The Seekers

Name: The Seekers
Author: Sampter, Jessie E. (Jessie Ethel)

Sampter, Jessie E. (Jessie Ethel)

Philosophy and religion -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- United States

_Art_ (Continued)

I. ART IN POETRY:

    _a._ Difference between Poetry and Prose:

        1. Poetry is “set to music,” and the rhythm carries part
        of the message.

        2. This unreality or distance from life makes it more
        complete and beautiful in itself.

        3. The emotions and imagination picture completeness
        more easily than the intellect:

            α. Because the desire for completeness is a
            feeling.

    _b._ Completeness and understanding in Poetry:

        1. Metaphor and simile a relationing of far-off things.

        2. Symbol in Play replaces them:

            α. The Fairy-story.

        3. Taking sides destroys poetry.

        4. Exaggerated and conventional phrases are weak because
        they are insincere.

II. ART IN MUSIC:

    _a._ Music is itself harmony and completeness:

        1. The most intangible and removed, it is yet the most
        satisfying symbol of completeness and harmony.

III. THE OPERA:

    _a._ Its attempt to combine all the Arts in one harmonious
    expression.

IV. ART IN PAINTING:

    _a._ Unity or completeness in painting:

        1. Point of interest; with radiating lines, balance, and
        other means of making it prominent.

        2. The cycle of colors, complete color, and the contrast
        of light and darkness.

        3. A story, not embodied in the picture itself, but
        needing words of explanation, spoils unity.

        4. Unnecessary detail, detracting from central interest
        and motive, also spoils unity.

    _b._ Truth in painting:

        1. Falseness of photographic truth, because of its lack
        of unity and purpose.

            α. The “out-of-focus” and imaginatively planned
            photograph sometimes artistic.

        2. Perspective, the painter’s vision of the single
        complete experience.

        3. To see beauty in things is to see the truth.

        4. “Prettiness,” the result of catering to the
        shortcomings of the spectator’s taste, is a violation of
        the artist’s taste or sense of completeness and truth.

        5. Knowledge of life (anatomy) is necessary:

            α. One must understand life to portray it.

V. SCULPTURE:

    _a._ The Greek Drama of the visual Arts:

        1. The unlifelikeness of the material, the removal from
        life, makes it more beautiful, and a truer symbol.

    _b._ Expresses idea through attitude of the human form.

VI. ARCHITECTURE:

    _a._ Like music’s, its appeal is to the emotions, without
    definite sense or lifelikeness; but speaks as life itself.

    _b._ To be complete, it must express outwardly its inner use and
    meaning.

    _c._ To be sincere, or true, it must express the spirit of land
    and people.

    [Note.—This ninth meeting might profitably be divided into
    two.]

                             TENTH MEETING

                    _Shall We Make an Art of Life?_

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The SeekersSampter, Jessie E. (Jessie Ethel)

Religion

The Seekers

Sampter, Jessie E. (Jessie Ethel)

Philosophy and religion -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- United States

_Art_ (Continued)

I. ART IN POETRY:

    _a._ Difference between Poetry and Prose:

        1. Poetry is “set to music,” and the rhythm carries part
        of the message.

        2. This unreality or distance from life makes it more
        complete and beautiful in itself.

        3. The emotions and imagination picture completeness
        more easily than the intellect:

            α. Because the desire for completeness is a
            feeling.

    _b._ Completeness and understanding in Poetry:

        1. Metaphor and simile a relationing of far-off things.

        2. Symbol in Play replaces them:

            α. The Fairy-story.

        3. Taking sides destroys poetry.

        4. Exaggerated and conventional phrases are weak because
        they are insincere.

II. ART IN MUSIC:

    _a._ Music is itself harmony and completeness:

        1. The most intangible and removed, it is yet the most
        satisfying symbol of completeness and harmony.

III. THE OPERA:

    _a._ Its attempt to combine all the Arts in one harmonious
    expression.

IV. ART IN PAINTING:

    _a._ Unity or completeness in painting:

        1. Point of interest; with radiating lines, balance, and
        other means of making it prominent.

        2. The cycle of colors, complete color, and the contrast
        of light and darkness.

        3. A story, not embodied in the picture itself, but
        needing words of explanation, spoils unity.

        4. Unnecessary detail, detracting from central interest
        and motive, also spoils unity.

    _b._ Truth in painting:

        1. Falseness of photographic truth, because of its lack
        of unity and purpose.

            α. The “out-of-focus” and imaginatively planned
            photograph sometimes artistic.

        2. Perspective, the painter’s vision of the single
        complete experience.

        3. To see beauty in things is to see the truth.

        4. “Prettiness,” the result of catering to the
        shortcomings of the spectator’s taste, is a violation of
        the artist’s taste or sense of completeness and truth.

        5. Knowledge of life (anatomy) is necessary:

            α. One must understand life to portray it.

V. SCULPTURE:

    _a._ The Greek Drama of the visual Arts:

        1. The unlifelikeness of the material, the removal from
        life, makes it more beautiful, and a truer symbol.

    _b._ Expresses idea through attitude of the human form.

VI. ARCHITECTURE:

    _a._ Like music’s, its appeal is to the emotions, without
    definite sense or lifelikeness; but speaks as life itself.

    _b._ To be complete, it must express outwardly its inner use and
    meaning.

    _c._ To be sincere, or true, it must express the spirit of land
    and people.

    [Note.—This ninth meeting might profitably be divided into
    two.]

                             TENTH MEETING

                    _Shall We Make an Art of Life?_

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Seekers

The Seekers

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