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houses you turn to contemplate the street itself； you have nothing
to look at but chimney…pot hats； men with sandwich boards；
vermilion letter…boxes； and do that even at the risk of being run
over by an emerald…green omnibus。
Is not art difficult； you will say to me； in such surroundings as
these？ Of course it is difficult； but then art was never easy； you
yourselves would not wish it to be easy； and； besides； nothing is
worth doing except what the world says is impossible。
Still； you do not care to be answered merely by a paradox。 What
are the relations of the artist to the external world； and what is
the result of the loss of beautiful surroundings to you； is one of
the most important questions of modern art； and there is no point
on which Mr。 Ruskin so insists as that the decadence of art has
come from the decadence of beautiful things； and that when the
artist cannot feed his eye on beauty； beauty goes from his work。
I remember in one of his lectures； after describing the sordid
aspect of a great English city； he draws for us a picture of what
were the artistic surroundings long ago。
Think； he says； in words of perfect and picturesque imagery； whose
beauty I can but feebly echo； think of what was the scene which
presented itself； in his afternoon walk； to a designer of the
Gothic school of Pisa … Nino Pisano or any of his men （22）：
On each side of a bright river he saw rise a line of brighter
palaces； arched and pillared； and inlaid with deep red porphyry；
and with serpentine； along the quays before their gates were riding
troops of knights； noble in face and form； dazzling in crest and
shield； horse and man one labyrinth of quaint colour and gleaming
light … the purple； and silver； and scarlet fringes flowing over
the strong limbs and clashing mall； like sea…waves over rocks at
sunset。 Opening on each side from the river were gardens； courts；
and cloisters； long successions of white pillars among wreaths of
vine； leaping of fountains through buds of pomegranate and orange：
and still along the garden…paths； and under and through the crimson
of the pomegranate shadows； moving slowly； groups of the fairest
women that Italy ever saw … fairest； because purest and
thoughtfullest； trained in all high knowledge； as in all courteous
art … in dance； in song； in sweet wit； in lofty learning； in
loftier courage； in loftiest love … able alike to cheer； to
enchant； or save； the souls of men。 Above all this scenery of
perfect human life； rose dome and bell…tower； burning with white
alabaster and gold： beyond dome and bell…tower the slopes of
mighty hills hoary with olive； far in the north； above a purple sea
of peaks of solemn Apennine； the clear； sharp…cloven Carrara
mountains sent up their steadfast flames of marble summit into
amber sky； the great sea itself； scorching with expanse of light；
stretching from their feet to the Gorgonian isles； and over all
these； ever present； near or far … seen through the leaves of vine；
or imaged with all its march of clouds in the Arno's stream； or set
with its depth of blue close against the golden hair and burning
cheek of lady and knight； … that untroubled and sacred sky； which
was to all men； in those days of innocent faith； indeed the
unquestioned abode of spirits； as the earth was of men； and which
opened straight through its gates of cloud and veils of dew into
the awfulness of the eternal world； … a heaven in which every cloud
that passed was literally the chariot of an angel； and every ray of
its Evening and Morning streamed from the throne of God。
What think you of that for a school of design？
And then look at the depressing； monotonous appearance of any
modern city； the sombre dress of men and women； the meaningless and
barren architecture； the colourless and dreadful surroundings。
Without a beautiful national life； not sculpture merely； but all
the arts will die。
Well； as regards the religious feeling of the close of the passage；
I do not think I need speak about that。 Religion springs from
religious feeling； art from artistic feeling： you never get one
from the other； unless you have the right root you will not get the
right flower； and； if a man sees in a cloud the chariot of an
angel； he will probably paint it very unlike a cloud。
But； as regards the general idea of the early part of that lovely
bit of prose； is it really true that beautiful surroundings are
necessary for the artist？ I think not； I am sure not。 Indeed； to
me the most inartistic thing in this age of ours is not the
indifference of the public to beautiful things； but the
indifference of the artist to the things that are called ugly。
For； to the real artist； nothing is beautiful or ugly in itself at
all。 With the facts of the object he has nothing to do； but with
its appearance only； and appearance is a matter of light and shade；
of masses； of position； and of value。
Appearance is； in fact； a matter of effect merely； and it is with
the effects of nature that you have to deal； not with the real
condition of the object。 What you； as painters； have to paint is
not things as they are but things as they seem to be； not things as
they are but things as they are not。
No object is so ugly that； under certain conditions of light and
shade； or proximity to other things； it will not look beautiful； no
object is so beautiful that； under certain conditions； it will not
look ugly。 I believe that in every twenty…four hours what is
beautiful looks ugly； and what is ugly looks beautiful； once。
And； the commonplace character of so much of our English painting
seems to me due to the fact that so many of our young artists look
merely at what we may call 'ready…made beauty；' whereas you exist
as artists not to copy beauty but to create it in your art； to wait
and watch for it in nature。
What would you say of a dramatist who would take nobody but
virtuous people as characters in his play？ Would you not say he
was missing half of life？ Well； of the young artist who paints
nothing but beautiful things； I say he misses one half of the
world。
Do not wait for life to be picturesque； but try and see life under
picturesque conditions。 These conditions you can create for
yourself in your studio； for they are merely conditions of light。
In nature； you must wait for them； watch for them； choose them；
and； if you wait and watch； come they will。
In Gower Street at night you may see a letter…box that is
picturesque： on the Thames Embankment you may see picturesque
policemen。 Even Venice is not always beautiful； nor France。
To paint what you see is a good rule in art； but to see what is
worth painting is better。 See life under pictorial conditions。 It
is better to live in a city of changeable weather than in a city of
lovely surroundings。
Now； having seen what makes the artist； and what the artist makes；
who is the artist？ There is a man living amongst us who unites in
himself all the qualities of the noblest art； whose work is a joy
for all time； who is； himself； a master of all time。 That man is
Mr。 Whistler。
* * * * * * * *
But； you will say； modern dress； that is bad。 If you cannot paint
black cloth you could not have painted silken doublet。 Ugly dress
is better for art … facts of vision； not of the object。
What is a picture？ Primarily； a picture is a beautifully coloured
surface； merely； with no more spiritual message or meaning for you
than an exquisite fragment of Venetian glass or a blue tile from
the wall of Damascus。 It is； primarily； a purely decorative thing；
a delight to look at。
All archaeological pictures that make you say 'How curious！' all
sentimental pictures that make you say； 'How sad！' all historical
pictures that make you say 'How interesting！' all pictures that do
not immediately give you such artistic joy as to make you say 'How
beautiful！' are bad pictures。
* * * * * * * *
We never know what an artist is going to do。 Of course not。 The
artist is not a specialist。 All such divisions as animal painters；
landscape painters； painters of Scotch cattle in an English mist；
painters of English cattle in a Scotch mist； racehorse painters；
bull…terrier painters； all are shallow。 If a man is an artist he
can paint everything。
The object of art is to stir the most divine and remote of the
chords which make music in our soul； and colour is indeed； of
itself a mystical presence on things； and tone a kind of sentinel。
Am I pleading； then； for mere technique？ No。 As long as there are
any signs of technique at all； the picture is unfinished。 What is
finish？ A picture is finished when all traces of work； and of the
means employed to bring about the result； have disappeared。
In the case of handicraftsmen … the weaver； the potter； the smith …
on their work are the traces of their hand。 But it