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@fantaghiro 2016-07-29T12:00:19.000000Z 字数 26030 阅读 3784

B3U6T1 Introduction of Concerning the Spiritual in Art

文本细读 商务英语综合教程

Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions. It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born. It is impossible for us to live and feel, as did the ancient Greeks. In the same way those who strive to follow the Greek methods in sculpture achieve only a similarity of form, the work remaining soulless for all time. Such imitation is mere aping.

Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions.

It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated.

Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born.

It is impossible for us to live and feel, as did the ancient Greeks.

In the same way those who strive to follow the Greek methods in sculpture achieve only a similarity of form, the work remaining soulless for all time.

Such imitation is mere aping.

There is, however, in art another kind of external similarity which is founded on a fundamental truth. When there is a similarity of inner tendency in the whole moral and spiritual atmosphere, a similarity of ideals, at first closely pursued but later lost to sight, a similarity in the inner feeling of any one period to that of another, the logical result will be a revival of the external forms which served to express those inner feelings in an earlier age.

There is, however, in art another kind of external similarity which is founded on a fundamental truth.

When there is a similarity of inner tendency in the whole moral and spiritual atmosphere, a similarity of ideals, at first closely pursued but later lost to sight, a similarity in the inner feeling of any one period to that of another, the logical result will be a revival of the external forms which served to express those inner feelings in an earlier age.

This all-important spark of inner life today is at present only a spark. Our minds, which are even now only just awakening after years of materialism, are infected with the despair of unbelief, of lack of purpose and ideal. The nightmare of materialism, which has turned the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past; it holds the awakening soul still in its grip. Only a feeble light glimmers like a tiny star in a vast gulf of darkness. This feeble light is but a presentiment, and the soul, when it sees it, trembles in doubt whether the light is not a dream, and the gulf of darkness reality.

This all-important spark of inner life today is at present only a spark.

Our minds, which are even now only just awakening after years of materialism, are infected with the despair of unbelief, of lack of purpose and ideal.

The nightmare of materialism, which has turned the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past

it holds the awakening soul still in its grip

Only a feeble light glimmers like a tiny star in a vast gulf of darkness.

This feeble light is but a presentiment, and the soul, when it sees it, trembles in doubt whether the light is not a dream, and the gulf of darkness reality.

These two possible resemblances between the art forms of today and those of the past will be at once recognized as diametrically opposed to one another. The first, being purely external, has no future. The second, being internal, contains the seed of the future within itself. After the period of materialist effort, which held the soul in check until it was shaken off as evil, the soul is emerging, purged by trials and sufferings. Shapeless emotions such as fear, joy, grief, etc., which belonged to this time of effort, will no longer greatly attract the artist. He will endeavour to awake subtler emotions, as yet unnamed. Living himself a complicated and comparatively subtle life, his work will give to those observers capable of feeling them lofty emotions beyond the reach of words.

These two possible resemblances between the art forms of today and those of the past will be at once recognized as diametrically opposed to one another.

The first, being purely external, has no future.

The second, being internal, contains the seed of the future within itself.

After the period of materialist effort, which held the soul in check until it was shaken off as evil, the soul is emerging, purged by trials and sufferings.

Shapeless emotions such as fear, joy, grief, etc., which belonged to this time of effort, will no longer greatly attract the artist.

He will endeavour to awake subtler emotions, as yet unnamed.

Living himself a complicated and comparatively subtle life, his work will give to those observers capable of feeling them lofty emotions beyond the reach of words.

Imagine a building divided into many rooms. The building may be large or small. Every wall of every room is covered with pictures of various sizes; perhaps they number many thousands. They represent in colour bits of nature – animals in sunlight or shadow, drinking, standing in water, lying on the grass; flowers; human figures sitting, standing, walking; often they are naked; portrait of Prince Y; lady in green. All this is carefully printed in a book – name of artist – name of picture. People with these books in their hands go from wall to wall, turning over pages, reading the names. Then they go away, neither richer nor poorer than when they came, and are absorbed at once in their business, which has nothing to do with art. Why did they come? In each picture is a whole lifetime imprisoned, a whole lifetime of fears, doubts, hopes, and joys.

perhaps they number many thousands

They represent in colour bits of nature – animals in sunlight or shadow, drinking, standing in water, lying on the grass; flowers; human figures sitting, standing, walking; often they are naked; portrait of Prince Y; lady in green.

All this is carefully printed in a book – name of artist – name of picture. People with these books in their hands go from wall to wall, turning over pages, reading the names.

Then they go away, neither richer nor poorer than when they came, and are absorbed at once in their business, which has nothing to do with art. Why did they come?

In each picture is a whole lifetime imprisoned, a whole lifetime of fears, doubts, hopes, and joys.

Whither is this lifetime tending? What is the message of the competent artist? "To send light into the darkness of men's hearts – such is the duty of the artist," said Schumann. "An artist is a man who can draw and paint everything," said Tolstoy.

Whither is this lifetime tending? What is the message of the competent artist?

"To send light into the darkness of men's hearts – such is the duty of the artist," said Schumann.

"An artist is a man who can draw and paint everything," said Tolstoy.

Of these two definitions of the artist's activity we must choose the second, if we think of the exhibition just described. On one canvas is a huddle of objects painted with varying degrees of skill, virtuosity and vigour, harshly or smoothly. To harmonize the whole is the task of art. With cold eyes and indifferent mind the spectators regard the work. Connoisseurs admire the "skill" (as one admires a tightrope walker), enjoy the "quality of painting" (as one enjoys a pasty). But hungry souls go hungry away.

Of these two definitions of the artist's activity we must choose the second, if we think of the exhibition just described.

On one canvas is a huddle of objects painted with varying degrees of skill, virtuosity and vigour, harshly or smoothly.

To harmonize the whole is the task of art.

With cold eyes and indifferent mind the spectators regard the work.

Connoisseurs admire the "skill" (as one admires a tightrope walker), enjoy the "quality of painting" (as one enjoys a pasty).

But hungry souls go hungry away.

The vulgar herd stroll through the rooms and pronounce the pictures "nice" or "splendid". Those who could speak have said nothing, those who could hear have heard nothing. This condition of art is called "art for art's sake". This neglect of inner meanings, which is the life of colours, this vain squandering of artistic power is called "art for art's sake".

The vulgar herd stroll through the rooms and pronounce the pictures "nice" or "splendid".

Those who could speak have said nothing, those who could hear have heard nothing.

This neglect of inner meanings, which is the life of colours, this vain squandering of artistic power is called "art for art's sake".

The artist seeks for material reward for his dexterity, his power of vision and experience. His purpose becomes the satisfaction of vanity and greed. In place of the steady co-operation of artists is a scramble for good things. There are complaints of excessive competition, of over-production. Hatred, partisanship, cliques, jealousy, intrigues are the natural consequences of this aimless, materialist art.

The artist seeks for material reward for his dexterity, his power of vision and experience.、

His purpose becomes the satisfaction of vanity and greed.

In place of the steady co-operation of artists is a scramble for good things.

There are complaints of excessive competition, of over-production.

Hatred, partisanship, cliques, jealousy, intrigues are the natural consequences of this aimless, materialist art.

Sympathy is the education of the spectator from the point of view of the artist. It has been said above that art is the child of its age. Such an art can only create an artistic feeling which is already clearly felt. This art, which has no power for the future, which is only a child of the age and cannot become a mother of the future, is a barren art. She is transitory and to all intent dies the moment the atmosphere alters which nourished her.

Sympathy is the education of the spectator from the point of view of the artist.

It has been said above that art is the child of its age.

Such an art can only create an artistic feeling which is already clearly felt.

This art, which has no power for the future, which is only a child of the age and cannot become a mother of the future, is a barren art.

She is transitory and to all intent dies the moment the atmosphere alters which nourished her.

The other art, that which is capable of educating further, springs equally from contemporary feeling, but is at the same time not only echo and mirror of it, but also has a deep and powerful prophetic strength.

The other art, that which is capable of educating further, springs equally from contemporary feeling, but is at the same time not only echo and mirror of it, but also has a deep and powerful prophetic strength.

The spiritual life, to which art belongs and of which she is one of the mightiest elements, is a complicated but definite and easily definable movement forwards and upwards. This movement is the movement of experience. It may take different forms, but it holds at bottom to the same inner thought and purpose.

The spiritual life, to which art belongs and of which she is one of the mightiest elements, is a complicated but definite and easily definable movement forwards and upwards.

It may take different forms, but it holds at bottom to the same inner thought and purpose.

Veiled in obscurity are the causes of this need to move ever upwards and forwards, by sweat of the brow, through sufferings and fears. When one stage has been accomplished, and many evil stones cleared from the road, some unseen and wicked hand scatters new obstacles in the way, so that the path often seems blocked and totally obliterated. But there never fails to come to the rescue some human being, like ourselves in everything except that he has in him a secret power of vision.

Veiled in obscurity are the causes of this need to move ever upwards and forwards, by sweat of the brow, through sufferings and fears.

When one stage has been accomplished, and many evil stones cleared from the road, some unseen and wicked hand scatters new obstacles in the way, so that the path often seems blocked and totally obliterated.

But there never fails to come to the rescue some human being, like ourselves in everything except that he has in him a secret power of vision.

He sees and points the way. The power to do this he would sometimes fain lay aside, for it is a bitter cross to bear. But he cannot do so. Scorned and hated, he drags after him over the stones the heavy chariot of a divided humanity, ever forwards and upwards.

He sees and points the way.

The power to do this he would sometimes fain lay aside, for it is a bitter cross to bear.

But he cannot do so.

Scorned and hated, he drags after him over the stones the heavy chariot of a divided humanity, ever forwards and upwards.

Often, many years after his body has vanished from the earth, men try by every means to recreate this body in marble, iron, bronze, or stone, on an enormous scale. As if there were any intrinsic value in the bodily existence of such divine martyrs and servants of humanity, who despised the flesh and lived only for the spirit! But at least such setting up of marble is a proof that a great number of men have reached the point where once the being they would now honour, stood alone.

Often, many years after his body has vanished from the earth, men try by every means to recreate this body in marble, iron, bronze, or stone, on an enormous scale.

As if there were any intrinsic value in the bodily existence of such divine martyrs and servants of humanity, who despised the flesh and lived only for the spirit!

But at least such setting up of marble is a proof that a great number of men have reached the point where once the being they would now honour, stood alone.

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