Thus he fills a middle place between the men who made an honest effort
at painting nature as they saw and felt it, but could not altogether
rid themselves of their early education, and the lawless band who,
with the purple banner of impressionism, now riot joyously in the
fields, with brave show of gleaming color, and fearless attempt to
enlist science in their ranks.
[Illustration: SERVANT AT THE FOUNTAIN. FROM A PAINTING BY FRANCOIS
SAINT BONVIN.
From the Salon of 1863; now in the Luxembourg galleries. A quiet
scene, essentially French from the type of the woman to the "fountain"
of red copper so often seen in French kitchens, it recalls the work
of the old Holland masters, and proves that, in our day, and with
material near at hand, one can be thoroughly modern, and yet claim
kinship with the great painters of the past.]
It is to these latter that the future must look, and it can do so with
confidence. In all the license which runs ahead of progress there
is less danger than resides in stagnation. The men of 1830, who by
ungrateful youths are now derided, had their turn at derision, and
extravagances were committed in their name, according to the
beliefs of their time. They carried their work, however, to its full
completion, and it remains the greatest achievement of this century
in painting, the greatest in landscape art of all time.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196