The New Museum (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 edition. Excerpt: ... PROLOGUE THE GLOOM OF THE MUSEUM Today, museums of art are built to keep objects of art, and objects of art are bought to be kept in museums. As the objects seem to do their work if they are safely kept, and as museums seem to serve their purpose if they safely keep the objects, the whole thing is as useful in the splendid isolation of a distant park as in the center of the life of the community which possesses it. Tomorrow, objects of art will be bought to give pleasure, to make manners seem more important, to promote skill, to exalt hand-work and to increase the zest of life by adding to it new interests; and, these objects being bought for use, will be put where the most people can most handily use them, in a museum planned for making the best use of all it contains, and placed where a majority of its community can quickly and easily visit it. PART I HOW THE ARTS HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO FLOURISH The story of an art epoch in the life history of a people seems to resolve itself into something like this: Character and circumstances lead the people into conquest. It may sound better, though it means the same, to say that character and circumstances bring out a few men of genius who lead and rule the people and take them on to conquest. The conquest means wealth, and this is true whether the conquest be of other peoples by leadership and force of arms, or of the land's natural resources and of methods of producing and using power. Always a few gain most of the wealth and hold most of the power. The conquest being somewhat well-assured, these few have leisure. They search for occupations and things and indulgences which may give them pleasure. Whatever else these occupations, objects and indulgences may be, ...