. The W. Martin Johnson school of art. Elementary instruction in color, perspective, lights and shadows, pen drawing and composition. in theirlives, and it is to be noted that their representations ofanimals are more often lifelike than those of humanbeings, which seems good evidence that animal lifewas the more interesting to them. The wall paintings of the Egyptians are but dia-grams, the artists rarely attempting portraits, becausethere was little incentive for them to observe individ-ual character. Their kings and queens were remotebeings, endowed by the priesthood with godlike attri-butes
. The W. Martin Johnson school of art. Elementary instruction in color, perspective, lights and shadows, pen drawing and composition. in theirlives, and it is to be noted that their representations ofanimals are more often lifelike than those of humanbeings, which seems good evidence that animal lifewas the more interesting to them. The wall paintings of the Egyptians are but dia-grams, the artists rarely attempting portraits, becausethere was little incentive for them to observe individ-ual character. Their kings and queens were remotebeings, endowed by the priesthood with godlike attri-butes, and naturalistic drawing was not encouragedbecause it might have dissipated the mysticism withwhich the priests held control over the masses. How-ever, some things were studied carefully. The lotus isalways beautifully expressed, because the flower had a 13 peculiar significance, not only by reason of its colorand form, but it was a sacred emblem and the symbolof happiness. Not until the Thirteenth century of the Christianera do we note any quickening of the artistic percep-tions. Cimabue was the first artist to draw figures. From a Mural Painting in Thebes in action, and Giotto, his pupil, to give them light andshade. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) ventured towork entirely from nature, and his notes and sketchesfill thirteen massive volumes. But until the genius ofMichelangelo blazed forth art had remained in swad-dling clothes, timorous and groping for the light, fornot since the days of Greek sculpture had any onedared to realize the beauty of the human figure, un-draped, as nature made it. To Michelangelo it meantthe very essence of all art. To him the nude symbol-ized force, power, profundity. With the courage thatMichelangelos example awakened, other artists soon 14
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidwmartinjoh, booksubjectart
