essays and lectures-第35章

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method　of　distributing　alms　to　the　undeserving。　　Perhaps　the　School

Board　will　teach　the　London　GAMIN　his　own　artistic　value；　and　then

they　will　be　better　models　than　they　are　now。　　One　remarkable

privilege　belongs　to　the　Academy　model；　that　of　extorting　a

sovereign　from　any　newly　elected　Associate　or　R。A。　　They　wait　at

Burlington　House　till　the　announcement　is　made；　and　then　race　to

the　hapless　artist's　house。　　The　one　who　arrives　first　receives　the

money。　　They　have　of　late　been　much　troubled　at　the　long　distances

they　have　had　to　run；　and　they　look　with　disfavour　on　the　election

of　artists　who　live　at　Hampstead　or　at　Bedford　Park；　for　it　is

considered　a　point　of　honour　not　to　employ　the　underground　railway；

omnibuses；　or　any　artificial　means　of　locomotion。　　The　race　is　to

the　swift。



Besides　the　professional　posers　of　the　studio　there　are　posers　of

the　Row；　the　posers　at　afternoon　teas；　the　posers　in　politics　and

the　circus　posers。　　All　four　classes　are　delightful；　but　only　the

last　class　is　ever　really　decorative。　　Acrobats　and　gymnasts　can

give　the　young　painter　infinite　suggestions；　for　they　bring　into

their　art　an　element　of　swiftness　of　motion　and　of　constant　change

that　the　studio　model　necessarily　lacks。　　What　is　interesting　in

these　'slaves　of　the　ring'　is　that　with　them　Beauty　is　an

unconscious　result　not　a　conscious　aim；　the　result　in　fact　of　the

mathematical　calculation　of　curves　and　distances；　of　absolute

precision　of　eye；　of　the　scientific　knowledge　of　the　equilibrium　of

forces；　and　of　perfect　physical　training。　　A　good　acrobat　is　always

graceful；　though　grace　is　never　his　object；　he　is　graceful　because

he　does　what　he　has　to　do　in　the　best　way　in　which　it　can　be　done　…

graceful　because　he　is　natural。　　If　an　ancient　Greek　were　to　come

to　life　now；　which　considering　the　probable　severity　of　his

criticisms　would　be　rather　trying　to　our　conceit；　he　would　be　found

far　oftener　at　the　circus　than　at　the　theatre。　　A　good　circus　is　an

oasis　of　Hellenism　in　a　world　that　reads　too　much　to　be　wise；　and

thinks　too　much　to　be　beautiful。　　If　it　were　not　for　the　running…

ground　at　Eton；　the　towing…path　at　Oxford；　the　Thames　swimming…

baths；　and　the　yearly　circuses；　humanity　would　forget　the　plastic

perfection　of　its　own　form；　and　degenerate　into　a　race　of　short…

sighted　professors　and　spectacled　PRECIEUSES。　　Not　that　the　circus

proprietors　are；　as　a　rule；　conscious　of　their　high　mission。　　Do

they　not　bore　us　with　the　HAUTE　ECOLE；　and　weary　us　with

Shakespearean　clowns？　　Still；　at　least；　they　give　us　acrobats；　and

the　acrobat　is　an　artist。　　The　mere　fact　that　he　never　speaks　to

the　audience　shows　how　well　he　appreciates　the　great　truth　that　the

aim　of　art　is　not　to　reveal　personality　but　to　please。　　The　clown

may　be　blatant；　but　the　acrobat　is　always　beautiful。　　He　is　an

interesting　combination　of　the　spirit　of　Greek　sculpture　with　the

spangles　of　the　modern　costumier。　　He　has　even　had　his　niche　in　the

novels　of　our　age；　and　if　MANETTE　SALOMON　be　the　unmasking　of　the

model；　LES　FRERES　ZEMGANNO　is　the　apotheosis　of　the　acrobat。



As　regards　the　influence　of　the　ordinary　model　on　our　English

school　of　painting；　it　cannot　be　said　that　it　is　altogether　good。

It　is；　of　course；　an　advantage　for　the　young　artist　sitting　in　his

studio　to　be　able　to　isolate　'a　little　corner　of　life；'　as　the

French　say；　from　disturbing　surroundings；　and　to　study　it　under

certain　effects　of　light　and　shade。　　But　this　very　isolation　leads

often　to　mere　mannerism　in　the　painter；　and　robs　him　of　that　broad

acceptance　of　the　general　facts　of　life　which　is　the　very　essence

of　art。　　Model…painting；　in　a　word；　while　it　may　be　the　condition

of　art；　is　not　by　any　means　its　aim。



It　is　simply　practice；　not　perfection。　　Its　use　trains　the　eye　and

the　hand　of　the　painter；　its　abuse　produces　in　his　work　an　effect

of　mere　posing　and　prettiness。　　It　is　the　secret　of　much　of　the

artificiality　of　modern　art；　this　constant　posing　of　pretty　people；

and　when　art　becomes　artificial　it　becomes　monotonous。　　Outside　the

little　world　of　the　studio；　with　its　draperies　and　its　BRIC…E…BRAC；

lies　the　world　of　life　with　its　infinite；　its　Shakespearean

variety。　　We　must；　however；　distinguish　between　the　two　kinds　of

models；　those　who　sit　for　the　figure　and　those　who　sit　for　the

costume。　　The　study　of　the　first　is　always　excellent；　but　the

costume…model　is　becoming　rather　wearisome　in　modern　pictures。　　It

is　really　of　very　little　use　to　dress　up　a　London　girl　in　Greek

draperies　and　to　paint　her　as　a　goddess。　　The　robe　may　be　the　robe

of　Athens；　but　the　face　is　usually　the　face　of　Brompton。　　Now　and

then；　it　is　true；　one　comes　across　a　model　whose　face　is　an

exquisite　anachronism；　and　who　looks　lovely　and　natural　in　the

dress　of　any　century　but　her　own。　　This；　however；　is　rather　rare。

As　a　rule　models　are　absolutely　DE　NOTRE　SIECLE；　and　should　be

painted　as　such。　　Unfortunately　they　are　not；　and；　as　a

consequence；　we　are　shown　every　year　a　series　of　scenes　from　fancy

dress　balls　which　are　called　historical　pictures；　but　are　little

more　than　mediocre　representations　of　modern　people　masquerading。

In　France　they　are　wiser。　　The　French　painter　uses　the　model　simply

for　study；　for　the　finished　picture　he　goes　direct　to　life。



However；　we　must　not　blame　the　sitters　for　the　shortcomings　of　the

artists。　　The　English　models　are　a　well…behaved　and　hard…working

class；　and　if　they　are　more　interested　in　artists　than　in　art；　a

large　section　of　the　public　is　in　the　same　condition；　and　most　of

our　modern　exhibitions　seem　to　justify　its　choice。









POEMS　IN　PROSE









THE　ARTIST





ONE　evening　there　came　into　his　soul　the　desire　to　fashion　an　image

of　THE　PLEASURE　THAT　ABIDETH　FOR　A　MOMENT。　　And　he　went　forth　into

the　world　to　look　for　bronze。　　For　he　could　think　only　in　bronze。



But　all　the　bronze　of　the　whole　world　had　disappeared；　nor　anywhere

in　the　whole　world　was　there　any　bronze　to　be　found；　save　only　the

bronze　of　the　image　of　THE　SORROW　THAT　ENDURETH　FOR　EVER。



Now　this　image　he　had　himself；　and　with　his　own　hands；　fashioned；

and　had　set　it　on　the　tomb　of　the　one　thing　he　had　loved　in　life。

On　the　tomb　of　the　dead　thing　he　had　most　loved　had　he　set　this

image　of　his　own　fashioning；　that　it　might　serve　as　a　sign　of　the

love　of　man　that　dieth　not；　and　a　symbol　of　the　sorrow　of　man　that

endureth　for　ever。　　And　in　the　whole　world　there　was　no　other

bronze　save　the　bronze　of　this　image。



And　he　took　the　image　he　had　fashioned；　and　set　it　in　a　great

furnace；　and　gave　it　to　the　fire。



And　out　of　the　bronze　of　the　image　of　THE　SORROW　THAT　ENDURETH　FOR

EVER　he　fashioned　an　image　of　THE　PLEASURE　THAT　ABIDETH　FOR　A

MOMENT。





THE　DOER　OF　GOOD





It　was　night…time　and　He　was　alone。



And　He　saw　afar…off　the　walls　of　a　round　city　and　went　towards　the

city。



And　when　He　came　near　He　heard　within　the　city　the　tread　of　the

feet　of　joy；　and　the　laughter　of　the　mouth　of　gladness　and　the　loud

noise　of　many　lutes。　　And　He　knocked　at　the　gate　and　certain　of　the

gate…keepers　opened　to　Him。



And　He　beheld　a　house　that　was　of　marble　and　had　fair　pillars　of

marble　before　it。　　The　pillars　were　hung　with　garlands；　and　within

and　without　there　were　torches　of　cedar。　　And　He　entered　the　house。



And　when　He　had　passed　through　the　hall　of　chalcedony　and　the　hall

of　jasper；　and　reached　the　long　hall　of　feasting；　He　saw　lying　on　a

couch　of　sea…purple　one　whose　hair　was　crowned　with　red　roses　and

whose　lips　were　red　with　wine。



And　He　went　behind　him　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　said　to

him；　'Why　do　you　live　like　this？'



And　the　young　man　turned　round　and　recognised　Him；　and　made　answer

and　said；　'But　I　was　a　leper　once；　and　you　healed　me。　　How　else

should　I　live？'



And　He　passed　out　of　the　house　and　went　again　into　the　street。



And　after　a　little　while　He　saw　one　w