File:The art of painting in the nineteenth century (1908) (14780313601).jpg

Identifier: artofpaintinginn00machrich (find matches)
Title: The art of painting in the nineteenth century
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Mach, Edmund von, 1870-1927
Subjects: Painting -- History
Publisher: Boston and London, Ginn and company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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posi-tion as the only aristocrat among the artistic na-tions of the world. CHAPTER IV AMERICAN PAINTING American painting to-day is the worthy sec-ond of the best art in the world, and in somebranches, perhaps, ranks first. It is sincere andwholesome, technically sound, and inspired bylofty ideals. It also shows much common senseand reveals the vigorous stock from which theartists are recruited. Nowhere does it fall subjectto the overdelicate taste of those last scions ofhighly cultivated races, who are known as degen-erates. It is a pleasing art, often brilliant, andgenerally good to live with. Of course there areexceptions, but, on the whole, visitors to Ameri-can exhibitions are well satisfied; they have comein contact with the works of noted men. Leaving the American section at any of therecent large fairs, a man might easily have askedhimself how it is possible that people who havebeen a nation hardly sixscore years can producean art so singularly free from such defects as are 88
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John Singer Sargent Portrait of Mrs. Ian Hamilton «. » AMERICAN PAINTING 89 due to prejudice, idiosyncrasies, or ignorance.The answer to such queries is supplied by thehistorian, who points to the beneficial minglingof the races in this large territory, and to theopportunities which the country has offered forthe exercise of well-developed faculties. All for-eigners who have entered into the spirit of theland testify to the clarifying effect which thefree intercourse with men of other extraction hashad upon their mental make-up. It is as if mindsheretofore fettered by what may be peculiarEnglish, French, German, Slavish, or Italianprejudices were permitted to unfold themselveswithout restrictions, the bias of the one raceacting as an infallible antidote to those of theothers. If American painting is to continue itsphenomenal development, care must be takenthat no distinctly American prejudice is per-mitted to rivet new fetters for the scarcely yetliberated mind. People who judge the

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