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to the eye； appropriately and beautifully clothed。
Our real condition in this field is too patent to need emphasis； the
stiff； black ugliness of our men's attire； the irritating variegated
folly of our women's； the way in which we spoil the beauty and shame the
dignity of childhood by modes of dress。
In normal human growth； our houses would be a pleasure to the eye； our
furniture and utensils； all our social products； would blossom into
beauty as naturally as they still do in those low stages of social
evolution where our major errors have not yet borne full fruit。
Applied art in all its forms is a human function； common to every one to
some degree； either in production or appreciation； or both。 〃Pure art；〃
as an ideal； is also human； and the single…hearted devotion of the true
artist to this ideal is one of the highest forms of the social
sacrifice。 Of all the thousand ways by which humanity is specialized
for inter…service； none is more exquisite than this； the evolution of
the social Eye； or Ear； or Voice； the development of those whose work is
wholly for others； and to whom the appreciation of others is as the
bread of life。 This we should have in a properly developed community；
the pleasure of applied art in the making and using of everything we
have； and then the high joy of the Great Artist； and the noble work
thereof； spread far and wide。
What do we find？
Applied art at a very low level； small joy either for the maker or the
user。 Pure art； a fine…spun specialty； a process carried on by an elect
few who openly despise the unappreciative many。 Art has become an
occult profession requiring a long special education even to enjoy； and
evolving a jargon of criticism which becomes more esoteric yearly。
Let us now see what part in this undesirable outcome is due to our
Androcentric Culture。
As soon as the male of our species assumed the exclusive right to
perform all social functions； he necessarily brought to that performance
the advantagesand disadvantagesof maleness； of those dominant
characteristics； desire； combat； self…expression。
Desire has overweighted art in many visible forms； it is prominent in
painting and music； almost monopolizes fiction； and has pitifully
degraded dancing。
Combat is not so easily expressed in art； where even competition is on a
high plane； but the last element is the main evil； self…expression。
This impulse is inherently and ineradicably masculine。 It rests on that
most basic of distinctions between the sexes； the centripetal and
centrifugal forces of the universe。 In the very nature of the
sperm…cell and the germ…cell we find this difference： the one attracts；
gathers； draws in； the other repels； scatters； pushes out。 That
projective impulse is seen in the male nature everywhere； the constant
urge toward expression； to all boasting and display。 This spirit； like
all things masculine； is perfectly right and admirable in its place。
It is the duty of the male； as a male； to vary； bursting forth in a
thousand changing modificationsthe female； selecting； may so
incorporate beneficial changes in the race。 It is his duty to thus
express himselfan essentially masculine duty； but masculinity is one
thing； and art is another。 Neither the masculine nor the feminine has
any place in artArt is Human。
It is not in any faintest degree allied to the personal processes of
reproduction； but is a social process； a most distinctive social
process； quite above the plane of sex。 The true artist transcends his
sex； or her sex。 If this is not the case； the art suffers。
Dancing is an early； and a beautiful art； direct expression of emotion
through the body； beginning in subhuman type； among male birds； as the
bower…bird of New Guinea； and the dancing crane； who swing and caper
before their mates。 Among early peoples we find it a common form of
social expression in tribal dances of all sorts； religious； military；
and other。 Later it becomes a more explicit form of celebration； as
among the Greeks； in whose exquisite personal culture dancing and music
held high place。
But under the progressive effects of purely masculine dominance we find
the broader human elements of dancing left out； and the sex…element more
and more emphasized。 As practiced by men alone dancing has become a
mere display of physical agility； a form of exhibition common to all
males。 As practiced by men and women together we have our social
dances； so lacking in all the varied beauty of posture and expression；
so steadily becoming a pleasant form of dalliance。
As practiced by women alone we have one of the clearest proofs of the
degrading effect of masculine dominance：the dancing girl。 In the
frank sensualism of the Orient； this personage is admired and enjoyed on
her merits。 We； more sophisticated in this matter； joke shamefacedly
about 〃the bald…headed row；〃 and occasionally burst forth in shrill
scandal over some dinner party where ladies clad in a veil and a
bracelet dance on the table。 Nowhere else in the whole range of life on
earth； is this degradation foundthe female capering and prancing
before the male。 It is absolutely and essentially his function； not
hers。 That we； as a race； present this pitiful spectacle； a natural art
wrested to unnatural ends； a noble art degraded to ignoble ends； has one
clear cause。
Architecture； in its own nature； is least affected by that same cause。
The human needs secured by it； are so human； so unescapably human； that
we find less trace of excessive masculinity than in other arts。 It
meets our social demands； it expresses in lasting form our social
feeling； up to the highest； and it has been injured not so much by an
excess of masculinity as by a lack of femininity。
The most universal architectural expression is in the home； the home is
essentially a place for the woman and the child； yet the needs of woman
and child are not expressed in our domestic architecture。 The home is
built on lines of ancient precedent； mainly as an industrial form； the
kitchen is its working centre rather than the nursery。
Each man wishes his home to preserve and seclude his woman； his little
harem of one； and in it she is to labor for his comfort or to manifest
his ability to maintain her in idleness。 The house is the physical
expression of the limitations of women； and as such it fills the world
with a small drab ugliness。 A dwelling house is rarely a beautiful
object。 In order to be such； it should truly express simple and natural
relations； or grow in larger beauty as our lives develop。
The deadlock for architectural progress； the low level of our general
taste； the everlasting predominance of the commonplace in buildings； is
the natural result of the proprietary family and its expression in this
form。
In sculpture we have a noble art forcing itself into some service
through many limitations。 Its check； as far as it comes under this line
of study； has been indicated in our last chapter； the degradation of the
human body； the vicious standards of sex…consciousness enforced under
the name of modesty； the covered ugliness； which we do not recognize；
all this is a deadly injury to free high work in sculpture。
With a nobly equal womanhood； stalwart and athletic； with the high
standards of beauty and of decorum which we can never have without free
womanhood； we should show a different product in this great art。
An interesting note in passing is this： when we seek to express socially
our noblest； ideas； Truth； Justice； Liberty； we use the woman's body as
the highest human type。 But in doing this； the artist； true to humanity
and not biassed by sex； gives us a strong； grand figure； beautiful
indeed； but never _decorated_。 Fancy Liberty in ruffles and frills；
with rings in her earsor nose。
Music is injured by a one…sided handling； partly in the excess of the
one dominant masculine passion； partly by the general presence of
egoism； that tendency to self…expression instead of social expression；
which so disfigures our art； and this is true also of poetry。
Miles and miles of poetry consist of the ceaseless outcry of the male
for the female； which is by no means so overwhelming as a feature of
human life as he imagines it； and other miles express his other
feelings； with that ingenuous lack of reticence which is at its base
essentially masculine。 Having a pain； the poet must needs pour it
forth； that his woe be shared and sympathized with。
As more and more women writers flock into the field there is room for
fine historic study of the difference in sex feeling； and the gradual
emergence of the human note。
Literature； and in especial the art of fiction； is so large a field for
this study that it will have a chapter to itself； this one but touching
on these various forms； and indicating lines of observation。
That best known form of art which to my mind needs no qualifying
descriptionpaintingis also a wide field； and cannot be done full
justice to within these limits。 The effect upon it of too much
masculinity is not so much in choice of subject as in method and spirit。
The artist sees beauty of form and color where the ordinary observe