a "Parthenon;"
a "'Moses," by Michel Angelo; a "Transfiguration" by Raphael; a
"Cathedral" of Milan; or a "Symphonie" by Beethoven? Look at
the proud Athenian of "Old;" the participant in what untold
wealth! the owner of a Parthenon, and all the art-monuments and
treasures of his famous city! No wonder that the heart of the
most poverty-stricken of Athenians, in a worldly sense, could swell

ERRORS IN

ART

EDUCATION.

with pride and fill with commiseration, if not with contempt, for
the most opulent of his "foes, whom he knew destitute of these
blessings. Yet, proud as they were of the greatest source of
fame. many of these blessings had to be forced upon them; as some
of those most influential andpiprominent in
midst strove to
thwart their consumm atioun.
It is a well-known fact that 'History repeats itself;" and
therefore we should not be too harsh in our judgment of those,
which are so entirely absorbed in working out their own individual
life-problem, that they can only look upon the instituting of sources
of general welfare- whatever be their nature in the light of local
enterprise, seeing them through local spectacles.
imperative
of
It is the highest privilege, ats it is the
lift this Unievery Missourian, not alone to protect, but to help
versity to such a height that it may take the same ]ead in Ameican Education, which it is tie hope and trust of all its citizens
that Missouri may ere long take, in shaping the destinies, not alone
of her sister States, but of the peoples of the Western Hemisphere,
well as regards her
for which she is pre-eninently fitted, both
resources as her geographical position.
But to do this we stand sorely in need of a Pericles.
out one, we shall continue civilized dependants. Civilized, because
as
we are the product of civilization; dependants, because we
gatingWhat we have
yet destitute of many of the means for propa
inherited.
being, but what attracts
You are all at home here for the
is the calling of the
BuLsiuess.
the stranger to this

their

their

most

duty

as

material

With-

are

time

town?

What

maority of these strangers?

When is business most

Drum1mers.

During the University sessions.

thriving?
What

to Paris. to

attracts the stranger to Rome, to
Munich. to

:Dresden,

to

Berlin?

Venice.

to Florence,

It is the art-atmos-

phere of those cities in which Poetry. Music, Sculpture. Painting

Is.

that atumosphere detrimental
and Architect ure thrive.
grow th of the Universities of Paris. of lerliul, of Munich?:
a thousand

times no!, What chiefly constitutes

of the Italians, the

records of their
anthems

French, the Germ-ans

nation's

armils

apart

to the

No-

the national pride
from thme victorious

are thme recitals of

their Poets;

the

of theii .Musicians; the. seulptured and painted records of

their national glory---their

monu ments.

But second to these only

ERRORS IN ART EDUCA.TION.'

is their love, their veneration for their Nation's Genius: . Italy's
Dante, Petrarch, Tasso, Cherubini, Donizetti, Verdi, Angelo,
Raphael, Titian; France's Corneille, Moliere, Racine, Boileau,
Auber, Halevy, Poussin, Les Suer, David; Germany's Schiller,
Goethe, Lessing, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Rubens, Vandyke,
Durer; only a few of the many brilliant constellations of the
European Art-Firmament.
Although the stranger can not enter into full sympathy or enjoyment of them, yet he cannot fail to be impressed with their
grandeur, and to become inspired with a feeling of regret, if he belongs to a nation that is less favored.
Before Pericles. the Greeks had possessed a Homer; but after
Pericles, nothing could surpass the grandeur achieved by Attic
Art-Genius.
When the Parthenon was nearly completed the people of
Athens called for Pericles and clamored that he was betraying their
best interests by sacrificing their material welfare to his personal
ambition', and vociferously protested against his appropriating the
general funds for unnecessary embellishments; demanding, evea
with threats of personal violence, that he defray the expenses incurred in the rearing of this crowning work of the Acropolis out of
his private treasury. It was then that the patriotism of this most
noble of Athenians found expression in his famous proposition: "I
will cheerfully bear the expense, provided you will suffer me to
have a tablet imbedded with the inscription, 'This Building was
erected by Pericles, for the people of Athens.'"
It is urged on all sides: 1st, that we are too young a nation
to think of Art-culture; 2nd, that we have not yet reached a state
of opulence that will admit of it; in other words, that we are too
poor.
It is in youth, that a nation must mature her blossoms, and
bear fruit; that these may prove a main-stay, a source of comfort,
of enjoyment, of delight in age, in decrepitude.
Surely the plea of youth is inadmissible. What nation on the
face of the earth can trace her lineage more directly to Adam than
our own? What country has had opportunities, to profit by the
experience of all the other nations combined, that are equal to our
own? It is more reasonable to ascribe our inactivity, if not indifference to Art culture, to a premature exhaustion; growing out of

8

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

an over-eagerness for gain, whose frantic efforts seem to choke off
the voice of our aesthetic natures, and the soft appeals of our Art
tastes.
Now for the plea of poverty: The ravages of Tammany
Rings, Star-Route and Pension Schemes; the devastations by tornadoes, fires, train wrecks, bridge disasters, locusts, and other visitations, are so destructive to life and property, that the most favored of European nations would become impoverished by them.
They visit us to-day, to-morrow sees the sunshine on the enjoyment of plenty; but on happiness! not even on general contentment! no more to-morrow, than the yesterday. That most perfidious of all maxims that has ever been promulgated, and which, to
render it less offensive, is attributed to the Quaker: "Make moiey my son, go and make money! If thee can't make it honestly,
make money anyhow!" has done more to poison the minds of
youth, and to estrange fellow-beings, to alienate affections; and
has been at the bottom of more misery, of more suffering, than all
the vices and evils, which communities are uniting their efforts
combat-and this, because it lies even at the bottom of these.

to

This maxim encourages unscrupulous prevarication and dou ble-dealing, which are the most contemptible, the most cowardly
forms of lying and stealing, especially, as they are practiced in
most cases with impunity. The law itself, proves impotent in dealing with them. They ride rough-shod over all that is sacred to
humane instincts, feelings, conscience, and the love of fellow man.
They do more to dissipate confidence, and to lower the standard of
mankind, than do all the, ravages of poisonous whiskey, and all the
other social evils combined; because, whilst the law-abiding, industrious, truth-loving citizen can shun and avoid these latter, both
he and his, cannot escape being victimized by the former.
Now I think I can hear you say to yourselves: "But he is
not talking to his subject; he is talking ethics, on the science of
the good and the true, and we already have as much of that as we
want."

To the figure of Night, one of the four allegories, sculptured
by Michael Angelo on the Mausoleumn of Loreuzo Medici, Giam-

Battista Strozzi sang:

ERRORS

IN ART EDUCATION.

9

"Nig/zt, whom you see sleeping so calmly, was sculptured in
this stone by an angel (Angelo); she sleeps, she lives. Awake her
if you doubt, and she will speak to you."
In the same strain Michael Angelo replied in behalf of his
creation:
"It pleasant to nme to sleep, and still more do I prefer to be of
stone, in this age of the triumph of evil and shame. It is a great
advantage to me to see nothing, to feel nothing. Therefore wake
me not; ah! speak low."
Aesthetics, or the science of the Beautiful, can only prevail
where the true and the good are cultivated and practiced. As axiomatic as it is that the Good and the True beget the Beautiful, so
incontrovertible is it, that beauty is as mighty a lever for ennobling, as for degrading mankind.
beauty, which degrades, is
an infamous lie to begin with. She is covered with paint, often
an inch thick, and decked out with borrowed charms. Were she
to divest herself of them, she would be shunned and spurned.
But confidently she parades her borrowed truck, and with her
smirk so beguiles the innocent, that she not unfrequently eclipses
Beauty the simple, the modest, the pure, daughter of the Good and
the True, whom neither finery nor precious stones can enhance.
Her father, the Good, is more sinned against than obeyed; her
mother, Trutz , is but too often hidden out of sight, or frequently
when her presence is suffered, covered with the mantle of charity.
That garment, thrown over the human form divine of this the
highest, the most supreme of allegories, of embodiments in the
concrete of abstract conceptions--of which the human mind is capable, must cause the blush to mantle the cheek of her humblest
votary; but not a blush of shame, one of indignation.
The plea of general poverty is no doubt sincere, but it is unmany
justifiable on the ground assumed. Why. just think of it,
of our citizens are so poverty-stricken that they have paid from
thirty to forty thousand tlollars for single pictures which form part
of their private collections. The interest which some of these Artpatrons have taken in fostering our National Art is so great that
they have even commissioned and paid fabulous prices to European
Artists for most ludicrous attempts at the perpetuation of our Nation's history. What men of any other nationality are capable of
such extravagant folly ? The material resources of our State alone

7 hat

10

ERRORS

IN

ART EDUCATIOIN.

would suffice to buy-art-treasures apart, and perhaps even these
were they negotiable-all the property owned by the citizens of
Athens, Rome, Paris, Berlin, Munich and Dresden, and yet, despite
the unlimited resources and wealth of our Union, we could not
collect enough, all told, to render one of our cities as attractive as
any of those. But you may ask, "What about our national capitol?- our capitol?" The capitol at Washington is an edifice of
sublime dimensions, of elegant proportions. It is a splendid, costly, jewel-casket. But, I ask in turn, what of its jewels? I will
let those reply who have seen these in their setting, after its completion. To the questions: How were you impressed? Did the
work arouse your patriotism? Did it fill your heart with national
pride? They replied, rather puzzled: "Well--I don't know."
Did it come up to your expectations:? "Not that I know of." For
wonder! Many of the bas-reliefs bear the signatures of imported
artists, or the work itself was imported. We see the names of
Enrico Causici, A. Capelano, N. Gevelot, &c. The only Americans
who in a measure redeem this feature of the decoration are Crawford and Rodgers. Now as to the historical paintings, Tom, Dick
and Harry were awarded sums to the amount of thirty thousand
dollars for each patch which they contributed to the great National Country-Quilt. Just think of Tomaso, Ricardo and Enrico,
patching up the walls of a Vatican, a Sixtine Chapel; Thomas,
Richard and Henri, those of any one of the numerous halls at
Versailles; Thomas, Richard and Heinrich, the stair-case of the
Museum at Berlin, the Wartburg, or a wing of the Royal "Residenz" at Munich.
But the most humiliating feature of our National Sanctuary
is its general decoration, which was planned and executed by an
Italian. His name I cannot have forgotten-for I never knew it,
although it has been repeated to me time and time again. I never
wish to know it. Why, the very mention of it must fill the heart
of every true American citizen with indignation. What a poverty!
What a blow to National Art.
The egregious mistake on the part of Massachusetts shows the
sad effects which are ever the results attending on arrogance and
over-bearing, i. e. on an over-estimation of capacity. That State
has done more to injure the art-development in our country, during the past ten years, than she can be held to account for, as she

ERRORS

-is greatest sufferer.
the

IN ART EDUCATION.

11

No more than we can take the fruits of
plants, that are indigenous to the climate and the soil of other
countries, and multiply them,.without planting the seed, cultivating and acclimating the plant, can we expect to transplant a branch
of Art without cultivating Art proper. In her misdirected efforts
to elevate her Art-industries, Massachusetts has sunken more money, during the past twelve years, than would be required to establish a fountain head of Art, inclusive of Art-collections, that might
vie with the best of Europe. Massachusetts has had her private
experiment, and all her sister States are destined to follow in her
wake; but why on the basis of experiment? Why not at once lay
such a foundation as has ever furnished the basis of the structure
of all great Art-producing nations? The dearly purchased lesson
of that State is well worth all it has cost, provided her sister States
will profit by it.

PREVAILING ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.
BY PROF. CONRAD DIEHL.

NUMBER 2.

Ever sinse the International Exhibition held at Paris in 1867,
the merchants, manufacturers, and legislators of Massachusetts
have locked their hands in a united effort to relieve their state from
the enormous tax which the people of the Union impose upon themselves in their patronage of the European Art-Industries. On May
16, '70, the Massachusetts legislature approved an act which includes
drawing among the branches of learning,and requires it to be taught
in the public schools. In addition, it was enacted that: "Any
city or town may, and any city or town having more than ten
thousand inhabitants shall annually make provision for giving free
instruction in "INDuSTRIAL" or MECHANICAL DRAWING" to persons over fifteen years of age,either in day or evening schools, under
the direction of the school committee."

No initiative ever gave promise of greater returns. All inter'
ested saw "millions in it." They imported an English Art-Master, established Normal Art-Schools, and spared no consideration
or sacrifice, to insure the success of the undertaking. Their disastrous failure is due to the prevailing error, that the proper means
for developing and elevating the Art Industries of a people, are
those of making liberal provision for Art-Industrial education. A
more powerful refutation of this error, than that made-shortly after the Vienna Exposition-by Henri Delaborde, Minister of the
Fine Arts, of France, could not be uttered. It is worthy of being
"graven in letters of gold" on the walls of every school-room of
the country, until its valuable lesson is learnt.
It is: "We say Art Industry; Art-Industry does not exist.
It is Art applied to Industry! Art is one of the mightiest ma-

274

ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

chines of Industry!" And it may be added in the same strain,
with equal firmness and conviction, that we will never possess a
prosperous national Art-Industry, until we shall have built up
flourishing national Art-Schools, and these in turn, are out of all
question, before we secure national monuments of Art and Art
Museums.
Massachusetts appointed her English Art-Master, State Director of Art-Education, who, with the concurrence of prestige and
capital, the co-operatien and influence of the State authorities, prepared a series of text-books. But this step was not an innovation,
as he found an American text-book system already in use in Boston, and in many of the larger cities of the Union. The original
series gave way to the new, in most of those cities, soon after its
publication; notably among them, Chicago and St. Louis. Now,
the peculiar features of the Anglo-Boston work, as distinguishing
it from English or Continental works, were those which its author adopted from the American series, i. e. features which he
found here. The mention of the American text-books of Industrial Art-Education, brings up the prevailing error, that ORIGINAL
DESIGNING is a subject of elementary study; but that the study of
light, shade and shadow, and of color, in short of OBJECT-DRAWING,

must be reserved for the High-Schools and Special Art-Training
Schools.
It almost seems extravagant to waste words in endeavors to
correct these perverse notions, these mixtures of ignorance and hallucination. Let us see what Object Drawing, considered as an elementary study, signifies. It is the means for leading out the mind
of the child to a correct observation of things and to acquaint it
with the processes and practices that will enable it to make intelligent notations of what it has observed. Whilst every one, acquainted with the subject, will readily admit that object-drawing
can not be successfullyfpracticed in the school-room, any more
than conversation, even to the extent of declaring any attempt of
such practice, a folly; yet practical experiment teaches the lesson,
as the results obtained in our Art-Department conclusively show,
that Object-Drawing can not only be taught in the class-room, but
that the class-room is the only proper place for teaching its elements and principles, as it is'that for teaching the rudiments and
grammar of language, or for teaching arithmetic.

ERRORS IN

ART EI)UCATIOX.

275

Now as regards "Original Designing," let us draw on the example set by that most exalted of all art-producing people, the
Ancient Greeks. These, either in obedience to an established law,
for which, however, I can find no documentary evidence, or by
tacit agreement, abstained from the perpetuation of ORIGINAL DEsIGNS, unless these attained to an established standard of excellence,
in order to suppress mediocrity, and to avoid the possibility of exposing any product of Greek Art to ridicule. This law, or agreement, has been observed by that remarkable people, with a respect
that challenges admiration. The lowliest applications of their
Art-forms, bear the stamp of most elevated prototypes, and this
even down to the decay of Greek Art in Italy, as exemplified at
Harculaneum and Pompeii. Design as an elementary study? No,
rather teach the writing of poetry before teaching the alphabet.
The means available for the dissemination of Art, and the
channels that are open to-day for the distribution of the products
of Art-Industry, owing to the endless possibility of multiplication
on the one hand, and the means devised for cheapening their manufacture on the other, have forever made the growth of the Artisan-Artist to the elevation of a Benvenuto Cellini, an utter impossibility. Whilst only kings and princes of "old," could engage the
services of a Cellini, the manufacturers of to-day can afford to engage inferior talent and pay a tenfold price for inferior models than
was awarded Cellini for his best works. Not only does the manufacturer realize a thousand-fold return, but merchants, shippers,
speculators,and even laborers derive a revenue--from the wholesale
negdciant, to the share-holder of ships and railroads, to the jobber,
the driver and porter. Even here in America, where we enjoy European products of Art-Industry at second-hand, most of them
being designed and manufactured for our market to suit our taste
(which would not be marketable in Europe), we enter into their
possession at a mere nominal expense, as compared with the cost
of simpler objects, before the time of machinery. Although the
costly experiment of Massachusetts has, admittedly resulted in a
disgraceful failure, we must give Boston credit for having been the
first to repudiate, to expunge a work, for which it had fought and
bled so profusely.
Eight years ago, after the Boston work had been introduced
into the public schools of St. Louis, an initiative was taken in the

276

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

School of Observation for the Normal School, with a view of testing the possibility for adapting subject-matter to the primary department, for which no provision had been made in the Eastern
system; also for the purpose of relieving the schools of the extravagant text-books. This trial resulted in an annual increase of territory until three years later it had found introduction into 33, or
one-half the number of District Schools in that city. This extension was effected despite the prejudices and the declared opposition
of the great majority of teachers against it, when first introduced,
and despite the most strenuous efforts on the part of the Eastern
publishers and their friends, which- became more desperate every
year. When finally a decision was to be reached, as to which of
the two systems should prevail, even those that were hostile to the
Western initiative, were constrained to admit that the work of the
children that were taught in accordance with it, was far superior
to that returnoe by the other. The teachers who had given both
systems a fair trial, most of them having taught the other system five years, the home system but two, in response to an official
request made the following return: Out of a total number of 339,
but 9 declared themselves in favor of the Smith-system; 289 gave
their unqualified support and stated preference for the home-work;
41 were non-committal or did not reply at all. This result was as
mortifying as it was unexpected, especially as the teacher enjoyed
the aid of text-books in teaching the other, together with a series
of manuals; whilst the Home work could only place at her disposal, a few printed pages and plates that had been hastily prepared
for tentative use, and clean paper. But the cause of this is easily
explained: Whilst the former was a lifeless, monotonous drill in
drawing and multiplying black lines, the latter was instinct with
life, as it had been nurtured and matured in the school-room, making education and general training paramount to mere one-sided
manual training.
The opposition finding itself baffled and foiled in its efforts to
force the new work out of the schools on the ground of failure,
caused all supervision to be suspended i. e. only cut off one of the
many supervisors of the other, but the author or only supervisor
of the Home-system, on the plea of economy,and this after having
previously made several attempts to cripple the work by withholding from its author part of his salary-his only source of income.

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

277

In one of these attempts they failed, in the other they succeeded,
and the St. Louis Board of Schools still withholds from him a part
of salary due, which they are in honor bound to pay,but cannot be
forced to by law, owing to a mere technicality.
When the subsequent year the unsupervised work qf both systems was placed on exhibition for final comparison, the New England Text Book System experienced such a Waterloo, as to dissipate any and all desire on their part to institute, or suffer'farther
comparisons to be made on the basis of merit, and although no assistance could be rendered the home-work, it was continued during
the following year, and at its expiration the School Board (having
been equally divided on the two systems for three years) waived
the question of merit, and, with an eye to economy, opened the
lists on the basis of cheapness. The publishers in their eagerness
to regain the territory lost in St. Louis (that had been so steadily
wrenched from their grasp) and for the sake of securing a firm
foot-hold in the West, by extirpating an initiative which had largely contributed to its totter and fall in the East, virtually offered
their work to St. Louis as a free gift: Text-Books to children at
cost of publication; manuals to Teachers gratis, and a premium to
the Board, in the form of a Supervisor of Drawing for one year,
which is equivalent to a gratuity of at least $2,500. Now the reason why the author of our western work could not enter into competition on this basis, is because to my certain knowledge, his annual income at present, is not much in excess of three-fifths the
gratuity offered by his Eastern competitors.
The Board of Directors of the St. Louis Public Schools, accepted these conditions, and, by so doing, placed itself in the attitude of the administrative body of the educational interests of a
community of paupers. In addition to this, they have cut off the
zealous and devoted efforts of one of their fellow-citizens in the
service of the best interests of the ' Pride of the Mississippi Valley." On what ground ? On the plea of such abject poverty; that
they cannot even afford to feed the horse that offers to thresh her
cereals, but requires him to bring his own provender for the privilege. The reciprocal sympathy that subsists between that philanthropic Eastern publishing concern, and this poverty-stricken
School Board, is truly touching.
There is another system of Drawing which forces itself upon

278
ERRORS

278

IN ART

EDUCATION.

Which

is in every particlar inferior to the Eastern
our notice, and
in the
or Walter Smith System. It is the system generally n
State Normal Schools of Missouri, and would have been replaced
had
by our home-work, a year ago in one of them by Mr.
it been available, although he had only spent a half-hour in loking into the merits, and but for this we would pass it over in sience. It is the text-book series, known under the name and
style of "Krusi's Drawing.". The author, who possesses 11
professional qualifications for his task undertakes, after a fashion entirely his own, to illustrate tie accepted axiom that
"God geometrizes in Nature." J will only attempt The interpretation of a few- of tie numerousv examples set, and should
I misinterpret them, I beg the authors indulgence, as in all my
professional experienc I have met with nothing like them either
in Nature or in Art. An irregular pentagon reads "boot"; a trapobtuse-angled triangle, having one side in common,
ezoid and
read "cap""; an oblong, one of its lesser sides produced in one dicurves
rection, tie opposite sides in botil, reads "chair." All
of circular objects, that are not entirely visible, are represented, as
every child will represent them, as "rockers." The representations
and
of all real objects and natural forms, are so crude,
is
clhildish, that were they the interpretations of tie
constrained to use them as "copy" they would have to be corrected by the teacher, il accordance with a rational method.
circle, circumIn the advanced course, the author applies
scribing it about little birds; constructs a dog's head in repose
about a right-angled triangle, but shows the nlecessity for emhploying a trapezoid in tile constructionl of a barking dog, capping the
climax by inscribing a donkeys head into an equilateral triangle.
If this description sounds lulicrous, language is not equal to the
task of criticisinlg the 'Krusi's' inventive' course, prepared for children. The whole work laid dlown for the District Schools, in accordanice with tile system, hcld up as tiem nodel by our State Normal
Schools, for tile cultivation of the Art taste of our generation, can
be summnme'.i up in tle following: It viciates thle taste, destroys

.use

Baldwin,

an

the

incorrect,

child which

the

the faculty of observation, disg usts the student with Art Education,and cultivates a resentmlent an~d contempt for all-everythin g
and everybody, that is in the remotest

related to Art.

It is a libel

on niature, on geometry, on taste, on the beautiful, on good j udg-

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

279

ment, on all the principles, processes and practices of constructive
and pictorial art.
The fallacy of all the systems that have been published h.itherto in our country, is that they ignore the educational phase of
Art-Study. The very fact of their ignoring this, is the strongest
evidence that can be adduced, to show that their respective authors are not in possession of the required knowledge. I will illustrate one of the many evidences:
In dealing with the subject of Art-Education, the term Harmony, surely comprises all that may be comprehended in Art. Now,
this word is never used as a subject in any of those works, always
as a predicate. Since these works shed no light on the true meaning of this term, let us turn to Webster, the American authority,
who tells us that harmony in Art is synonymous with symmetry,
and turning to symmetry, we are referred to proportion; and going
to proportion we are sent back to symmetry and suitableness.
Now, with all due deference to Webster, this last reference is inadmissible, as suitableness is not a matter of proportion but one of
congruity. Contrary to the erroneous view that, "words are ideas,"
I will first quote Goethe, who says:
Da wo es an Begri'fen
feel,

d

stellt ein

Wort zur recklen

Zeit sick ein--there, where ideas forsake us, a word presents itself
in good time--and then emphasize the incontrovertible fact, that
when we have no ideas, we stand in no need of words to express
them, whilst when ideas force themselves upon us aid we find no
terms available to give them expression we take the liberty to coin
them, and add our definitions. But thanks to the wealth of our
store-room, for the setting forth of all that may be comprehended
by harmony,symmtry,or proportion,we are neither obliged to borrow or coin words.
Harmony, in Art, whatever else, surely embraces Symmetry
and Laws of the Beautiful; hence, Symmetry is not synonymous
with, but a manifestation of harmony, and in turn manifests itself
in lower and higher forms, the lower of which are: Repetition,
Reflection, Radiation, Spacing; the higher are: Free-Balancing,
Proportion, Congruity and Rhythm. I will not attempt to follow
up the other manifestation, as the presentation of this work belongs to the class-room; yet so much I will say with certainty: if
after you get through with Webster, you turn to the numerous

280

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

Encyc lcp6dias atyour service, you will be just as much lost-but.
should you attempt to gain light on the subject of Beauty, you
may become dazed and bewildered.
One of the most popular of prevailing errors, and one which
I would like to share, is the assumption that young ladies have
more native aptitude for Art-Study than young men, and as this
notion is very prejudicial to young men, who are thereby caused
to consider Art-Vocations effeminate, I beg leave to refer you to
the contents of museums of Art and to the work done in Art
Schools.
The plea that young ladies can not secure advantages equal
to those available to young men, is without any foundation. A
lady Art-student or a lady-student of medicine, can participate in
the work of the professional class-room, without doing violence to
their feminine delicacy or taste, and here it may be in place to emphasize, that whilst.good taste is native, perverted taste is an acquisition. What then bars her way to eminence in creative Art ?
Is it disparity of fortune? Is it a prejudice which refuses her recognition or protection? No, these grounds are no more tenable
than the other. Look at the homage that has been done to Angelica Kaufman, to" Rosa Bonheur, to Miss Hosmer.
When ayoung lady gives evidence for a predilection,a talent, if she
be poor, are her chances for enlisting sympathy or patronage in her
behalf, less great than are those young men? No, for they stand
as ten to one in her favor, but her male competitors bring to their '
work an enthusiasm, a devotion, which rather braves difficulties
than avoids them, and renders them oblivious to privations and
trials, living only in and for their calling, and if need be, will rather sacrifice health and life, than abandon the pursuit of their profession. I have known these young men-never the young women.
Woman was evidently not intended for such initiative; or being
so, is still awaiting an emancipation that will make her equal to it.
But this can not be construed in the light of disparagement,to the
contrary; her conservative inflience is more potent in Art, than all
the initiative of the sterner sex could prove without it; it is the
dominating spirit in the works of a Dante, of an Angelo-and every town in the land should make the amplest, the most liberal
provisions for its cultivation.
Every petty State in Europe, though it be smaller in area than

ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

281

Boone County, has, if not its own Art-School, yet a permanent
Art-fund, which is paid out in annual stipends, for the education
of its native talent. England, after having given its most gifted
students all the advantages the Island affords, sends them to Paris
and Rome, to complete their education. Paris awards her Prix de
Rome, annually. I hope the time may come when England and
France, and the rest of Europe will send their talented youths to
our National Art School for completing their education. But this
is evidently yet in the dim distance.
As people who are disappointed with one extreme, are prone
to rush into another, we must not be over-surprised to find that an
epidemic aestheticism, is about to supercede the art-industrial fever. This re-action on the practical art-folly, has already crazed
some of the susceptible minds in the East, even unto frenzy.
Oscar Wilde's advent, will no doubt, before he gets through,
tune the heart-strings of the polite American world, to such a
pitch, as to render their effusions-the outpourings of their exquisite, languishing, extatic, sighing, melting susceptibilities, to a
harmonious blending of all the tender accords of their feelings into one utterly grand symphony--less sufferable to the healthfl
mind, than all the the eaterwauling of dozens of nocturnal serenaders combined. The key-note, which is taken up in every conceivable variation, is purported to be "the Lily and Sunflower." It
is innocent--it is harmless. That garden which grows the richest
fruits will ever attract two kinds of visitors-the worm and the
butterfly. Not all worms produce the precious cocoon, but all are
alike voracious. He feeds on trunk and stem and leaf, and his
true nature is not often discovered until the ravages have been done.
Beware of him, he is practical, he means business. The butterfly
is harmless-let it flutter.
It must be remembered, however, that between these two extremes, we have passed an intermediate stage, although the transition has been rapid. It may be styled the decorating mania, which
culminated in what are termed Schools of Decorative Art, Art and
Sketch Clubs. On the workings of these horse-shoe, card-plate,
satin, vase and china-painting schools, Art and Sketch-Clubs, the
weekly records of the city papers have given such glowing accounts, have bestowed such fulsome and indiscriminate praise
that the lover or votary of Art, of the Good, the True, and the

282

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

Beautiful, must at times have felt his heart to fail him. Why, the
average crayon or water-color dabbler, whose works elicite the admiration of his club, and hence the high enconiums of the press,
could, on presentation of these to the authorities of European Art
Schools, hardly obtain admission to the classes of beginners.
For this Decorative tidal-wave, we are also indebted to an
Englishman--a Mr. Eastlake-who, to judge by his reputationwhatever be his pretensions, is a professional tafissier or upholsterer. But this profession in Europe is not ranked with that of
the mattress-maker, or chair and sopha coverer. The tafissier
stands high in the estimation of those possessing good taste, as he
makes a life study of the products of Art-Industry and of their arrangment, with a view of accommodating the tastes and the purses
of his patrons. He is also a designer, or when deficient in practical execution, he has a designer in his employ. As he is a specialist, the Artist will employ him as readily (provided his means permit) as does the nobility, or the wealthy Bourgeoisie. The following lines, taken from. the last number of the Courier are explanatory: "A. Guyot, le ta issier, ui a vu a fiusicurs refrises M.
Vaughan four l'amneublement de sa maison de la rue de la Loi,"

etc.-Mr. Guyot, the upholsterer, who has called on Mr. Vaughan
several times, with a view of furnishing his house of the street, de
la Loi," etc.

America also has its Eastlake, as it had its champion of preRaphaelitism, a cult which after Raphael, could among all the European Countries, only find votaries in England, and in consequence be affected in New England. A pre-Raphaelite can read
volumes in the unassuming representation of a few blades of grass,
a daisy, a caterpillar, a butter-cup and a June-bug. The innocent
simplicity tltat pervades such a painting will warm his imagination, touch his heart, and why not? But a mere affectation of
pre-Raphaelitism, must result in an ill-disguised simpletonism. As
a rule the professional Art critics of our country are young men of
literary proclivities, who, finding it more convenient to run their
pens at the expense of artists and other productive genius, than to
follow a literary career, in which original brain-work is required,
make Art-criticism a profession. They are lavish in their praise of
all, that for the time being, interests the polite world, and are
equally indiscriminate in decrying and reviling what lies beyon4

ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

283

their comprehension. Divest the scribbling of most of our professional Art-critics, of the borrowed feathers with which they plume
themselves; take them beyond their own depth, aid you will witness the spectacle so fully described in the fable:
"An ambitious chicken that had failed in repeated efforts, to
make itself conspicuous, plumed itself a crack duck, and cut such
capers in shallow water, as caused both hen and chick to stare in
blank amazement and admiration. One day, over-elated by its success, the chicken ventured out beyond its depth, but now it cut
capers of a new kind, much to the amusement of duckling, and to
the edification of duck, and then the very borrowed plumage bore
it down."
But why this onslaught on the Art-Critic? I honor the true
professional Art-Critic, as much as I do the professional historian.
He brings a native capacity to his work, a love, a devotion, a sincsrity and studiousness, that benefits and elevates the Art of a Nation, in a practical sense, scarcely in a lesser degree, than does the
work of the Artist.
I make no onslaught on the true Art-Critic. Would that
good fortune may give us a Lessing, a Taine, a Ruskin, even
though the latter be erratic. But on the time-serving, astute,
wriggler? the art-scribbler ? No, I will desist-all that the English language can supply, is not equal to do justice to the task.
That cancer that defiles the object it feeds on. Cut it out. One
of these venomous scribblers persecuted Leutze, the only American historical painter that has earned a European reputation.
How could Emanuel Leutze stoop to respond, or to recognize, such
a splasher of nut-gall? Yet, Leutze suffered, as only an honest
man can suffer, when he is made the stepping stone, on which his
persecutor foists himself into prominence. This soup-ladle, who
makes himself so conspicuous at the Art Banquet, and whose
Leutze-mania first brought into public notice, has the vanity even
to-day, to consider himself in the light of chief-cook in the construction of the Nation's Art-pie. Let him cook away in accordance with his empty conceit, he can neither help the one nor spoil
the other. He is the veriest little joker.
Students of the Missouri State University, you have been
pointed to repeatedly, from this rostrum, by some of the most
prominent citizens of this State as the men and women in whose

284

2ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

hands the future prosperity of our commonwealth in a great
measure reposes. I sincerely share this view, and have, therefore,
taken every advantage of this opportunity to lay to your hearts
the care of a common interest, which the ill-advised and misdirected East has done more injury to, than it will be able to repair
in its own district, for many years to come. The very circumstance that Massachusetts has been so eager and earnest to take
the lead, shows the imperative need for such a measure, in our
Union. In order that the wheel of progress may move onward
unimpeded, it is high time that the sluggard-the ignoramus, who
is clogging up its way, should be removed.
The flower of Missouri's youth, pass the best years-those
that are most potent in shaping their judgment and taste-in this
Institution. Many of its students have exercised the highest
functions of the State, and lived to a ripe old age, without ever
having enjoyed the privilege of looking at a painting of historic
dimensions, i. e., the portrayal of a National event, the figures
painted the size of life. This shows conclusively, that making
Columbia the Art-Center of Missouri is not a local question, but
one which should enlist the most hearty co-operation of every true
man, woman and child of the State, for if they will not take more
interest in the futherance of this cause, than has been shown by
the citizens of Columbia, the doom of this timely move is sealed.
But it must be remembered, that inasmuch as the school room is
the proper place for preparing the child for all the activities of
life, the child destined to follow practical pursuits is entitled to as
good a preparation for his vocation as is the one preparing himself
for a learned profession. Although every State has made ample
provisions for the latter, and this in many instances even under
protest, and by order of our National Government, not one (Massachusetts excepted) has made any for the former; and in failing
to do so, have legislated in favor of the one, and to the prejudice
of the other. This is all the more deplorable, as apart from the
grossest injustice the state stunts its own material development.
Now, on the plea of "Equal rights and privileges to all," those
pursuing practical vocations are surely entitled to similar advantages; and the State is in duty bound to supply them for its own
self-protection. Under a constitutional government it must be
recognized that "what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the

ERRORS IN

ART EDUCATION.

285

gander." All this only serves to show, that there is not nearly as
much option in this matter as would appear; and that the time
may not be distant when it will become imperative. But it is
already high time that our youth should clamor for the enjoyment
of means which may enable them to hand down to coming generations, what the past has failed to provide for them.
To the historical painter, words are but ill-suited for the framing of a lecture. His language is form, his vehicles are paints,
brushes, and the pallette; his subject is the history of the nation to
which he belongs. The preparation of a lecture in a series of historical paintings involves many years of labor, and the cupola form
is the one best adapted for its delivery. The history of no nation
on the face of the earth, presents material more highly fitted for
such a lecture than does that of our own. Conceive the lower portion of the inner wall surface of a dome divided into four parts for
the reception of panels; one of these devoted to the conquest of
Mexico, a page reeking with blood, and disfigured by rapine and
devastation; the motors of the valor of the Castilian Hidalgo. The
second panel, the landing of the self-exiled band of hardy honest
men in quest of a home, where they may enjoy immunity from
persecution and oppression, enjoy religious and social freedom.
Third panel: the revolting indignation of a peaceful, industrious,
law-abiding people against usurping tyranny, which culminated in
an orderly, yet determined outbreak of the colonists and found vent
in a demonstration in Boston, known under the name and style of
"Stamp Act Riots" in the Annals of Great Britain, but which is
the most glorious page in the history of all nations. Fourth panel: an apothesis of all the heroes-from Columbus down to Garfield-who form the pillars of the golden star-spangled dome of our
Great Republic, which, despite the stripes received and given,
stands resplendent in its mighty glory. Around the dome a circular band, the emblem of eternity, showing in epitome the course
of events that characterize the history of all nations, and which as
exemplified in our own signalizes a new departure; that of "right
is might" in place of might is right. This band to set forth in
bas-relief the Indian, the French, and the Revolutionary wars. As
supports of the golden starlit dome, the allegorical figures of
reason, justice, liberty, truth, and this latter the more, as without
her, the other trinity too often degenerate into treason, corruption and oppression.

286

ERRORS IN ART EDUCATION.

But you may ask,.where find the dome that is worthy of such
a decoration? It is already built but in its present condition, it
will not repay you for your visit. It is the dome which you see
at morning, noon and evening; it is the dome which caps your
Alma Mater, the crowning institution in this State of our National
System of Public Education.
We may not live to see this work consummated, but I hope
that the child already lives that will point to it with pride, as to
the beacon-light that warns her sister states of the shoals, the
rocks and the breakers which have wrecked the fondest hopes of
proud but vain Massachusetts.
CONRAD DIEHL,
COLUMBIA, Mo., February 22, 1882.

This book is a preservation facsimile produced for
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