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golden than gold。
WHAT； you will say to me； the Greeks？ were not they an artistic
people？
Well； the Greeks certainly not； but； perhaps； you mean the
Athenians； the citizens of one out of a thousand cities。
Do you think that they were an artistic people？ Take them even at
the time of their highest artistic development； the latter part of
the fifth century before Christ； when they had the greatest poets
and the greatest artists of the antique world； when the Parthenon
rose in loveliness at the bidding of a Phidias； and the philosopher
spake of wisdom in the shadow of the painted portico； and tragedy
swept in the perfection of pageant and pathos across the marble of
the stage。 Were they an artistic people then？ Not a bit of it。
What is an artistic people but a people who love their artists and
understand their art？ The Athenians could do neither。
How did they treat Phidias？ To Phidias we owe the great era； not
merely in Greek； but in all art … I mean of the introduction of the
use of the living model。
And what would you say if all the English bishops； backed by the
English people； came down from Exeter Hall to the Royal Academy one
day and took off Sir Frederick Leighton in a prison van to Newgate
on the charge of having allowed you to make use of the living model
in your designs for sacred pictures？
Would you not cry out against the barbarism and the Puritanism of
such an idea？ Would you not explain to them that the worst way to
honour God is to dishonour man who is made in His image； and is the
work of His hands； and； that if one wants to paint Christ one must
take the most Christlike person one can find； and if one wants to
paint the Madonna； the purest girl one knows？
Would you not rush off and burn down Newgate； if necessary； and say
that such a thing was without parallel in history？
Without parallel？ Well； that is exactly what the Athenians did。
In the room of the Parthenon marbles； in the British Museum； you
will see a marble shield on the wall。 On it there are two figures；
one of a man whose face is half hidden； the other of a man with the
godlike lineaments of Pericles。 For having done this； for having
introduced into a bas relief； taken from Greek sacred history； the
image of the great statesman who was ruling Athens at the time；
Phidias was flung into prison and there； in the common gaol of
Athens； died； the supreme artist of the old world。
And do you think that this was an exceptional case？ The sign of a
Philistine age is the cry of immorality against art； and this cry
was raised by the Athenian people against every great poet and
thinker of their day … AEschylus； Euripides； Socrates。 It was the
same with Florence in the thirteenth century。 Good handicrafts are
due to guilds； not to the people。 The moment the guilds lost their
power and the people rushed in； beauty and honesty of work died。
And so； never talk of an artistic people； there never has been such
a thing。
But； perhaps； you will tell me that the external beauty of the
world has almost entirely passed away from us； that the artist
dwells no longer in the midst of the lovely surroundings which； in
ages past； were the natural inheritance of every one； and that art
is very difficult in this unlovely town of ours； where； as you go
to your work in the morning； or return from it at eventide； you
have to pass through street after street of the most foolish and
stupid architecture that the world has ever seen； architecture；
where every lovely Greek form is desecrated and defiled； and every
lovely Gothic form defiled and desecrated； reducing three…fourths
of the London houses to being； merely； like square boxes of the
vilest proportions； as gaunt as they are grimy； and as poor as they
are pretentious … the hall door always of the wrong colour； and the
windows of the wrong size； and where； even when wearied of the
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 nee