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BOARD OF EXAMINERS.

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CONTENTS.

195

College of Preceptors:-Ninth Monthly Meeting-
Paper on "The Education of the Eye," by Mr.
Dibdin ................................
Public Education on the Continent.-Holland............ 198
The Royal Commissioners, on Evening Schools
200
............
Meeting in the University of Oxford to promote Middle

Then let the teacher of Fine Art educate in his portrait, which may be seen hanging on Page and elevate the eye, which organ is peculiarly the walls of our National Gallery. This line within his province, by training it to discern he pronounced to be the standard of and recipe and love beauty, and reject deformity; so that for grace and beauty. And I believe that this by its means the mind may be additionally line will coincide with the description given by disposed to expand in admiration of the works Fuseli. The line is a spiral curve; constructed of the Great Creator of the universe, and be led by winding a thread once round a cone from Class Education..............o...dota...............ium......... 201 to ascend "through nature up to nature's the apex to the base. Now, a right line, conSociety of Arts ...................................................... 202 God." veying, as it does, the idea of an unlimited University Intelligence It is obviously not essential, in a paper such extension, cannot be either a "harmonious 204 as this, to direct your attention to the techni- whole," or an "unison of parts to one end." 205 calities of manipulation as connected with the A simple rotatory curve, although it may be Correspondence ........................................................................ 205 practice of painting. But the subject suggests said to embody an unison of parts, cannot be Reviews, Notices, &c. ...................................................................................................................... 205 to me the importance of some addition to, or considered as a "whole," since the repetition of perhaps improvement in, the method of teach- its form suggests an illimitable continuation;

Cheltenham College...........

203

Educational and Literary Summary of the Month 209
.www..
Monthly Record of Science and Art............................ 210
Foreign and Colonial Notes ................................................................................................ 210
Mathematics ............................................................................................................................................ 211
Distribution of Certificates to the London Candidates
at the Oxford Local Examinations
Answers to Correspondents

The Educational Times.

COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS.

NINTH EVENING MEETING.

ing this branch of study to youth in our schools but the line which is produced by making the and academies, as the prevailing mode has been curve revolve round a cone does, I affirm, corto teach simply the rudiments of drawing and roborate the description of beauty which Fuseli 212 painting, which, so far as they have gone, bear has idealized and Hogarth reduced to a theory. the same proportion to the knowledge of art, Add to this, that the outline of the human and the education of the eye, as a good hand-form, the most beautiful, of creations, since we writing does to literature. are told it is the image of the Divine Creator himself, developes this line in a most singular and perfect manner.

213

It seems to me that a youth should be educated, not so much with a view to his becoming a draughtsman or a painter, as with a view to I desire, therefore, to apply this line as the the perfecting of his judgment and knowledge, basis of a rule for the treatment of form in in order that he may exercise the influence, teaching drawing and painting; but it should which he is certain more or less to have in after- be remarked, that, like all other rules, it will THIS Meeting took place on the 13th of No-life, in the right direction; since we see a great not be perfect without its exception; which is vember, when, notwithstanding the extremely and progressive increase in the tendency of the instanced in the fact, that immediately this line unfavourable character of the weather, a con- world generally to desire exhibitions and expo- becomes in a manner partially distracted from siderable audience attended, of which a much sitions, and to encourage both public and pri- its perfection, that is to say, at some point larger proportion than usual consisted of vate collections and galleries of art in all its broken off and interrupted,-it produces what branches and varieties. And it will not be is termed the "picturesque," or, in plain terms, denied that while good judgment and good an additional charm, arising out of its very taste will be, in such cases, most beneficial to contradiction; like the passage of a harmony, the community, the reverse must have a demo- which, when interrupted by a discord, ravishes ralizing tendency. the ear by the eccentricity of its progress. It is as well, perhaps, to explain that, in It has often been urged, that painters are considering the influence which the eye acknow-universally addicted to falsification in their reledges from the impression of outward nature, presentations of nature, inasmuch as they are it is convenient that we should divide that im- said frequently to alter the positions of, or do pression into three departments; namely, Form, away with, objects which would interfere with Shadow, and Colour. the effect or form required in their works, or

ladies.

The Rev. W. T. Jones, M.A., having been voted into the Chair, called upon Mr. Dibdin to read his paper on the

2

EDUCATION OF THE EYE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,- The subject selected for this evening is one of an unusual kind; and in venturing to put forth my ideas respecting it, I feel some difficulty. The power to teach presupposes knowledge, founded on Let us, then, proceed to the subject of Beauty, even to introduce others with a like intention. theory, substantiated and matured by practice; as applied to Form. It is difficult to steer clear But with reference to what is termed fine art, a mass of select and well-digested materials; of perplexing or abstract notions on this sub-it is an undoubted fact, that nature is not to be perspicuity of method and command of words; ject, for the idea of what is beautiful is so much too servilely copied, for there are excellencies in imagination to place things in such views as involved in the mind of him who sees it, that art beyond what is merely the copying of nathey are not commonly seen in; presence of what might be thought beautiful by one, is ture. For since the architect is permitted to mind, and that resolution, the result of con- often denied to be so by another; or, as Fuseli decorate an insipid neighbourhood by the erecscious vigour, which, in daring to correct errors, has better expressed it, Beauty is a despotic tion of a magnificent palace, and the horticul cannot be easily discountenanced. princess, but subject to the anarchies of des- turist embellishes nature by a judicious alterapotism, enthroned to-day, dethroned to-morrow. tion of a wilderness into a park, why must the The beauty we acknowledge is that harmo-painter be denied the exercise of a similar prinious whole, that unison of parts to one end, vilege?

As conditions like these would discourage abilities far superior to mine, my hopes of approbation, moderate as they are, must in a great measure depend on some indulgence. which enchants us." Sir Joshua Reynolds, in That the perfection of art does not consist in It appears to me that not only the sight, but his most admirable discourses on Fine Art, mere imitation, is far from being new or sinthe senses generally, are capable of intellectual says of beauty: "The moderns are not less gular. It is, indeed, the reverse of this; which refinement by mental culture. The study of convinced than the ancients of this superior is supported by the general opinion of the enpolite literature elevates the language; the power existing in the art; nor less sensible of lightened portion of mankind. The poets, association with vulgarity degrades it. A fami- its effects. Every languge has adopted terms orators, and rhetoricians of antiquity are liarity with classical music refines the ear, but expressive of this excellence. The Gusto continually enforcing this position, that all disposes the mind to feel disgust at musically Grande' of the Italians, the 'beau ideal' of the arts receive their perfection from an ideal ungrammatical outrages; while the higher the French, and the great style, genius, and beauty, superior to what is to be found in indithe refinement, the greater the necessity which taste' among the English, are but different vidual nature. They are ever referring to the seems to exist even for exquisite scent. appellations for the same thing. It is this practice of the painters and sculptors of their

Now, as it happens that humanity is for the intellectual dignity, they say, that ennobles times, particularly Phidias (the favourite artist most part like Mahomet's coffin, suspended the painter's art, and lays the line between of antiquity) to illustrate their assertions. As betwixt heaven and earth, it also happens that him and the mechanic, and produces those if they could not sufficiently express their admiwe who are teachers have the task given to us great effects in an instant, which eloquence ration of his genius by what they knew, they of using our powers in elevating it, antagonis- and poetry, by slow and repeated efforts, are have recourse to poetical enthusiasm; they tically to those who are permitted, doubtless scarcely able to attain." call it inspiration, a gift from heaven. The for some wise purpose, to degrade it. It is difficult, after so powerful a mind has, artist is supposed to have ascended the celestial It therefore becomes our duty to consider as it were, declined the task of becoming prac-regions to furnish his mind with this perfect whether, and by what means, we can direct our tical, to realize a theory on this subject; but idea of beauty. efforts, in our several professional positions, to we will seek the help of another of those great He," says Proclus, "who takes for his the former end. Since we find that if we do magicians who have extracted so much true model such forms as nature produces, and connot apply constantly an ascending motive fines himself to an exact imitation of them, will power, there will be, consequent on this antanever attain to what is perfectly beautiful; for gonism, an equivalent degradation. the works of nature are full of disproportion,

metal from the dross of earth.

It will be remembered that Hogarth produced a certain line upon the palette he painted

and fall very short of the true standard of beauty. So that Phidias, when he formed his Jupiter, did not copy any object ever presented to his sight, but contemplated only that image which he had conceived in his mind from Homer's description." Cicero, speaking of the same Phidias, says: Neither did this artist, when he carved the image of Jupiter or Minerva, set before him any one human figure as a pattern which he was to copy; but, having a more perfect idea of beauty fixed in his mind, this was steadily contemplated; and to the imitation of this all his skill and labour were directed."

outlines of shadows, as well as of objects; thus found, as in a building, the sky, or a large
bringing a large range of artificial or acci- portion of ground, that they are ever lighter at
dental forms to bear on or influence those over one end, side, or corner, than elsewhere; and
which we have no other controul; and by this the more this effect is observed and applied in
means we can improve on the defective forms works of art, the more attractive the produc
of nature.
tion will prove.

That the beauty of nature is comparative, Contrast is as essential to the power of shais proved again by the fact, which will come dow as to the effect of form. If fine effects are home to us all, that we seek in countries which produced by contrasting the forms of objects, are more picturesque (or, in other words, which perhaps finer may be obtained by the contrast are fuller of those forms involving beauty and of light and shadow. It has been already contrast) qualities which we do not see in the observed, that light can only be imitated by spot we inhabit. If it were not so, why do we surrounding a portion of white with a mass of go to Italy, the Rhine, Wales, or the Lakes? shadow; and if this arrangement, by means of Now, in corroboration of this, I need only Why rather do our painters not give us Cheap-gradation, be brought to what may be termed refer to the remains of ancient art, most fortu- side, Little Britain, or Regent Street? Why a focus, that is, the strongest point of shadow nately possessed by us in the British Museum, should a delightful sensation be born at the be opposed in juxtaposition to the strongest which are ever sought as models of excellence, sight of a moss-covered ruin, or an ivy-clad point of light, the effect of contrast thus oband in comparison with which the greatest cottage? Why does the water tumbling play-tained will be to make the white appear conmaster among the moderns is at a disad- fully over the limestone-rock excite emotions siderably more brilliant. If, in addition to this, vantage. so far removed from those of the gutter in the whole of the other portion of the light be Let us now illustrate the assertion of Proclus Thames Street? Contrast the oxygen of the slightly subdued, the focus of light thus left by noticing the fact, that in the formations of hill side with the red-herrings and stale fruit of will attain a power hardly to be believed unless land, as among masses of figures or people, Billingsgate; the violets and bluebells of the seen. Now, as in nature we have no shadows, there will always be beauty mingled with insi-one, with the oysters and sugar of the other; unless the sun appears to produce them; so it pidity; and it will be by the exercise of the and although both are equally natural, there will appear in painting there will be no light, mental powers, through the medium of the eye, can be no doubt which is the most delectable. unless powerful shadow be introduced, whose in using this line of beauty, that the latter may contrast will produce it. be artificially subdued, so as to bring the former prominently into notice.

,,

On the treatment of Shadows, it is necessary to say, that the development of beautiful form The application of the line of beauty to materially depends. And the eye may be edu- shadow is exemplified in the use of what I will This is called Composition, in painting; for cated to receive impressions from faulty sha- call accidental shadow, or those shadows fallwhen a certain spot is to be represented, the dow in works of art, which would strike it as ing from clouds, or the interposition of other curiosity of the spectator is all that seeks to be sharply as an aspirated vowel or a consecutive atmospheric phenomena. These are most valu gratified. But if to our representation of the fifth would do the ear. The apparent advancing able to the painter, by assisting in the producview we add the delineation of beautiful features, or receding of an object will depend as much tion of beautiful lines and forms, especially in which, while they excite sensations of admi- upon the strength of the shadow, which pro- such cases as those where, from the nature of ration and pleasure, do not interfere with the duces by contrast the effect of light, as by its the subject, such lines are absent: thus furgratification of curiosity, we accomplish a correct perspective delineation; for it is impor-nishing the artist with the power of creating a higher aim, and consequently produce a work tant to know that it is the proportional degree beauty in the midst of insipidity, and so supof higher cast, by combining what is beautiful of the shadows which produces corresponding porting the theory of composition. with what is true, without disturbing either. proportions of light; and the correct perception We will suppose, for instance, the painter Neither need we lay ourselves open to that cele- and execution of this will make objects keep has for his subject a spot endeared by local brated censure of Dr. Johnson, viz., that "that their places in a picture, or, on the contrary, histories, and connected with memories before which was good was not new, and that which remove them from the situations they were which all considerations of a picturesque subwas new was not good;" for in nearly every intended to occupy. ject, or what is termed a "good bit," will go case there is provided by nature an arrange- It is an approved fact, that pure white, which for nothing. ment of form, which, by placing himself in a is the strongest representation of light we have We may, then, by the aid of an educated eye, position to see, the student finds will combine the power to use, will always be correctly "in and an appreciation of the mysteries of nature, intuitively into beauty. And it is the posses- its place," wherever it may occur in a picture; so pass our shadows around and across the sion of the power of seeing this which dis- and its locality, representing distance, will be subject as to invest the most ungraceful object tinguishes the artist from the tyro. varied only by the degree of shadow, which is with the most poetic effects, as Dickens has Neither does the painter confine himself to made to surround it. From which it is evident been said, in the character of Sam Weller, to a mere map, as it were, of the spot, however that a systematic gradation of shadow from the have made a Doric of our vernacular. We favourable may be the composition of its form. strongest in the foreground to the weakest in may cut right through all the inelegant, matterHis efforts soar to the representation of atmo- the distance, will have the effect of perspective. of-fact lines with the most sweet and tender sphere, colour, and all those accidental effects But it by no means follows that this is an inva- tones of shadow; leaving the light to assume and floods of light and masses of shadow, the riable rule, because we also find that some most a graceful form, quite independently of the close imitation of which constitutes the reality forcible effects of nature are produced by power- subdued outlines of our inferior subject. and correctness of the scene. ful masses of shadow in the sky and distance, According to some conventional rules laid

We may now dwell upon a further property as also in the middle ground, while all the down by the old masters, the picture should be possessed by lines, by which the idea of beauty, strongest lights will occur in the foreground, divided or distributed into certain portions of as suggested by Hogarth, may be enhanced. as exemplified where we have, on an April day, light, half-light, half-shadow, and shadow; This effective agent is contrast. Two objects a brilliant sun shining at our feet, while heavy and works so constructed are sure to exercise placed in juxtaposition, if they happen to be of masses of cloud overshadow the distant coun- an agreeable influence on the beholder; for, as opposite materials, shape, and texture, will de- try. But in these cases the masses of sha- before mentioned, the quality of the light will rive from that circumstance additional force in dow are flat or even, and without small or increase as its quantity decreases. This cir their respective characters. Hence I desire to broken contrasts, being disposed of by gra- cumstance is exhibited strongly in the works show that the line of beauty acquires an addi-dation, and not by sharp edges. Such flat or of Rembrandt and others, who adopted the tional value from being contrasted with an even masses are found to recede in proportion plan of sacrificing the greater portion of the angular line, by which occurs the pictu- to their evenness, and occur in some instances picture for the sake of a powerful effect in one resque," which is but a contrast of quaint and with great power and effect; and if it be this spot. But that this cannot be insisted on as unusual forms with those which are easy and flat or even tone of shadow which will retire, it an universal law, is evident from the fact that graceful, thus producing a stronger impression follows that a broken shadow, caused by small Turner, who, for the knowledge of the effects of both. portions of light mingled and opposed, will of nature, and how to represent them, is a The application of this property in lines will advance. Triton among minnows, has frequently pro also be classed under the head of Composition; This brings us to the quality called grada-duced the most gorgeous results by the use of for it will easily be understood that it applies tion. If nature abhors a vacuum, she also an opposite extreme; that is, he has placed not only to single objects, or even groups of repudiates monotony. We never find any even one small spot of intense shadow in the midst objects, but to the arrangements of entire or level surface reflecting an even quantity of of a whole flood of light.

66

masses, and large portions of large works. light. If we examine those spots in nature We have now arrived at Colour, which is a And this property of lines may be used for the which present a large level surface, it will be subject of so much difficulty, delicacy, and even