who dare

advance of

Delacroix, Millet, Corot, and Manet. Con- "The men stable met with similar lack of appreciation admire in England, and a painting of Whistler's was things in hissed when exhibited in London. In every the rest of age there are the same kind of people claim- the world ing authority in art matters, who are on the common." side of tradition and a past phase of art. Time JF. Millet alone is the true arbiter, and the final opinion Life. of the public will be right.

are not

Sensier's

conceived

meanly of

as the re

or

sources of man, who believes that the best age

In comparing a painter of to-day with artists "He has of other times, it must be remembered that in many ways the art of painting improves each generation passes. It is not a lost art, like the manufacture of Limoges enamel, the stained glass of the Middle Ages, or the of produccoloured porcelain of China. On the contrary, each new school has given its quota of Art.” knowledge and discovery. Constable, Turner, Corot, and Manet have added to the living ideas of the world. In a recent lecture, George

the art that has already been achieved may be imitated, but never surpassed. Modern Art must strike out from the old and assert its individual right to live. The new is not revealed to those whose eyes are fastened in worship upon the old. The artist of to-day must work with his face turned toward the dawn, steadfastly believing that his dream will come true before the setting of the sun."

tion is past."

"Essay on

Emerson.

"Para

graphs from the Studio of a Recluse." Albert P. Ryder,

A. N. A.

"Pictorial Composition."

Clausen, A. R. A., said: "Turner was the first to paint colour in the shadows as well as in the light"; and "though from some of the work of the modern impressionists we might turn with more respect to the older painters, still something has been gained, and we could not go back again to brown shadows and degraded tones." And Mr. Poore writes: "Masterful composition of many figures has never been surpassed in certain examples of the old masters; but in the case of portrait composition of two figures, it is worthy of note how far beyond the older are the later masters; or in the group"We have ing of landscape elements, or in the arrangement of figures or animals in landscape, how a finer sense in such arrangement has come to art." So it gradually comes about that the him, there equipment and knowledge of the modern artist are greater than ever before.

then but to

wait until, with the

mark of the

gods upon

come

among us again the

chosen, who shall continue what

has gone before." "Ten

O'Clock."

Whistler.

Granting that each be possessed of the true artistic temperament, a great artist of to-day should be able to express the thoughts that inspire him more fully and completely than one of two centuries ago. And we may truly

say that men of genius have appeared in recent

in their

they have

seen and

felt from

early child

hood. No

man ever

but what

times, and that no such landscape work as that of Anton Mauve, James Maris, J. H. Weissenbruch, and William Maris has ever "All great before been seen in Holland. They all paint have been painters the homely country scenery and the people great only engaged in their ordinary occupations, and rendering wonderfully beautiful works are produced from of what these simple materials. Everything in their pictures is seen to be surrounded with atmosphere and to dwell in space, and their constant aim is to translate the sunshine, striking in painted well brilliant light on trees or cattle, or diffused anything over the whole landscape. Their art is in- he has tensely modern, original, and racy of the soil; strong, broad, vigorous, suggestive, and full of deep feeling, and it has the power of enabling loved.” others to feel the spirit that moved the artist. "Modern Mauve, James Maris, and William Maris in- Vol. I. troduce the human element largely into their Page 121. pictures, and cattle and animals, as they appear "Nature in the daily life of the peasant, are prominent betray the objects of interest in their works. But Weis- heart that senbruch, whose aim, in his later works, is to "Tintern give that large feeling of wind-blown or calm Abbey." and quiet air-containing space which enfolds worth.

early and long felt,

and early

and long

Painters."

Ruskin.

never did

loved her."

Words

"The Renaissance."

"Nature always wears the colours of

the Spirit." "Essay on Nature."

Emerson.

everything, depends almost entirely upon the simple seashore or country scene he is painting to produce the effect he desires and is so successful in obtaining, and in pure landscape he has carried the art to its latest expression.

Writing about the Renaissance, Walter Pater says: "There are a few great painters, like Michelangelo or Leonardo, whose work has become a force in general culture, partly for this very reason, that they have absorbed into themselves all lesser workmen. But besides these there is a number of artists who have a distinct faculty of their own, by which they convey to us a peculiar quality of pleasure which we cannot get elsewhere. These, too, must be interpreted by those who have felt their charms." Those who get a peculiar quality of pleasure from Weissenbruch would fain interpret his charm. Surely we have in him one of those rare subjective painters of whom we have been speaking, fully equipped technically; one whose emotions are keenly excited by the beauties of nature, and whose sensitive and poetic temperament enables him to communicate to us the feelings and moods

that possessed him; one who seeks for sym-
pathetic appreciation and understanding. For
there is a loneliness, a mystery and poetry
about his work, a personal element of sym-
pathy with nature and a knowledge of all her
moods, that creates a bond of union with him.
He was a child of nature, and this kindly
mother taught him her own truth and sim-
plicity, and made him one of her intimates.

"To him who in the love of nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language."

Such communings had he, and various and beautiful is the language he uses. It may not be given to every one to see this. The words of the poet are true, "L'amour seul voit avec des yeux." But those that fall under his influence, especially those who live with his pictures, and feel the intense solitude and silence they depict, the vastness of nature, the littleness of humanity, and the weary labours of man, become devoted followers and grow very fond of the artist and his work. They realize that a poet-painter of gentle soul and lofty ideal dwelt here a while, and, after

"Thana

topsis."

Bryant.