Painting and Art
When I think over the subject of painting and artNothing occurs new that to you I can impartWhich might bring reformation in the wayThese subjects could be treated in our day.The men of ancient times, with keen vision,Bent over canvas and marble with a precisionNot equalled or surpassed, marking lines of lightAnd shades, bringing life and nature into full sight,Throwing upon cloth the earth and beclouded sky.With its valleys green and mountains high,Divided into parts with ever-widening and winding streams,Their shores lined with foliage green and rocks in seams;And scraggy trees, as through them the moonbeamsThrow their mild and mellow light in shimmering sheen;And fading lines of landscape merging into sky,With its diversified colors upon our watching eye;And from the dead, cold marble stand outThe forms of women and men showing their features and clout,Bringing out every expression of muscle and face,Revealing the thoughts and passions in lines they traceOf all the joys of life and the agonizing look,Even to portraying the dying groan one undertook.To show up nature is the whole object of art;To make the scenes natural and life impart.Now our skill in inventions throwing light,We absolutely copy nature and bring it out right.Men with their skill and labor bringing out a view,With tinsel and touch to give it the correct hue,Cannot come up to daguerreotype or kodakIn throwing out the front or showing up the back.Thus onward our wheels of progress are rolling,Crushing out the heart of Genius strollingOver lands vying, with his puny hands,With forces of nature invention commands.We should pause sometimes in our rapid flight,Long enough to reflect on the dangers that mightWreck our civilization; children would their lives destroyWere they allowed to handle guns as a toy;So with man in his audacious daringHandling these forces recklessly, caringLittle for those who are smashed beneath their grinding,As the end to the glories of art they are finding.
When I think over the subject of painting and artNothing occurs new that to you I can impartWhich might bring reformation in the wayThese subjects could be treated in our day.The men of ancient times, with keen vision,Bent over canvas and marble with a precisionNot equalled or surpassed, marking lines of lightAnd shades, bringing life and nature into full sight,Throwing upon cloth the earth and beclouded sky.With its valleys green and mountains high,Divided into parts with ever-widening and winding streams,Their shores lined with foliage green and rocks in seams;And scraggy trees, as through them the moonbeamsThrow their mild and mellow light in shimmering sheen;And fading lines of landscape merging into sky,With its diversified colors upon our watching eye;And from the dead, cold marble stand outThe forms of women and men showing their features and clout,Bringing out every expression of muscle and face,Revealing the thoughts and passions in lines they traceOf all the joys of life and the agonizing look,Even to portraying the dying groan one undertook.To show up nature is the whole object of art;To make the scenes natural and life impart.Now our skill in inventions throwing light,We absolutely copy nature and bring it out right.Men with their skill and labor bringing out a view,With tinsel and touch to give it the correct hue,Cannot come up to daguerreotype or kodakIn throwing out the front or showing up the back.Thus onward our wheels of progress are rolling,Crushing out the heart of Genius strollingOver lands vying, with his puny hands,With forces of nature invention commands.We should pause sometimes in our rapid flight,Long enough to reflect on the dangers that mightWreck our civilization; children would their lives destroyWere they allowed to handle guns as a toy;So with man in his audacious daringHandling these forces recklessly, caringLittle for those who are smashed beneath their grinding,As the end to the glories of art they are finding.
When I think over the subject of painting and art
Nothing occurs new that to you I can impart
Which might bring reformation in the way
These subjects could be treated in our day.
The men of ancient times, with keen vision,
Bent over canvas and marble with a precision
Not equalled or surpassed, marking lines of light
And shades, bringing life and nature into full sight,
Throwing upon cloth the earth and beclouded sky.
With its valleys green and mountains high,
Divided into parts with ever-widening and winding streams,
Their shores lined with foliage green and rocks in seams;
And scraggy trees, as through them the moonbeams
Throw their mild and mellow light in shimmering sheen;
And fading lines of landscape merging into sky,
With its diversified colors upon our watching eye;
And from the dead, cold marble stand out
The forms of women and men showing their features and clout,
Bringing out every expression of muscle and face,
Revealing the thoughts and passions in lines they trace
Of all the joys of life and the agonizing look,
Even to portraying the dying groan one undertook.
To show up nature is the whole object of art;
To make the scenes natural and life impart.
Now our skill in inventions throwing light,
We absolutely copy nature and bring it out right.
Men with their skill and labor bringing out a view,
With tinsel and touch to give it the correct hue,
Cannot come up to daguerreotype or kodak
In throwing out the front or showing up the back.
Thus onward our wheels of progress are rolling,
Crushing out the heart of Genius strolling
Over lands vying, with his puny hands,
With forces of nature invention commands.
We should pause sometimes in our rapid flight,
Long enough to reflect on the dangers that might
Wreck our civilization; children would their lives destroy
Were they allowed to handle guns as a toy;
So with man in his audacious daring
Handling these forces recklessly, caring
Little for those who are smashed beneath their grinding,
As the end to the glories of art they are finding.