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THf. FUNCTIONAL LINE

TkF
LINE IN
IN PAINTING

in night
attire. (Toyonobu,
Japan.
Japan. An Oiran in
night attire.
(Toyonobu, 1711-85.)
1711-85.)

THE FUNCTIONAL.
FUNCTIONAL LINE
LINE IN
IN PAINTING
PAINTING
by AARON !~RKMAN
BERKMAN
by

NEW YORK LONDON

THO,MAS YOSELOFF
YOSELOFF
THOMAS

 1957
Inc
Yoseloff, Inc.
957 by
^7 Thomas Yoseloff,
Card
Number:
57-6909
Library
Catalogue
Number:
of Congress
Card
Library of
57-6909
Congress Catalogue
!

Thomas
Thomas Yoseloff,
York
Inc., New York
Yoseloff, Inc.,
., London
Thomas Yoseloff
Yoseloff Ltd.
London
Ltd.,

Printed
Printed in
in the
the United
United States
States of
America
of America

WITH
AFFECTION TO VICTORIA
VICTORIA AND PETER
PETER
WITH AFFECTION

6504*1.7

FOREWORD
MODERN
IT
ESSENTIALS THAT 1\IODERN
SEARCHING FOR ESSE:"JTIALS
IT WAS O~LY
ONLY AFTER YEARS OF SEARCHI~G
tenet,
painting
finally
arrived
at
a
clarification
of
art's
basic
namely,
painting finally arrived at a clarification of art's basic tenet, namely,
the
elements: lines,
the function
the fundamental elements:
function of
of the
colors, and
lines, planes,
planes, colors,
surface
quality
(texture).functioning
for
their
innate,
symbolic
surface quality (texture). functioning for their innate, symbolic expresexpres
art.
siveness.
with that
that of
of Oriental art.
contrasts greatly
siveness. This approach
greatly "\vith
approach contrasts
Oriental
Throughout
the
ages
of
the
tradition,
its
artists
,,,ere
deeply
were
deeply
Throughout the ages of the Oriental tradition, its artists
to
aware of
that of
of the line,
these functional
functional elements,
of these
line, to
elements, especially
especially that
of
which they
of study
devoted years
mastery. But the thousands of
years of
study and mastery.
they devoted
in the salons
salons
Europ,ean
exhibited in
the nineteenth
nineteenth 'century
artists of
of the
'century who exhibited
European artists
essentials.
of
these essentials.
to these
lack of
of sensitivity
revealed a startling
of Europe
sensitivity to
startling lack
Europe revealed
art's
They
were not concerned with art's
their "enlightened"
"enlightened" public
public ,,,,ere
They and their
artists
intrinsic
its subject
rather with its
intrinsic qualities,
subject matter. These artists
qualities, but rather
exhausted
in their
their exploration
literature in
the archives
archives of
of literature
exhausted the
comedy,
exploration of comedy,
to illustrate.
illustrate..
tragedy,
stories to
for dramatic stories
religion for
history, and religion
tragedy, history,
"on
fame "on
their bids to
to fame
Throughout
these artists
artists made their
last century
the last
century these
Throughout the
borrowed
substance."
borrowed substance."
art rereof art
Today
The history
untenable. The
is found
found untenable.
this procedure
history of
Today this
procedure is
77

FORE\VORD
FOREWORD

veals
endured throughhas endured
art 'tvhich
which has
the significant
the content
veals that
content of
of the
that the
through
significant art
out
is
not
borro1ved,
but
stems
from
deeply
rooted sentiment
from
stems
but
the ages
out the
is
not
borrowed,
deeply rooted
ages
and
~d for
within the
the human
motivation '\vithin
and beliefbelief. ..And
for some
some mysterious
mysterious motivation
psyche,
art 1,"hich stems from indigenous cultural sources designs into
into
psyche, art which stems from indigenous cultural sources designs
rhythmic
fOfIn
symbols
'\v'hich
Using"
'\vithin
the
structural
elements
structural
within
the
which
form
"sing"
rhythmic
symbols
that
of purits content.
enclose its
content. Thus sincerity
that compose
the '\\'"ork
work and
and enclose
sincerity of
pur
compose the
into
practice
and
the
image
is
pervaded
pose
carries
over
froln
idea
is
the
idea
into
carries
over
from
image
pervaded
practice
pose
1\rith
the language
for tIle
reverence for
This reverence
with reverence
and poetic
reverence and
language
conception. This
poetic conception.
of
search
to
garb
idiomatic
imagery
in
beautiful
vestvest
in
beautiful
idiomatic
the
search
to
of expression-the
imagery
garb
expression
ments-renl0ves
illustration
which
illustration
the kind
kind of
from the
mentsremoves art
of journalistic
art from
journalistic
characterizes
last
the last
of the
skilled salon
salon paintings
the other'\vise
characterizes the
otherwise highly
highly skilled
paintings of
no,v
relegated
into
historical
discard.
century,
for
this
reason
discard.
historical
this
into
for
reason
now
relegated
century,
This
line as
as
the language
of the
the line
This book
endeavors to
to interpret
book endeavors
language of
interpret the
employed
by
the
creative
artists
through
the
ages.
This
magical
markmark
artists
the
creative
the
by
ages.
magical
employed
through
ing,
infinite
when incited
incited by
the creative
takes on shape
of infinite
creative impulse,
ing, ,\then
by the
shape of
impulse, takes
articulate
belief
and
aspiration.
It
defines
for
man
his
variety
to
his
to
articulate
It
defines
for
belief
variety
aspiration.
in
the
cultural
destiny;
,vithout
it
man
"\vould
have
remained
darkwithout
it
would
the
cultural
dark
have remained in
destiny;
ness
prehistory. Our text
ness of
of prehistory.
text begins
with the
the first
first lines
lines which mark
begins "\vith
man's a"\vakening
it
into self-consciousness.
self-consciousness. \rVe
We then
the line
then follow
follow the
line as
as it
awakening into
to
Egypt,
the
defines
his many
cultures
from
primitive
man
Orient,
defines his
cultures
the
to
Orient,
many
primitive
Egypt,
the
and the
the pre-Renaissance,
pre-Renaissance, ending
ending with
with the
the modern pioneers
pioneers and the
complex
calligraphy
of
our
times.
This
procedure
derives
from
the
times.
the
complex calligraphy of
procedure derives
that there
there is
is no
no greater
greater guide
guide and teacher
teacher than
than the
the direct
direct
premise that
premise
of outstanding
outstanding examples
examples of
of art.
art. From these,
these, it
it is
is hoped,
hoped, the
the
study of
study
reader
function at
,,,rill obtain
obtain an appreciation
appreciation of
of the
the linear
linear function
at its
its source.
source.
reader will
We will
'Ve
will observe
observe that
that the
the line
line acts
acts uniquely
uniquely as
as aa language
language to
to visualize
visualize
conceptual
thought, and that
that it
it was
was only
only during
during aa comparatively
comparatively short
short
conceptual thought,
historical
from
span due to
to the
the development
development of
of naturalistic
naturalistic painting
painting from
historical span
the
the Renaissance
Renaissance to
to the
the nineteenth-century
nineteenth-century salon,
salon, that
that its
its significance
significance
had gone
gone into
into total
total eclipse
eclipse (note
(note that
that in
in nature
nature and
and in
in the
the photograph,
photograph,
there
there are
are no lines).
lines). But the
the line
line does
does function
function as
as aa visual
visual instrument
instrument
to
to express
express emotions and ideas,
ideas, as
as it
it weaves
weaves into
into symbols
symbols which
which inter
interpret for
for the
the artist
artist living
living ideas
ideas and experiences
experiences about
about which
"\vhich he
he has
has
pret
and
with
profound
conviction.
In
becoming
acquainted
deep
feelings
conviction.
In
with
deep feelings
profound
becoming acquainted
the
the linear
linear language
language of
of art
art it
it is
is hoped
hoped that
that the
the reader
reader will
will have
have added
added
to
of art's
judgment an
an appreciation
appreciation of
of one of
art's fundamental
fundamental
to his
his critical
critical judgment
elements.
elements. Without
\Vithout this
tllis understanding
understanding there
there is
is no
no basis
basis for
for the
the esthetic
esthetic
of art's
art's intrinsic
intrinsic meaning.
meaning.
enjoyment of
enjoyment

9y

FORE\VORD
FOREWORD

.I.-\.
A word about the
the pictures
in this
this book..
book. Obviously aa monochrome
pictures in
reproduction
a painting,
of a
be
when reduced
reduced to
to page
size, bereproduction of
painting, especially '\I'rhen
page size,
comes something
the
rather different
different from its
Its original source..
source. But the
something rather
eIIlptlaS.lze
photograph
has definite
definite advantages
to an author;
It helps to
to en:lptlaS:lze
author; it
photograph has
advantages to
emphasize
,'\'"ork
particular
aspects
of
a
','"ork
and
focus
upon
certain
details.
Thus for
a
of
work
for
focus
certain
details.
particular aspects
upon
our purpose
\ve
have
deliberately
avoided
color
reproductions,
for
the
we
avoided
the
color
for
purpose
deliberately
reproductions,
monochrome better
better clarifies
Van Gogh
the
clarifies our subject.
In the
the \ran
Gogh and the
subject. In
Stuart
Stuart Davis originals,
for instance,
different colors,
the lines
are of
lines are
of different
instance, the
originals, for
and therefore
in a
a small
therefore in
small color
color reproduction
would merge
with the
the
merge '\vith
reproduction ,,'"auld
","ay
color
in a "'''ay
color planes
to obscure
obscure our theme.
theme. But the
the black
white
black and lv-hite
way to
planes in
photographs
Isolate the
the lines
lines from this
this interdependence
therefore
photographs isolate
interdependence and therefore
permit
their
examination
more
clearly
as
a
separate
element.
The pictheir
as
a
element.
clearly
permit
separate
pic
tures
be
regarded
as
the
offspring
of
a
very
tures in
in this
this book,
as
the
a
of
fer
book, then,
then, may
may
regarded
very feroffspring
tile
They
have
been
arranged
as
a
structural
component
tile parentage.
a
as
structural
to
parentage. They
arranged
component to
the
text. It
the text.
It may
said of
of paintings
that their
their fertility
demon
may be said
fertility may
paintings that
may be demonstrated
the extent
strated by
extent to
to which they
ventures to
their
to gauge
by the
they inspire
gauge their
Inspire ventures
'\larks
depths.
arks are
works
are many
faceted and their
their depths
fathom
depths.. Great 'v
many faceted
depths appear
appear fathomless.
less. The facet
facet of
of our invocation
invocation is
is the
the line.
line. \Vhile
While the
the pictures
are
pictures are
arranged
thematically,
it
is
also
hoped
that
they
will
be
enjoyed
indiIt
Is
also
that
will
indi
arranged thematically,
hoped
they
enjoyed
vidually,
Its own expressive
for its
vidually, each for
expressive qualities.
qualities.
.AARON
AARON BERK~{AN
BERRMAN

CONTENTS
FOREWORD
1.
1. THE LINE

1
7

17
i?

Pictographic Line
Line
The Pictographic
The Egyptian
Egyptian Line
Line
Oriental Line
Line
The Oriental

2.
2. THE RHYTHMIC CONTOUR

19
19
30
3
3366

44

Rembrandt's
Rembrandt's Line
Line

8
48
4

3.
3. THE BREAK WITH THE PAST

51
51

Gauguin
the Decorative
Decorative Line
Gauguin and the
and
Van Gogh
the
Expressive
the
Gogh
Expressive Line
Cezanne's
line
Line
Cezanne's Space
Space

4.
4. THE SCHOOL OF

PARIS

An Invisible
Line
Invisible Line
The Abstract
Abstract Line
Picasso
the Abstract
Abstract Line
Picasso and the
The Abstract
Line: Braque
Abstract Line:
Braque
The Abstract
Matisse
Line: Matisse
Abstract Line:
The Abstract
Stuart Davis
Line: Stuart
Abstract Line:

5.
THE
5. THE

NON-FIGURATIVE LINE

Kandinsky
Kandinsky
Expressionism:
and Abstract
Figurative and
Expressionism: Figurative

53

59
62

68
7
7

77 1
1

74
80
82
82
85
85

87
87

87
87
go
90

PLA TES
PLATES
An Oiran
Oiran in
in night
night attire.
attire. Japan
Japan
Matariri. Easter
Easter Island
Island
A Lua Matariri.

Frontispiece
Frontispiece
211
2

up for
Arunta tribesmen
tribesmen making
making up
for Corroberee.
Corroberee. Australia
Australia
Arunta

21

Yukeghir
birch bark
bark picture.
picture. Siberia
Siberia
Yukeghir birch
Rain
ceremony.
Rusawi
Valley
Rain ceremony.
Valley
Rain ceremony.
South
Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rain
South
ceremony.

23
23

Painting"
Painting,

25
25

:Aiotoko
cave.. South Rhodesia
Motoko cave.
Family
A-fexicans. Mexico
ancient Mexicans.
tree of
of ancient
Family tree

Page
from Codex NuttalL
Nuttall. Mexico
Page from
Navajo
ceremonial of
of Hasjelti
Dailjis. Arizona
Hasjelti Dailjis.
Navajo ceremonial
Painting
from the
the fafade
facade of
of a Men's House. New Guinea
Painting from
Mural,
at Thebes.
Thebes. Egypt
ancient tomb at
Menena's ancient
Mural, Menena's
Egypt
Drawing
Osiris. Egypt,
of Osiris.
Empire Period
Egypt, Empire
Drawing of
Temple
from Armant.
Armani. Egypt,
relief from
Dynasty XI
Egypt, Dynasty
Temple relief

Family
late Dynasty
stele. Egypt,
Dynasty XVIII-XIX
Egypt, late
Family stele.
Calligraphy.
Calligraphy. China
Gathering
of Philosophers.
Philosophers. China
Gathering of
Marsh
Scene
with
Birds.
Birds. China
with
Scene
Marsh

22

24
24
26

27
27
28

29
29
32
32

33
33
34
34
35
35
33 88
39
39
39
39

Book illustration.
illustration. Japan
Japan
Manuscript
illustration.
Persia
Persia
illustration.
Manuscript

40
4
4 11

Family
portrait. China
Family portrait.
Sand-dui
Consort. Tibet
Sand-dui and Consort.

4 22
43
43
6
44*>

Menippo.
de Silva
Silva y
Velazquez
y Velazquez
Rodriguez de
Diego Rodriguez
Menippo. Diego

PLATES

Countess
Countess d'Haussonville.
d'Haussonville. Jean
Ingres
Dominique Ingres
Auguste Dominique
Jean Auguste
Drawing.
Rembrandt
Drawing.
Two Tahitian
Tahitian JVomen.
Women. Paul
Paul Gauguin
Gauguin
l\fadon12a
and
Child.
Carlo
Madonna
Child. Carlo Crivelli
Crivelli
Birth
Birth of
Venus. Sandra
Sandro Botticelli
Botticelli
of Venus.
Christ
Giotto
Christ lvfocked.
Mocked. Giotto
Nude. Arnedeo
Amedeo Modigliani
Modigliani
The Bedroorrt
Aries. Vincent van Gogh
at Aries.
Bedroom at
Gogh
Bibemus Qua'rry.
Quarry. Paul Cezanne
Mont Saint
Saint Victoire.
Victoire. Paul Cezanne
Tunk .l\fountain
NO.4.
Mountain Series
Series No.
4. John
John Marin
Luneberg
II. Lyonel
Lyonel Feininger
Luneberg II.
Feininger

Accordionist.
Accordionist. Pablo Picasso
Picasso
Woman with a Mandolin. Pablo Picasso
Picasso
Three Dancers Resting.
Pablo
Picasso
Picasso
Resting.
Mandolin and Gu,itar.
Guitar. Pablo Picasso
Picasso
Still
Still Life:
Jour. Georges
Life: Le Jour.
Georges Braque
Braque
Interior with Violin
Violin Case.
Case. Henri Matisse
Matisse
The Barber Shop.
Stuart
Davis
Shop. Stuart
. 259.
Painting
No
.
No.
250. Vasily
Vasily Kandinsky
Painting
Kandinsky
Reisse Skizze.
Skizze. Paul Klee
12. Jackson
No. I2.
Jackson Pollock
Wounded Scoter~
NO.2.
2. Morris Graves
Scoter,, No.
Earth~
Earth, Air~
Air, Water. Wallace Putnam
Ikonen. Mark Tobey
Tobey
Essay.
Essay. Jimmy Ernst

47
47
5
50
54
54
55
55
56
56

57
57
58
58
61
61
64
64
65
65
66

67
67

73
73
77
77
8
7
78
79
79
81
81
84
84
86

89
89
95
6
996

97
97
9988
99
99

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE

LINE IN
IN PAINTING
THE

1
1
THE LINE
LINE
THE
MOST FUNDAl\fENTAL
THE LINE IS THE l\10ST
FUNDAMENTAL INSTRUl\IENT,
INSTRUMENT, OTHER THAN VOCAL,
men" It
may be sunnised
for
of
ideas
among
for the
of
ideas
surmised that
that
the communicating
It may
communicating
among men.

one of
of the
at
the most momentous events
events in
in man's evolution
evolution happened
happened at
marking
upon
that
that time when he first
first discovered that
that a
a premeditated
premeditated marking upon
a surface
surface (a
that is,
is,
line) could have meaning
(a line)
convey thought,
thought, that
meaning and convey
serve
.
serve as
as a device for
for language.
language.
Even before this,
dra
told a
a draas they
occurred in
in nature,
nature, told
this, markings,
markings, as
they occurred
animal
world..
~farkings
such
as
world.
as
matic story
both
to
man
and
to
the
to the
story
Markings
and
erosions
upon
the
soil,
footprints,
the
scratchings
of
the
winds,
the
the
erosions upon
winds,
soil,
scratchings
footprints,
trees,
all contained hidden messages
the acts
acts of
of organic
trees, and rock all
messages about the
organic
life
nature.. They
life and nature.
served as
as a language
to those
those
language with meaning
They served
meaning only
only to
\\Those
lives
were
closely
interlocked
with
nature
and
who
lived
lived deeply
whose lives
closely interlocked
deeply
brethren of
his brethren
as a part
as was true of early
of the
the animal
as
it, as
early man and his
part of it,
world.
this subtle
subtle and organic
con
Civilization has removed us
us far from this
organic conlife. It
It is
is only
with the
the cultivated,
of early
scientific efforts
versance of
efforts of
of
cultivated, scientific
early life.
only ,\lith
tracks to
to those
those remote
the anthropologist
anthropologist that we can retrace our tracks
17

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE IN PAINTING

18
18

times,
mystery of
the highly
of the
the wonder and mystery
ot the
times, and gain
highly
gain an inkling
inkling ot
articulated
other\vise
for us,
silenced for
articulated world
of prehistory,
world of
us,
deeply silenced
prehistory, otherwise now deeply
except
within our
subconscious minds.
our subconscious
except possibly
possibly 'Nithin
l\fan's
line as
the line
is the
as a
Man's first
first markings
manifest how fundamental is
markings manifest
means of
his
discovery
of
the
linear
lanlinear
lan
the
his
of
of communication.
communication. Through
discovery
Through
guage,
prehistoric
man
removed
himself
from
his
animal
brethren,
his
himself
brethren,
guage, prehistoric
for
for he had learned
sus
learned aa process
of implanting
thought (otherwise
(otherwise susprocess of
implanting thought
tained
perlnanently, so
tained only
it permanently,
so that
that it
it could
could
only by
by memory)
fixing it
memory) and fixing
persist
took on aa
as a
a thing
in itself.
ideas took
itself. Thus,
Thus, legend,
myth, and ideas
thing in
persist as
legend, myth,
separate
existence
as
man
invented
with
the
line
an
independent
with
line
existence
invented
the
as
separate
independent
means of
the foibles
of communication,
freed from the
of memory.
foibles of
could
communication, freed
memory. He could
now talk
the scope
talk to
to man throughout
the ages,
far beyond
of his
his own
ages, far
beyond the
throughout the
scope of
individual lifetime,
therefore leave
leave a heritage
the
lifetime, and therefore
heritage upon
upon which the
future
future could build.
build.
The line
line has
has functioned as
a meallS
means of
as a
of communication throughout
throughout
pictograph and the
the ages,
it developed
first as
as it
into the
the pictograph
the hieroglyphic,
ages, first
developed into
hieroglyphic,
myth, and religion,
that
that is,
of IIlagic,
then
is, into a symbolization
symbolization of
magic, myth,
religion, and then
many
functions
it
finally
into
the
written
word.
In
its
its
functions
it also
also entered
entered
finally
many
into the realms of
of art
art vvhere
where it
it served
served not only
as an instrument for
for
only as
by
ideas,
also as
as a means of
of beautification
beautification and decoration.
decoration. And by
ideas, but also
the time we arrive
arrive at
at the
the Egyptian
suffi
threshold, man had become suffiEgyptian threshold,
ciently
to have mastered a
a complex
linear language
ciently matured to
complex linear
language and an
despite
their
apparent
elaborate system
of
decoration
which,
their
which, despite
system
apparent simplicsimplic
in
the
annals
of
art.
ity,
remain
in
many
respects
unexcelled
in
unexcelled
the
annals
of art.
ity,
many respects

TH"E PICTOGRAPHIC LINE

THE
first line
line came into
into being
being as
as aa process
process of
of thought
thought projection,
projection,
The first
to visualize
visualize ideas,
ideas,
to

to sustain
memory. To the
the primitive
primitive mind,
mind, the
the
and to
sustain memory.
power of
of the
the line
line to
to stimulate
imagery implied
magic, and for
this
for this
stimulate imagery
power
implied magic,
reason all
all early
art forms
with magic
magic and ritual.
ritual. It
It was by
forms were linked
linked with
reason
by
early art
of his
his art
art that
that the
the primitive
primitive man visualized,
visualized, and created,
created, his
his
means of
was deeply
gods; to
to him,
him, therefore,
therefore, art
art was
rooted in
in the
the mysteries
mysteries of
life,
of life,
gods;
deeply rooted
and was
was aligned
with mystical
as an instrument
instrument of
of supermystical performances
super
aligned with
performances as
natural powers.
powers.. Even in
the more blatant
blatant art
recent vintage
forms of
in the
art forms
of recent
natural
vintage
(such
as
so-called
"realism"),
the
capacity
of
art
to
evoke
thought,
thought,
(such as so-called "realism"), the capacity of art to
memory,
proves that
that its
its powers
memory, and subjective
harkenings proves
powers have not
subjective harkenings
fundamentally
changed,
even
in
its
more
complex,
and
possibly decadeca
in its
fundamentally changed,
complex,
possibly
dent,
manifestations.
dent, manifestations.
Thus the
obscurities of
line emerges
the pictographic
the dark obscurities
of the
emerges out of
pictographic line
man's prehistory,
to
mark
his
first
awakenings
into
self-consciousness.
.
-consciousness.
into
self
to
his
first
awakenings
prehistory,
con
This
line
symbolically
pictures
ideas,
it
conveys
a
"message,"
and
conit
line
This
'message/*
conveys
symbolically pictures ideas,
cretizes
of man's hopes,
which embody
the essence
essence of
cretizes images
fears, and
embody the
images which:
hopes, fears,
aspirations.
It
makes
substantial
and
accessible
the
invisible
world
invisible
the
It
substantial
accessible
aspirations.
which to
by
supernatural
b,eings
with
power
for
to him was populated
power for
populated by supernatural beings
good
and
evil.
Pictographic
lines,
therefore~
do
not
attempt
to
describe
to
evil.
attempt
good
Pictographic lines, therefore,
externality.
"float" upon
the picture
like speech,
the images
Rather, like
images "float"
picture
upon the
externality. Rather,
speech, the
surface,
detached
from
time
and
place.
surface,
place.
We can assume that
as the
the pictograph
that as
stylized, certain
pictograph became stylized,
images,
through
repeated
usage,
eventually
became
set
as
set
as symbols
symbols for
images, through repeated usage, eventually
a
of
words.
then
evolved
into
"signs"
out
of
which
a
complex
into
words. They
sign
complex sign
"signs"
They
de
language,
namely
writing,
was
invented.
.
Out
of
this
the
alphabet
invented.
of
this
alphabet delanguage, namely writing,
velop,ed,
and
the
written
word
became
sufficient
to
evoke
imagery.
to
sufficient
the
written
imagery.
veloped,
\Vriting
communication. Thus the word
for communication..
basic vehicle
vehicle for
Writing became aa basic
arts of picture
and the
and
the arts
into being
the sentence
sentence came into
making and
being
picture making
writing
became
separate
means
for
the
expression
and
projection
for
expression
projection of
writing
separate
experience.
experience.
19
19
*

FL'NCTIONAL LINE
THE FUNCTIONAL

IN PAINTING

20
20

holds
imaginative and inner
inner appeal
appeal of
of early
early picture
picture writing
writing holds
The Imaginative
fascination for
for the
the contemporary
contemporary artist,
artist, who
,\Tho has
has found much
much fascination
emulate in
to respect,
respect, admire,
admire, and even
even something
something to
to emulate
in these
these expressive
expressive
to
devices of
of prehistory.
prehistory. The pictograph
pictograph appeals
appeals to
to the
the inner mind and
devices
the imagination
imagination rather
rather than
than to
to the
the eye.
eye. Not only
only does
does it
it remain as
as aa
the
record of
of man's early
early searchings
searchings for
for the
the answers
ans,vers to
to life's
life's enigma
enigma but
record
rooted
it also
also records
records those
those basic
basic yearnings
yearnings and aspirations
aspirations which
,vhich are
are rooted
it
in the
the depths
depths of
of the
the human
in
matter how
ho,\! deeply
deeply they
they may
may
matter
developed
into
the
complex
the
into
complex
developed
ality.

ality.

personality and remain as

as constants,
constants, no
personality
have eventually
eventually become buried,
buried, as
as man
have
\V,-hich characterizes
characterizes the
the modern person
personwhich

Obverse
Obverse of Easter Island
wooden
wooden tablet, A Lua MatarirL

Inscrutable,

Incomprehen

sible
sible lines, which still
shape

out
out nlen's
Eien s
f

thoughts,

and
and

nlessages which carry

speak messages which carry
down
to
down through the
the ages,
ages, to
those
those who
who have
have the
the
translation.
translation.

Australia.
Australia.

up

Arunta
Corroberee.
Corrooeree.
Arunta tribesmen
tribesmen making up for Conoberee.

As
As part
part of
of an
an elaborate
elaborate ritual,
ritual" primitive
primitive man
man disguised
disguised
his
could
his body
body with
with lines
lines and
and fantastic
fantastic colors,
colors, so
so that
that he
he could
invest
invest himself
himselfwith
with magical
magical powers.
powers. And
And then
then he
he became
became
aa demoniacal
demoniacal spirit.
spirit. Thus
Thus did
did the
the
trate
trate the
the invisible
invisible world
world and
and

primitive mind
mindpeneprimitive
pene
populate
the
cosmos
with
the
cosmos
with
populate

creatures
creatures ofofhis
his own
own imagination.
imagination.

for
key for

Siberia.
Siberia.

Yukeghir birch
birch bark
bark picture.
picture.
Yukeghir

Primitive
Primitive man,
man, with
with childlike
childlike

simplicity, narrated
narrated events
events in
in draw
drawsimplicity,
the long
long line
line of
of space
space reaching
reaching diago
diagoings such
such as
as this.
this. Observe
Observe the
ings
across the
nallyacross
the center
center of
of the
the picture.
picture. In
In its
its sweep
sweep itit includes
includes the
the
nally
wigwams, sleds,
sleds, and
and canoes,
canoes, and
and seems
seems to
to melt
melt off
off into
into space
space in
in
wigwams,
the
the upper
upper left.
left. How simply,
simply, and
and directly,
d.irectly, the
the lines
lines interpret
interpret life
life
in
in the
the ice-bound,
ice-bound, wintry
wintry north.
north.

How

Mandarellas,
Rain ceremony.
Mandarellas, Rusawi Valley.
Valley.. Hain
ceremony..
wond,erfully does it
is deeply evocative. How wonderfully
This magical
it
magical line is
deeply
express
primitive mind's affinity
nature.. Observe the
affinity with nature.
express the primitive
the ground
line's tremendollsheight,
tremendous height, as it
it reaches from the
to the
line"s
ground to
the
release
of
the
precious
release
heavens,
where
the
rain
god
commands
heavens,
god
precious
rain,.
so
rain, in answer to the supplications
magic, so
supplications and demands of magic,
man's earth can be nurtu,red.
nurtured. This line
line is
is one of conversance
that manlts
the very
electric course the
commtand,
its electric
command, and prayer,
very
prayer, including
including in its
essence of the primitive
essenceo
clairvoyant communication.
primitive 'power5of
powers of clairvo,yant

Rusapi, South
South Rhodesia.
Rhodesia. Rain
Rain ceremony.
ceremony.
Rusapi,
In
the magical
In answer
answer to
to the
magical ritual,
ritual, the
the rain
rain goddess
goddess releases
releases the
the
energies which
which hold
hold the
the precious
precious rain
rain within
within her
her womb,
womb, and
and the
the
energies
water
water falls
falls in
in abundance.
abundance. How
How expressively do
do these
these lines
lines pic-

expressively
pic
ture
ofdown
ture the
the upper
upperheavens
heavens and
and the
therain
rain in
in staccato
staccatostrokes
strokesof
down-

pour,and
andwith
withwhat
whatabject
abjectgratitude
gratitudedoes
doesman
manreceive
receivethis
thistoken
token
pour,
of
ofnature's
nature"s response
respons!e toto his
hisappeal.
appeal.

South
South Rhodesia..
Rhodesia.

JJn"'Ylt,,"nC1"
Pn"'YIf,'''YIcr Motoko
Afotoko cave..
caue.
Painting,

The world
prehistoric man pulsated
world of
of prehistoric
pulsated
with invisible
with
invisible spirits, who domiciled
in
domiciled in
natural forms.
ail natural
forms..
animals, and all
plants, animals"
Man hunted in
this fearsome
in this
fearsome wilderness,
wilderness,
himself
from the
the unknown
himself
protecting
the magical
magical powers
powers of
of an art
art such
such as
as
by the
which embodies
this, which
the
embodies so
so beautifully the
this,
world of
as man then
then expe
expe~
world
of prehistory, as
rienced it.
it..
rienced

Mexicans. (Draw.
Mexico.
tree of
ancient Mexicans.
Mexico. Family
of ancient
(Draw
Family tree
the maquey
ing
native paper
from the
ing made on native
maquey
paper from
plant.)
plant.)
The line,
like .an
an umbilical
umbilical cord,
threads through
cord, threads
line, like
through
time,
hierarchical lineage
of generations
time, linking
linking hierarchical
generations
lineage of
in
proud family
in this
this proud
tree.
family tree.

Mexico.
from Codex Nuttall,.
Mexico. Page
Page from Codex Nuttall
in
of manuscript
forms of
Codex
the earliest
earliest forms
to the
name given
manuscript in
the name
is the
Codex is
given to
matu
and matu~
skill and
consummate skill
book.
the consummate
reveals the
This drawing
form. This
book form.
drawing reveals
lines
decorative lines
These decorative
rity
of the pre-conquest Mexican
artist. These
Mexican artist.
rity of the pre-conquest
In
ritualistic practice.
In
define ritualistic
shape
out
the
image
of
and
and define
of deity
the
out
practice.
deity
image
shape
of
inhabitants
with
with
inhabitants
of
universe
this
way
did
these
people
fill
the
universe
the
fill
these
did
this way
people
of
with concretions
concretions of
world with
the world
their
and picture
invention and
own invention
their own
picture the
cruelties.
cruelties.
their
own
fears,
aspirations,
and,
possibly,
and,
their own fears, aspirations,
possibly,

Dailjis. (Sand
Arizona.
Hasjelti Dailjis.
ceremonial of
Arizona, Navajo
of Hasjelti
Navajo ceremonial
(Sand painting.)
painting.)
magically transtrans
The line,
a simple
in itself,
line, a
itself, becomes magically
marking in
simple marking
It
takes
on
formed when the
takes
It
then
it as
as a
a language.
artist uses
the artist
uses it
language.
becharacter,
of be
to the
the limits
limits and boundaries of
character, shape,
shape, and quality,
quality, to
the line,
lief
defines itself,
lief and aspiration.
itself,
line, thus defines
age, with the
aspiration. Each age,
Navajo
and art
art speaks
of eternity.
life, religion,
eternity. The Navajo
religion, and of
speaks of hope,
hope, life,
colored sand painting
to be.
in one day
be. made in
destroyed
day and destroyed
painting had to
religious
by
sundown,
as
part
of
an
elaborate
as
sundown,
ceremony. The
religious ceremony.
by
part
formality
perfect geometric
a
of this
this design
reveals a
formality and perfect
design reveals
geometric balance of
a
high
order.
Its
geometry
a
disciplined
natural
intelligence
of
order.
Its
high
disciplined
intelligence
geometry apap
its
its symbolism
pears
defined, and its
symbolism clearly
pears perfectly
perfectly equated"
clearly defined,
equated, its
a pristine
imagery
imagery naively
naively simple,
purity which portrays
pristine purity
portrays a
simple, with a
harmony and at
quality
at peace
is directly
directly in harmony
quality of mind that is
peace with
nature.

New

Mell's House
Guinea. Painting from the faf&de of
of a Men's
tribe, Sepik district.)

(Abelam

are InIC03r~Jr<ltea
this
into this
InIC03r~Jr<lteCl into
deity and the su'pern:atll(ill
supernatural are
incorporated
linear design, which pelnet:ra1tied
penetrated the depths of man's psyche, and
un,ivE:~rs~ll bann()~ny
han:no~nv and cosmic
universal
cosmic order.
order.
also speaks of Un,lVE:~rs~ll
harmony

The awe o

THE EGYPTIAN LINE

the wall
As the
the Egyptian
Egyptian line
line moves
moves along
along the
,vall it
it shapes
shapes upon
upon the flat
flat
As
surface figures
figures of
of men and
and women always
always in
in the
the same way,
way, with heads
surface
profile.
and arms
arms in
in profile,
profile, shoulders
shoulders fronted,
fronted, and the
the legs
legs again
again in
in profile.
and
the essence
of ritualistic
These highly
highly stylized
stylized figures
figures convey
convey the
essence of
ritualistic gesture.
gesture.
These
Upon the
the two-dimensional
two-dimensional surface
surface decorative
decorative lines
lines also
also delineate
delineate fruit,
fruit,

Upon

believed the soul

flowers,
and ceremonial
ceremonial objects
objects which the
the Egyptian
Egyptian believed
flowers, and
the transcendent
needed in
in the
transcendent lands
lands of
of life
life after
death.
after death.
needed
These lines
lines ,,,ere
employed with
with the
the serious
serious task
task of
of shaping
were employed
These
shaping out for
his
of
his
earthly
the
and
visualizing
for
him
the
course
journey
of
course
the
for
the Egyptian
earthly journey
visualizing
Egyptian
and
in
the
regions
of
the
supernatural.
By
the
of
the
in
also his
his cosmic
cosmic experiences
and also
By
supernatural.
regions
experiences
means
"saw"
the
happenings
which
were
vividly
the
"saw"
art the
means of
of his
his art
the Egyptian
vividly
happenings
Egyptian
ful
fate to
to be fulreal
inevitable fate
the inevitable
out the
art also
also marked out
real in
in his
his mind,
mind, and art
filled
cosmos.
life of
the cosmos.
in the
the life
of the
filled in
that it
it was only
From our
it appears
our remote
remote perspective
through
only through
appears that
perspective it
art
gods
took
on
shape
and
became
"real,"
and
that
took
art that
"real,"
the Egyptian
that the
shape
Egyptian gods
is that
is
Egyptian
theology
assumed
any
substantiality..
The
paradox
substantiality.
paradox
any
Egyptian theology
whatever
lives on only
the Egyptian
of the
still persists
whatever eternity
only in
Egyptian world lives
eternity still
persists of
these
walls so
so wonderfully
the walls
these lines,
by
lines, which were engraved
wonderfully by
engraved upon
upon the
unexcelled
in painting,
craftsmen in
unexcelled craftsmen
bas-reliefs, and sculpture,
sculpture, and in
painting, bas-reliefs,
those
walls and papyrus,
those deeply
which, upon
papyrus,
upon walls
mysterious hieroglyphics
hieroglyphics ,vhich,
deeply mysterious
al
still
the
vivid
imagination
alive.
Through
this
medium
we,
alive.
this
vivid
the
still keep
we, alThrough
imagination
keep
most as
can
relive
the
ceremony
and
magic
of
the
ritual,
which
of
relive
the
as they,
ritual,
magic
ceremony
they,
speaks
the gods,
of eternity.
of the
of human life,
life, of
eternity,
gods, and of
speaks of
all
As ghosts
this all
of aa former
former reality
reality which was the Egyptian
Egyptian world this
ghosts of
still
the walls;
in the
lines upon
the magical
lives OD,
still lives
walls; emerging
on, in
emerging more and
magical lines
upon the
more into
this strange
to learn this
life as
as we free
free our minds to
into life
strange language
language
a
existed
of
life
and partake
the
mystery
which
expresses
a
way
of
life
which
existed
of
way
mystery
expresses
partake
all transpired
it had all
in
us as
as though
an
from us
in fact
fact as
as remotely
though it
transpired upon
remotely from
upon another
.
But
the
Egyptian
spirit
is
glowing
and
clairis still
still there,
and
clairBut
other planet.
there,
glowing
Egyptian
spirit
planet.
30
30

31
31

THE

FUNCTIONAL ONE

Ft:NCTIO~AL LINE

IS
IN PAINTING
PAINTING

voyantly
in these
alive in
cen
these lines, although the
the Egyptian '~lorld
world had cenvoyantly alive
turies
crumbled
away
into
dust.
turies ago
dust.
into
ago
away
The Egyptian
line is
is essentially
It rests
rests flat
the
decorative. It
flat upon
Egyptian line
essentially decorative.
upon the
objects
and
figures
on
a
t\vo-dimensional
plane,
\\,.ith
with
a
two-dimensional
wall, delineating
delineating objects
figures
plane,
scarcely
a glimmer
of spacial
in most
is
cases is
most cases
scarcely a
glimmer of
spacial penetration.
penetration. The design in
symmetrical,
evenly
balanced,
but
picturing
the
the
but
balanced,
alive,
symmetrical, evenly
symbolically
picturing
content of
of a civilization
civilization remote . from us
us in
It is
is
in age
age and conception.
conception. It
thus
persists,
spanning
centuries,
and
art
conveys
thus that
that human thought
art
centuries,
thought persists, spanning
conveys
an unending
time.
message through time.
unending message
^

Egypt.
at Thebes. (Mural.)
Menena's ancient tomb at
(Mural.)
Egypt. 1\,1enena~s
birds, papyrus,
Graphic
water, animals,
lines, symbolic
animals, birds,
symbolic of water,.
Graphic lines,
papyrus, and
human beings,
into a symmetrical,
skillfully woven into
symmetrical,
beings, are most skillfully
by the placing
decorative design.
of the forms on
is implied
design. Space
Space is
implied by
placing of
relative impordifferent levels,.
with each size
size determined by
its relative
levels, '\:\ritheach
by its
impor
tance. The sense of movement in time is
is also
also included by
sym
by aa sympertinent to
to the narrative.
all the elements pertinent
bolic presentation
narrative.
presentation of all
tell the story
artists tell
In this '\:\ray
of hunting
way did the Egyptian
Egyptian artists
story of
hunting and
fishing
fishing on the Nile.

......,.........
........ '. ........ '''.,....
'~'''JIiiO. of Osiris.
on limestone,
limestone. Empire
Osiris. (Ink on
Empire Period.)
Egypt. Drawing of
and mastery o
skill and
The
line reveals the
the consummate
consummate skin
The Egyptian
Egyptian line reveals
line chisels
brisk line
the brisk
the
artist. Observe how
how correctly the
the Egyptian
Egyptian artist. Observe
without modeling, appears
form,
out
form whieh,
which, without
anatomical form.
the anatomical
out the
whilesea;rdling
SC1.1Iptulred.
sctllptUl:-ed. and
solid. This
se41lrdlinL~
Thisline,
line, while
searching out natural cor
sculptured and solid.
of view into one), still
rectness
thesieveral
several presentationsof
rectness (despitethe
Intoa aSYInrrLetlricc:l!
weavesinto
isIs essentiallydecorative
SYIn:rnleU~lC(ll
decorativeasasitItlNreaves
symmetrical design.

Egypt.
Armani. (Limestone,
relief from
from Armant.
Dynasty XI.)
XI.)
Temple relief
(Limestone, Dynasty
Egypt. Temple
the
The forms in this
are so
that the
so modeled that
this embossed bas-relief
bas-relief are
edges
is cast
cast in
the other
side is
the light
side and the
other side
edges catch the
light on one side
lines
shadow. This composes
into a design
of white and black lines
design of
composes into
which delineate the forms with the
the most exquisite
exquisite refinement and
taste. The Egyptian
taste.
artists were great
decorators who merged
merged
great decorators
Egyptian artists
narrative and technique
order.
into an art
art of
of the
the highest
highest order.
technique into

stele. (Limestone,
late Dynasty
Egypt.
XVIII-XIX.)
Egypt. Family stele.
(Limestone, late
Dynasty XVIII-XIX.)

the stone.
lines in
in this
this stele
stone. They
narrate
stele are
are chiseled.
chiseled into
The lines
into the
They narrate
hierarchic,cere~
is hierarchic,
art is
the episodes
hierarchic,cere~
cere
episodes of family history.
history. Egyptian
Egyptian art
monial. Observe again
its essentially
decorative character
monia!.
character,~ with
again its
essentially decorative
two-dim,ensional
all the lines
lines shaping
two-dimensional patterned
the
aU
shaping two-dim'ensional
patterned forms upon
upon the
taste, did the
flat surface.
surface. Thus, with highly
skill and taste,
flat
highly perfected
perfected skill
artist relate
relate the
the story
life.
Egyptian
Egyptian artist
story of Egyptian
Egyptian life.

THE ORIENTAL LINE

Oriental
is one continuous
the rhythmic
Oriental painting
continuous poem
of the
line,
rhythmic line,
painting is
poem of
\vhich
sings
in
lovely
cadence
the
song
of
peace,
calm,
a detachIn
detach
which sings
lovely cadence the song of peace, calm, and a
ment from life.
life. The subtle
ca
with its
Its rhythm
subtle line,
line, '\vith
rhythm and melodious cadence,
is
the
essence
of
the
Oriental
artisfs
It is
is the
the
dence, Is the essence of the Oriental artist's preoccupation.
preoccupation. It
instrument
has devoted
instrument which has
has evolved
to which he has
evolved aa technique
technique to
years
of apprenticeship
master.
to master.
years of
apprenticeship to
It
It has
has been said
said that
the whole development
that the
of Oriental
Oriental painting
painting
development of
was conditioned by
the
fact
that
at
the
very
beginning
the Oriental
Oriental
by the fact that at the very beginning the
artist
artist used a hair
hair brush and ink,
In contrast
use
contrast to
to the
the Western artist's
artist's use
Ink, in
of
the
pencil
and
other
less
sensitive
media.
Whether
the
of the pencil
other less sensitive
the choice
choice of
of
basic
at the
basic tools
the very
tools at
accidental or
or chosen
chosen through
very beginning
through
beginning was accidental
deep
psychological and esthetic
position to
esthetic motivation ,ve
In no position
we are
are in
to
deep psychological
state
here. However,
hair brush,
state here.
the quill,
the soft-pointed
rice
However, the
brush, and rice
quill, the
soft-pointed hair
paper
perfectly suited
to the
suited to
the type
of sensibility
paper were perfectly
type of
sensibility which qualifies
qualifies
the Oriental nature. And it
the choice
it is
is our suspicion that
mate
choice of
of matesuspicion that the
but results
is never accidental,
rials
results from necessity.
rials is
accidental, but
necessity.
Oriental painting
painting is
is usually
usually done on silk,
or a parchment-like
parchment-like pa
pasilk, or
per, with just
just the
the right
right amount of
absorbency for
for the
the deft
deft
of "take"
"take" and absorbency
per,
stroke
the masterful
masterful flow
flo,,, of
of the
the wonderfully
wonderfully rhythmic
rhythmic lines,
lines, which
stroke and the
the
the Chinese are
are fond of
referring to
to as
as "the
play of
of ink"
paper.
of referring
"the play
ink*' on paper.
Oriental
Oriental painting
painting grew
grew naturally
naturally out
out of
calligraphy, which the
tIle
of calligraphy,
master calligraphers
Orientals esteem as
as an art
art in
in itself.
itself. Their master
calligraphers achieved
achieved
great fame for
for the
the beauty
beauty of
of their
their writing,
writing, which was admired much
great
as
as we
\ve admire beautiful
beautiful drawing.
drawing. This may
may be difficult
difficult for
for the
the West
Westerner to
to understand,
understand, for
for we are
are accustomed to
to the
the hard,
hard, stereotyped
stereotyped
twenty-six-Iettered script,
script, produced
produced for
for practical
practical use
use by
by the
the machine
twenty-slx-lettered
and run off
off mechanically
mechanically on the
the press.
press. Even the
the handwriting
handwriting expert
expert is
is
with us
us no more..
But let
let us
us take
take the
the Chinese calligrapher
calligrapher for
for contrast.
contrast. He had to
to
master forty
forty thousand "word pictures/'
pictures," each
each aa symbol
symbol of
of situation,
situatioIl,
36
36

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE

37

IN PAINTING

" and therefore

therefore had to be a scholar, poet, and artist
action, and thing/'
all
a ..... ",..........
ail in
In one.
one. Thus
Thus the
the writing" of a
a landscape,
a floral design, anIrnals
and other
of nature
other beauties
beauties of
nature ,,'"as
was an
an outgrowth of this calligraphy.
'Vhether
_....... _~"
............
~i" .............
............. the
Whether In writing or
or painting,
techniques were alike, and years
of
before the practitioner could attain
of apprenticeship had to
be served
to be
served before
,.....",......... f-4i:::U::C'
"""""'11"" i status and be called "'artist" in either
t-~Q.C'C"".f""l.'II""r:I
professional status and be called "artist*' In either field. As Lin Yutang
states,
The Chinese
Chinese "trite
write and paint with tIle
the same brushes and brush
states, HThe
stroke,
all fused
are all
fused into
Into one art.
art. Therefore
stroke, and writing and painting are
the
the Chinese artist
artist can
can paint a picture and '\'Tite
a poem
write a
poem on the same
page,
unexcelled
the t,vo
two merge
taste and beauty unexcelled
merge Into a unity of taste
page, and the
in
In any
art form."
other art
form/'
any other
The \Vestern
artist had much to
Western artist
learn from the exquisite taste
to learn
which
defines
Eastern
,,"as especially true dur
defines
Eastern
which
connoisseurship. This was eSl)e(:lall
ing
the
last
century
the
advent
.JL..oiU~.II.'I.J''''''''-~..II,.II.
of
modern
'-'~ . .
the
last
when ......
the
of
art), '''''hen
century (before
European
ing
and
artists
painting
,vas
at
the
mercy
of
with aa
was
at
artists
the
of
illustration,
mercy
painted ,,,"itll
painting
with
unnecessary
vulgar
Eastern
detail
Eastern
unnecessary detail
standards) absorption
vulgar (from
\\Te
can
,veIl
the
enand aa flashy
display
of
poor
taste.
.
en
understand
We
of
taste.
well
flashy display
poor
received
the
no,,,
famous
thusiasm
now
which the
received
the
thusiasm ,vith
with "thich
the younger
younger painters
exhibition
in Paris
In the
first sho,vn
Paris in
which was first
shown in
of Japanese
exhibition of
Japanese prints,
prints, "\vhich
This
\vas
1Nhat
these
latter
of
the
nineteenth
centtlry.
what
these
was
the
nineteenth
latter part
of
century.
precisely
part
serious
art concon
for the example
of an art
were looking for-the
artists '\I"ere
serious young
young artists
example of
cerned
new to
to
intrinsic beauty. This art,.
with taste,
cerned "tNith
art, ne\\1'
taste, esthetics, and intrinsic
them,
which the Renaissance
of the
the dead end into
Into lvhich
lead them out of
them, could lead
ter
and Baroque
which had finally
them, and lvhich
finally terpainting had taken them,
Baroque painting
minated in
In the Salon.
Salon..
well
Is too \vell
painting is
The influence
art upon
influence of
of Oriental
Oriental art
upon modern painting
can
learn
much
from
the
Oriental
kno\vn
here.
.
But
'\ve
still
we
learn
here.
still
known to
to repeat
repeat
\\ho,
\\"ho,
artistic sensibility
to again
who, to
revealing the
sensibility revealing
again quote
quote Lin Yutang, "has an artistic
the
of
greatest
richness
universe
\vith
lines
and
lines
with
as quivering
universe as
greatest
rhythms
quivering
eye
for
the
varieties
of
rhythmic
varieties
and variety,
a
more
sharply
trained
for
trained
rhythmic
eye
variety,
sharply
the cultivation of the
beauty,
alive quality,
of vitally
a conception
vitally alive
quality, and the
beauty, a
conception of
detachment/*
."
achivement of calm and detachment.
artist's
to the achivementof
artist's moral personality
personality to
4%

ts

< ................
.......... - . """"
'"
1 ..... ,..... ...-.,,

7""\,.. .......

":I

4t

,,"as

D.f:''I'-''1Q'''''1I''''li11"lt'l'

'I..J'_'- .............

Chinese
Chinese calligraphy.
calligraphy.

Orientalcalligraphy
flows with
with aa
Oriental
calligraphy flows
rhythmic sweep
sweep and
rhythmic

style
style

which
which

has
has an esthetic
esthetic appeal
appeal beyond
beyond

literary import.
import.
literary

its

its

rfUlOS(Jf)tzers. (Kung
China.
China. Gathering of
of Philosophers.
Dynasty,
960-1280.)
Dynasty, 960-1280.)

Kai,

Sung

The tradition
centu
established centutradition of
the Oriental
Oriental line,
of the
line, established
ries
has persisted
the ages. This
ries ago,
ago, has persisted through the ages. This early
the Chipainting
of the
Chi
the masterful
masterful virtuosity of
reveals the
painting reveals
nese
the
lines express
these lines
artist. How wonderfully these
nese artist.
express the
and
del.
superior
knowledge,
graciousness,
refinement,
del
refinement,
graciousness,
knowledge,
superior
icate
which characterize the Oriental culicate sensibility
sensibility which characterize the Oriental cul
ture.
ture.
Scene with Birds, Section
Section III.
China.
III. (Hand
Marsh Scene
China. !vIars;"
2 7on
paper.
i\ttributed
to
Shen
Chou,
14
to
scroll,
ink
Attributed,
on
Ink
Chou,
scroll.
1427paper.
159,
1509, Ming Dynasty*)

movements
varied strength,
of varied
movements of
strength,
the
deft
nuance
of
the rn,rtnlDlC
and sweep,
rn,rWIDIC
nuance
of the
the
deft
rhythmic
sweep,
the masterful
masterful
rich quality of
of texture,
texture, and the
stroke, the rich
technllQue
into a graciously
technllque
to compose
all combine
combine to
graciously
compose into
technique, aU
life.
d.e~;12Iled
poem on aa theme
theme of
of bird
bird life.
d.e~;lg'Iled
linear poem
designed linear

u .....' '1''''
'!' .......
of
... a.u'
... ;,.............
JL ......JL...
of linear
linear
labyrinth

II.JL.l.JL,,-"J:',J';II."''''>JI,
'-.l:.
... JL,'-"J:\,.JL;II."''''lJI,
thickness,

ll

in Japan."
ne Hundred Women in
Japan.
"One
Japan."
illustration, UO
Japan. Book illustration"
(Moronobu,
1625-94.)
(Moronobu, 162^-94.)
artist selected
selected only
Observe
Observe with what economy
only those lines
economy the artist
which
of the figures.
the volume of
line, through
which suggest
through
figures. This one line,
suggest the
its
character,
variations and
and handling,
texture, character,
its variations
form, texture,
handling, expresses
expresses form,
and
into aa perfectly
knit into
and placement-all
design.
composed spacial
spacial design.
perfectly composed
placement all knit

Persia.
nushirtlJan Marries
"Anushirwan
Marries the
the Daugh
Persia. Manuscript illustration,
illustration, .etA
~'\Til(lnTI,UUUJ!n,
teT
,nl1.ml1ln
Shah-namah
of 3nlan..
the Khaquan of
China." (From manuscript of
ter of
of the
of China."
dated 1605-08.)
Firdausi, dated
1605-08.)
by Firdausi,
n
tthroughout
he
the picture.
in big
The Persian
Persian lines
lines sweep
rhythms
picture.
sweep i
At the
involved with the most elaborate
time they become involved
the same time
detail
feast for
a most luxuriant feast
texture. The lines
lines shape out a
detail and texture.
the
the picture into
into aa framework
the eyes.
structure the
eyes. Note how they structure
their own way,
of
in their
of progressively
way, are
progressively balanced rectangles which, in
also how
as
functional design. Observe also
as pure
as tbe
the most modern functional
pure as
the
the lines
lines variously express rocks, foliage, grass, and sky. This picpic
Ori
and Orituremust
be studied minutely for its subtle delicacies and
ture must be
ental
ental splendor..
splendor.

China.
China. Family
Family portrait.
portrait. (Painting
(Painting on silk.
silk. Unidentified
Unidentified artist,
artist,
Ming Dynasty,
Dynasty, 1368-1644.)
1368-1644.)
Ming
The lines
lines in
in. this
this family
family portrait
portrait cut
cut out
out flat
flat planes
planes. for
for pattern
pattern
design. These
These lines
lines are
are controlled
controlled with
with masterful
masterful draftsmanship.
draftsmanship.
design.

Tibet. Sand-dui and Consort.

Consort,
reli~
Tibetan painting
of the
the most exacting reli
a performance of
painting was a
in
gious
The
artists
in
were
cases
artists
most
giOU5
ritual,
prayer"
and
ceremony.
ritual,
ceremony.
gious
prayer,
the
anonymous
of the priesthood
completion, die
anonymous and of
priesthood (lamas). Upon completion,
went
a
process
of
concon
of
a
banner
or
or
tanka)
through
process
picture (called
the divine
of the
the
it assumed the
divine essence
essence of
secration
secration through which it
endowed
with
m.agical
powIt
it
deity
it
represented.
It
then
became
magical
pow
deity
represented.
ers
the souls
of the
souls of
those who contemplated
it
the salvation
salvation of
of those
ers for
for the
contemplated it
reis thus
devoutly.
thus re
theology is
devoutly. The rich cosmogony of Buddhistic theology
lated
.in
these lines,
Buddhism.
the very
of J:Su:aC1Jlu~m.
in these
JSU:ddhu~m.
lated in
lines, which embody the
very spirit of

2
THE RHYTHMIC CONTOUR
.o\s
AS WESTERN ART EVOLVED THROUGH THE CENTURIES IT TOOK ON MORE
sophisticated
the flat
flat picture
gradually disappeared.
guises and the
disappeared.
sophisticated guises
picture plane
plane gradually
painting
With the
of
three-dimensional
the emergence
the RenaisRenais
three-dimensional
of
during the
emergence
painting during

sance,
the line
these great
art
line also
centuries of
of art
also disappeared.
sance, the
During these
great centuries
disappeared. During
considerations
other
than
decorathe painters
decora
the
became
involved
1vith
involved
with
other
than
considerations
painters
which the
basic instrution
instru
tion and the
the delineation
delineation of
for which
the line
line is
is a basic
of ideas,
ideas, for
ment.
ment.
The Renaissance
artists tried
tried to
Renaissance artists
to emulate sculpture.
conceived
They conceived
sculpture. They
forms
existing
in
space.
their subjects
in
their
as
three-dimensional
as
three-dimensional
forms
They
existing
space. They
subjects
with the
became more and more concerned with
visual aspect
the visual
of things.
things.
aspect of
the concept
of chiaroscuro
They
chiaroscuro (light
They gradually
gradually developed
concept of
shade),
developed the
(light and shade),
dark
masses.
The
line
therefore
their
dark
line
and painted
their
fOTIns
in
light
and
forms
in
masses.
therefore
light
painted
the twentieth
as a technical
technical device until
until the
twentieth century
disappeared
century and was
disappeared as
marking
for drawings
for the
the marking
henceforth used only
studies, and for
only for
drawings and studies,
for
of preliminary
out of
layouts
for
paintings.
preliminary layouts
paintings.
to the late
late nineteenth
nineteenth century
there appears
From the Renaissance to
century there
appears
the line
line as
of the
as an esthetic
esthetic element
element
in European
painting no awareness of
European painting

44

4.3
43
45

THE Ft.::SCT10SAL
PAINTING
FUNCTIONAL L1:SE
LINE IS
IN PAI:STI:SG

that
a function
that had a
In its
function in
its own domain.
domain. It
It may
said of
this period
be said
of this
may be
period
that
line
r, the
that the
the line evaporated
into the
the rhythmic
the modulated
contour,
evaporated into
rhythmic con/ou
edge.
existed only
line existed
the conthe way
con
edge. The line
only through
through implication.
by the
way the
implication, by
tour
'...1.
and
linear
accents
were
implied
the form ,,"as
tour of
of the
was modulated,
linear
were
accents
modulated,
by
implied by
lost
"..h'r,.+h, ......... .,.
lost and found rhythms,
as the
the edges
the
of the
into the
the form
form disappeared
rhythms, as
edges of
disappeared into
h..""..i,,.,~, ....... "'T"llri and then .." . . .
background
then appeared
in rhythmic
accents.
background and then
rhythmic accents.
again in
appeared again
The modulated edge
became
the
technical
absorption
the great
the
of the
technical
edge
great
absorption of
masters
painting.
It
sweeps
in
expanding
rhythms
masters of
of Baroque
It
in
to enen
Baroque painting.
sweeps
expanding rhythms to
tA..ll..I.'''-'''''". and the
close
school.
close the
the grand
of Rubens,
the Baroque
school.
Rubens, Rembrandt,
Rembrandt,
styles of
grand styles
Baroque
In the
works of
Velazquez and Vermeer lost
the ,vorks
works
of Velazquez
lost and found edges
convey
edges convey
the
the rhythmic
the glorification
of light
cadence of
of light
to the
shade, to
light
rhythmic cadence
light and shade,
glorification of
and the
the visual
exp,erience.
visual experience.
experience..
,\Ve
a,vait
\Ve must await
the line
line
We
await the
the advent
advent of
the nineteenth
nineteenth century
of the
for the
century for
make
to
a
semblance
of
appearance
again
in
art,
disguised
as
it
a
in
as
it may
to
of appearance again
art, disguised
may
be in
the pure
In Ingres'
in the
the neo-classical
neo-classical painting
of Ingres.
Ingres* paintings
Ingres. In
paintings the
pure
painting of
fonns turn
1Nith
and chaste
concise
edge,
with
the
contour
modumodu
a very
turn to
the
chaste forms
to a
concise
edge,
very
lated
the linear
linear as
as volume painting
lated into
as close
to the
into as
close an approximation
painting
approximation to
could
was
indeed
a
linear-conscious
artist.
\'laS
artist..
im
artist. The ima
could attain.
attain. But Ingres
was
linear-conscious
indeed
Ingres
forms~
sl\Teeps
plied
line
in
his
paintings
chisels
nicely
along
the
forms,
and
sweeps
in
the
his
line
chisels
forms,
sweeps
nicely along
plied
paintings
in
\v'hich belie
belie the
the cold
cold and academic aspect
in broad
broad rhythmic
accents which
aspect
rhythmic accents
m()a~~l11t1g..
of
the modeling.
of the
modeling.
Ingres'
lvith aa minimum
of the
the chastely
chastely modeled form with
rendering of
Ingres' rendering
chiaroscuro, and with
\vith
up,on a sweeping
of
upon
linear contour,
with an insistence
insistence upon
of chiaroscuro,
contour,
sweeping linear
places
neo-classical school
the forerunners
forerunners of
of the neo-classical
as one of
of the
directly as
places him directly
of
"t\J as rooted
\vith
a lineage
links directly
in a
art.. He was
rooted in
of modern art.
directly with
lineage which links
such
painters
as
Picasso
and
Stuart
Davis.
Davis.
divergent
.
Stuart
as
Picasso
such divergent painters
I.J.A'I"J'lwL'...... .ll.Gllll.. .....

'_&1o')oT"O,rt:

J4JU .II. 'I.,P'-i .....l'"

.JL'-'-,........ '-, ...... UO

.lL'-'-.JlJ.il.u ....

iJQ.JL4 ... ' .. ..L.L .... .Fi,

on canvas,
Diego
canvas,
de Silva
Silva yy Velazquez.
(Oil on
Menippo. (Oil
Velazquez. Menippo.
Rodriguez de
Diego Rodriguez

1"

16
39-4,,)
1639-40.)

dis
line finally
the line
With
in painting,
naturalism in
of naturalism
advent of
With the
the advent
finally dispainting, the
con
of
the
appears,
to
be
enveloped
within
the
accents
of
the
rhythmic
conwithin
the
accents
be
to
rhythmic
enveloped
appears,
out
stands out
hat stands
of the
the hat
contour of
tour.
the contour
how the
observe how
For example,
tour. For
example, observe
and
"lost and
These
in
and
disappears
in
the
shadow.
These
"lost
in
the
shadow.
and
the light
in the
disappears
light
the grand
"to enclose
enclose the
ound"edges
accents "to
in rhythmic
found" edges sweep
grand
rhythmic accents
sweep in
style
of
Baroque
painting.
of
style
Baroque painting."
H

Jean
Dominique Ingres.
lngres. Countess
d'Haussonville. (Oil
(Oil
Countess d;Hawsonvilie.
d'Haussonville.
Jean Auguste
Auguste U,()m:lnlQu.e
Dominique
Ingres.
on canvas,
c. 1842-45.)
canvas, c.
1842-45.)
The forms in
paJtntln2
in this
painting sharpen
sharpen to
to a concise
concise edge,
edge, which re
rethis painting
veals Ingres'
veals
Ingres' awareness of
rhythms. Observe
Observe the
the chaste
chaste
of linear
linear rhythms.
m()(1f~llI'Jlg
of the
modeling of
design beautifully
beautifully as
as vol
volthe head and arms,
arms, which design
modeling
umes (in
to the
contrast to
(in direct
the over""'UC::la.l!CU
over-detailed objects
objects on the
the table).
table).
direct contrast
the
over-detailed
It
It is
is the
the over-elaborated details
academic followers
followers of
of
details which the
the aCcla(~m:IC
OIII,etrlc forms,
it is
is the
the chastely
Ingres imitated;
chastely modeled ,ge
geometric
forms,
Imitated; but it
Ingres
geometric
with their
their sweeping,
sweeping, rhythmic,
rhythmic, implied
implied lines,
that the
the moderns
lines, that
have so learned
work..
learned to
to admire in
in Ingres'
Ingres' work.
work.
I

REMBRANDT'S LINE

,\Vhile
'\Vhile
in line,
because
interest in
reveal no interest
While Rembrandt's
Rembrandt's paintings
line, because
paintings reveal
the
in chiaroscuro,
were rendered in
as masses
masses and ,v'ere
the forms
forms ,vere
were conceived
conceived as
chiaroscuro,
llis
jotted
linear art.
art. These dra,vings,
of linear
his dral\rings
are masterpieces
drawings, jotted
drawings are
masterpieces of
down as
ideas of
of compositions,
as notes
for ideas
notes and sketches
sketches for
compositions, have remained
workings of
the mind
through
of the
the workings
demonstrations of
of the
the centuries
centuries as
as demonstrations
through the
of
es
is esa great
in its
its purest
state of
artist in
of creativity.
of a
creativity. For each drawing
drawing is
great artist
purest state
sentially
it is
a composition
in the
the fact
that it
is complete
as a
fact that
composition and
sentially perfect
complete as
perfect in
rendered
contains
art. It
It is
a finished
is rendered
finished work of
of a
of art.
contains the
the essential
essential core
core of
too often
with aa freshness,
of statement
statement not too
often
freshness, directness,
directness, and clarity
clarity of
found
the paintings
paintings attributed
attributed to
to him.
in many
of the
found in
many of
Rembrandt's drawings
for
warrant close
close examination and study,
study, for
drawings ,varrant
\vith
Their
sketchiness
is
deceptive,
they
are
rich
,vith
the
fullness
of
life.
sketchiness
is
they are rich with the fullness of life.
deceptive,
rendered with
with the
and is
virtu
the "easy"
that they
is due to
to the
the fact
fact that
"easy" virtuthey were rendered
close
study
of
almost
any
osity
of
a
great
master
of
his
craft.
A
his
craft.
close
of
line
of
of
study
any line
osity
great
that
he
left
for
posterity
holds
in
of
the
hundreds
of
drawings
left
for
holds
in any
that
the
of drawings
any of
posterity
rhythmic
one captive
its flow,
of its
its content,
the richness
richness of
content, its
flow, and the rhythmic
captive with the
sweep
of
its
rendition.
its
rendition.
of
sweep
Let us for
for a moment examine the drawing
50.
reproduced on page
page 50.
drawing reproduced
Rembrandt
structured
the
lines
Observe the big
sweeping
lines
with
which
structured
the
big sweeping
space
"abstracted" lines
lines which capture
the
capture the
space of the composition,
composition, and the "'abstracted"
left
in
contrast
to
the
weighty
stone
in
to
the
fragile
character
of
the
trees
on
the
trees
left
contrast
fragile
weighty
the stone
the door1vay
stone
building"
whose arch flo\vs
flows up\vard,
framing the
doorway and the
building, ,vhose
upward, framing
of
these
lines,
enclosing
space.
these
steps.
How
magical
is
the
expressiveness
is
of
lines,
enclosing space.
magical
steps.
expressiveness
boy. His posture
posture is
is one
Then we come to
to the figures,
figures, and study
study the boy.
the
fact
that
he
is
turning
the
fact
that
is
of departure,
with
each
line
expressing
turning back
departure,
expressing
upon
his
journey.
his
final blessing
for a final
for
before
setting
out
blessing
setting
upon
journey.
blessing in
the marvelously
in the
fore
We then observe the gesture
\Ve
gesture of blessing
rnarvelously forehead
back
to
to
shortened hand and arm which reaches from the b,ay's
boy's
is extended in
in admonition to
the
to the
the old man, whose other hand is
feebleness of
of the
the old man,
insecure
weeping
man, insecure
weeping woman. How we feel the feebleness
48

49

THE Fl.::SCTIONAL
FUNCTIONAL LINE

IN FAINTING

upon
his feet;
feet; and yet
yet with what solid dignity does this old patriarch
upon his
stand!
stand!
\V()nlan with her gesture of weeping, where
we conle
the \V(lnlan
woman
come to the
Finally '\~e
the
the lines
lines express
essence of her
her subtle and transitional movement,
the essence
express the
the
material of
the material
her vestments,
of her
the depth of her grief.
vestments, and the
This drawing is
as
a
a
of hu
is
as
psychological presentation of
profound
nlan
in such
man drama caught at
at its
its most climactic
climactic moment, and composed in
aa ",ray
the event.
event.
In its
sustains in
that it
it sustains
its summations the
the full import of the
way that
OUT
at best
best
Our effort
effort here
here is
is to
its \\"onders.
words at
to highlight some of its
wonders. But l\"ords
can
reader alone
that
alone so
so that
now leave
can only point aa lvay,
would nOlV'
leave the
the reader
way, and II lVQuld
he may
this
at
his
o"w'n
for
convenience,
and
discover
for
discover
his
own
at
this
convenience,
drawing
may study
himself
these beautibeauti
character of
of these
the rhythm, movement,
himself the
movement, accent,
accent, and character
lines.
fully expressive
expressive lines.

Rembrandt. Drawing.
Drawing.
motiva
Rembrandt's lines
lines penetrate
into psychological
penetrate deeply
psychological motivadeeply into
tion.
tion. In bold,
deft strokes
the significant
strokes they
define the
bold, deft
they define
significant gesture,
gesture,
character,
of form.
form. The lines
lines also
also construct
construct
character, volume,
volume, and rhythm
rhythm of
into a beautifully
into
like a
a stage
beautifully balanced composition,
very much like
stage
composition, very
set.
set. This type
the humanistic-scientific
humanistic-scientific
reflects the
type of pictorial
pictorial design
design reflects
visual reality
based upon
the
insistence upon
reconstruction of
of visual
insistence
upon a reconstruction
reality based
upon the
be well
of contrast,
perspective
way of
it may
com
well to
to comcontrast, it
perspective principle.
By way
principle. By
may be
the forms
upon
this with the
pare
the Oriental principle
of designing
forms upon
pare this
designing the
principle of
to
flat format of the picture
the fiat
plane. These two approaches
picture plane.
approaches to
between the
the
spacial
differences between
the Eastern
Eastern and the
spacial design
design gauge
gauge the differences
of picture-making.
Western philosophies
picture-making.
philosophies of

3
3
THE B,REAK
BREAK WITH THE PAST
DURING THE LATIER
CENTURY THERE WAS SHOWN
LATTER PART
FART OF THE NIXETEE~TH
NINETEENTH CE:-\TURY

in
Its
in Paris
Paris the
the exhibition
exhibition of
of Japanese
Japanese prints
prints already mentioned. In its
o\vn
",ray,
and
certainly
this
exhibition
shook
own quiet
this
exhibition
certainly unintentionally,
quiet way,
the
It may
said that
that from that
that time
the art
art vlorld
at its
Its very
for it
world at
roots, for
may be said
very roots,
the
suspicion
gre'\T
that
the
Renaissance
and
Baroque
the
the suspicion grew that
may
Baroque heritage may
have
terminated
in
a
blind
and
that
art
,\~as
ad
new adfor ne,v
a
art
was ripe for
blind alley,
that
have terminated In
venture and explorations
in
pictorial
and
esthetics.
esthetics.
explorations In pictorial techniques
life
Instill life
The earlier
to instill
earlier nineteenth-eentury
nineteenth-century painters
attempted to
painters attempted
fit
into
art
by
traditional
revivals,
1vhich
they
transformed
to
fit
their
to
Into art by traditional revivals, which they
current
for example,
needs.. Delacroix,
current needs.
Courbet, and Manet,
Manet, for
Delacroix, Courbet,
pas
example, made passionate
attempts
to
revive
the
te,chniques,
and
paint
In the spirit
sionate attempts to revive the techniques,
spirit of
paint in
Rembrandt,
or Coya.
Hals, or
Rembrandt, Rubens,
Rubens, Hals,
very
Goya. These Frenchmen were very
talented
artists.. But their
their major
talented and gifted
mainly
major contributions were mainly
gifted artists.
polemical,
for position
upon the band,vagon
bandwagon
place upon
shifting for
position and place
polemical, aa verbal shifting
revolution
w as more traditional
of
traditional than revolutiontheir art
art was
tradition. Basically
of tradition.
Basically their
as reb,els
rebels against
ary,
against the
conspicuously as
they did stand out conspicuously
although they
ary, although
stratified
of the salon.
salon.. And they
stratified atmosphere
they did keep
spirit
keep kindled the spirit
atmosphere of
51
51
T

THE
THE FUNCTIONAL
FUNCTIONAL LINE IN PAINTING

52
52

of
burning throughout
in art,
which kept
truth in
of search
search for
for validity
art, ,v"hich
validity and truth
throughout
kept burning
the
Ho,vever,
ne,v techniques
which 'vere
were to
the new
the nineteenth
nineteenth century_
to
However, the
century. Ho\vever,
techniques ,vhich
transform
ne"w' philosophical
a new
transform the
of art
art into
the 1\?hole
whole aspect
into a
esthetic
aspect of
philosophical and esthetic
exposition
the horizon.
still to
horizon.
of experience
were still
to appear
appear upon
upon the
exposition of
experience '\tere
It
,vhich
'\Thich
first
sho,ved
the
,vay
which
first
the
It vilas
the Oriental
showed
of the
was the
Oriental example
the
way out of
example
traditional
Thus
the
bondage
to
the
past
,vas
broken,
for
the
to
the
was
traditional impasse.
for
broken,
bondage
past
impasse.
there
the horizon nevI
new vistas
vistas of
of great
there no'"
now appeared
which
art, ,vhich
great art,
appeared upon
upon the
existed
Renaissance and Baroque
existed beyond
the boundaries
boundaries of
of the
the Renaissance
do
beyond the
Baroque domain. Japanese
art
had
left
its
imprint
upon
such
divergent
left
its
art
divergent painters
Japanese
imprint upon
painters
as
,vere
these men '\Tere
Whistler. But these
were still
still too
as Monet,
too steeped
Monet, Degas,
Degas, and 'Vhistler.
steeped
in
,vith
Degas '\Tith
in the
with tonality
Western tradition
tradition ('Vhistler
the 'Vestern
(Whistler and Degas
tonality and Monet
'\vith
the technique
with Impressionism)
outside the
to step
of mass
mass painting
step outside
Impressionism) to
technique of
painting
into
into aa new system
esthetics and techniques,
of esthetics
the emanciemanci
system of
techniques, based upon
upon the
pated
line.
use of
of the expressive
pated use
expressive line.
It
for Gauguin,
It remained for
to strike
strike out
out
Gogh, and Cezanne to
Gauguin, Van Gogh,
the
line
as
a
functional
element
in
upon
the
new
paths
which
revived
the
line
as
a
functional
in
upon
paths
will now deal,
painting.
It is
is therefore with these
these men that
that we will
for it
it
deal, for
painting. It
is
is due to
to their
their daring
that the new techniques
daring innovations that
techniques were finally
finally
devised which established the language
of twentieth-century
art and
twentieth-century art
language of
transformed its
its entire fa~ade.
facade.

G..~UGUIN A::-';D
..AND
~~D THE DECORATIVE
DECORATI\TE LINE
GAUGUIN
In
T'\~'I:"II"'\~."I"""'rrt' it
In modern
modern painting
was Gauguin
first reaffirmed
the prinreaffirmed the
painting it was
Gauguin who first
prin
of
the
re~iP<::~ct4ea
ciple
of the picture
as a
a surface
surface to
be respected.
is so
to be
so
fact is
ciple of
picture plane
plane as
respected.. This fact
fundamental that
that it
it functioned
functioned naturally
naturally and perhaps
unconsciously
perhaps unconsciously
in art
in
art from the
the remote times
times of
of prehistory
the centuries
centuries
prehistory down through
through the
to the quarttrocento
to
painters
and
Giotto,
until
it
became
lost
lost from
from
Giotto, until it
quarttrocento painters
",~ith the emergence
..........,.........
sight,
and the
of three-dimensional
three-dimensional painting
advent
the advent
sight, with
emergence of
painting
"realism.
."
of "realism."
of
"realism."
'\vith the principle
But with
of the
the flat
re
flat plane
of the
the picture
principle of
plane of
picture once reestablished,
Gauguin
advanced
further
by
declaring
further by declaring that
that the
the fundafunda
established, Gauguin
A~IJ:"A""""''I~
mental nature of
of art
art demanded that
that a
a picture
should also
also be essentially
essentially
picture should
decorative..
decorative. This meant not only
decorative.
that
the
flat
plane
of
the
that
the
flat
only
plane of the picture
picture
'I"'\,,,~"'1'''~1'''';::lh should
should never be ignored
or
violated
but
also
that
the
or
violated
also
that
the picture
ignored
picture
be designed
as beautifully
as possible
for decoration.
decoration.
designed as
beautifully as
possible for
for precedent
In search for
precedent to
at this
to arrive
arrive at
this basic
basic principle
of pictorial
principle of
pictorial
,\rhole
design,
Gauguin
circumvented
the
whole
cycle
of
painting
the
of
encom
design, Gauguin
cycle
painting encomallover
passing
the
Renaissance
and
the
Baroque,
and
tried
to
start
all
over
the
start
tried
to
all
over
passing
Baroque,
,\\"ith
again
with
primitive
painting.
Thus
reoriented,
the
line
is
again
the
line
is
dis
reoriented,
again
primitive painting.
again discovered as
as a fundamental pictorial
element
of
prime
importance.
of
pictorial
prime importance.
decorative.. They
The lines
paintings are
lines in
in Gauguin's
are mainly
decorative.
cut
Gauguin's paintings
They cut
mainly decorative.
out patterned
shapes
around
the
forms
which
they
delineate.
Their
shap,es
the
forms
delineate.
patterned shapes
they
precedent
the art
in the
art of
of Giotto
Giotto and the
the primitives.
may be found in
precedent may
primitives.
The decorative
decoration,
line is
is an essential
decorative line
essential attribute
to mural decoration,
attribute to
for
it tends
tends to
negate the
third-dimensional modeling
modeling of
of forms.
forms" which
for it
the third-dimensional
to negate
forms*
prevailed throughout
\\lestern art,
reaffirms the
the premise
premise that
'Vestern
art
that art
art, and reaffirms
throughout Western
prevailed
the beauty
beauty of
of design
rather
than
attempt
to
reproduce
rather
than
must search
search for
for the
to
design
attempt
reproduce
nature.
re-establishes the
the concept
concept of
as a pictorial
pictorial language
It also
of art
art as
nature. It
also re-establishes
language
for
expression of
of ideas
ideas of
of life
life and beauty.
beauty.
therefore
beauty.. Its
for the
Its statement
the expression
statement therefore
forms the
the roots
modem painting,
painting, where
the line
line finally
'\vhere the
the
roots of
of modern
finally becomes the
vehicle for
for journeys
journeys into
into new
of exploration.
exploration.
'Without
it much
nev-.r fields
exploration.. Without
\Vithout it
fields of
vehicle
of modern
modem painting
painting (despite
(despite the
the great
great innovations
innovations in
color) may
may have
in color)
of
remained still-born,
still-born..
53
53
'II""'\'1IIf"'t"lI'1'1l-JQ<

.&.4 ... ,...,

Paul Gauguin.
Tahitian Women.
(Oil on canvas,
canvas, 1899.)
1899,)
Gauguin. Two Tahitian
Women . .(Oil

The decorative
decorative line
the form,
form, cutting
cutting out
out its
its shape
shape
line moves
moves about the
for
tend to
to flatten
flatten out
out and
and lose
lose
for pattern
pattern design.
design. Here
Here the
the forms
forms tend
their
painting are
are at
at op
optheir modeling.
modeling. Linear
Linear painting
painting and
and volume
volume painting
we have
observed,. disappears
disappears with
with the
the
posite poles.
poles. (The
(The line,
line,. we
have observed,
posite
advent
master of
of chiaroscuro,
chiaroscuro, said
said that
that
advent of
of modeling,
modeling, and
and Goya,
Goya, aa master
lines
do not
not exist
therefore, the
the artist
artist should
should not
not
lines do
exist in
in nature
nature and,
and" therefore,
use
painting such
such as
as this
this that
that aa syn
synuse them.)
them.) It
It is
is with
with decorative
decorative painting
thesisa
the line
line and
and modeling
modeling can
can be
be
between the
thesis-a compromise
compromise-between
obtained.
obtained.

Carlo Crivelli.
Crivelli. Madonna and Child.
Carlo
Child. (Tempera
on wood,
wood,
(Tempera on
c. 1470-73-)
c.
1470-73-)

picture sharply delineate the

decorative lines
in this
this picture
The decorative
lines in
strl~JJ~lll1lg
to be
be struggling
strl~JJ~lll1l' to be released from
forms,
forms, which appear to
scu.lpture~d
_,,,,,,';l,,,,l~:
..... _
their
scu.Ipture~d ......
"".,.1.. 01 ..,1""".,..
linear descriptions into
their linear
into sculptured
modeling
(note
the child's head).
better synthesis between the model
the
head). A better
the line
is obtained in the madonna's head.
line is
ing
ing and the
the modeling
is sui:lJolent.ly
Here the
suflidlent.ly
modeling is
sufficiently minimized so that it
interfere with the beautiful linear rhythms
does not interfere
which enclose
her neck,
which
enclose her
neck, head, and mantle.

.,

;.<'''

*/'$**$
*^^f|,kiT

iltSSi
Sandra
Venus. (Tempera
Sandro BotticeHi.Birth
Botticelli. Birth of
canvas, c. 1485.)
of Venus_
1485.)
(Tempera on canvas,c.
wistful
Botticelli's
out the
the delicate
delicate and wistful
line shapes
decorative line
Botticelli's decorative
shapes out
pagan world. It
It
poetry
for the
the pagan
Florentine's nostalgia
the Florentine's
of the
nostalgia for
poetry of
the
with
the
hearkens to
to disappear
to earlier
art forms,
is about to
earlier art
forms, but is
disappear
in painting
for
advent of
to appear
of naturalism,
naturalism, not to
again in
appear again
painting for
centuries.
centuries.

Mocked.
Giotto.
Giotto. Christ
Christ Mocked.

(Fresco, 1305.)

Giotto's decorative
Giottos
lines mark the
the boundaries
boundaries between
between the
the linear
linear
decorative lines
cajLlI~rrap'l1lV
forms and the
the sculptured naturalism
naturalism of
caJLlI~~aphlV of
of earlier
art forms
earlier art
of
calligraphy
the
the Renaissance.
Renaissance. Within
\Vithin the
tbe lines,
two.the fiat,
lines, which emphasize the
flat, twodimensional
dimensional character
character of
of the
the picture, the forms
forms seem
seem to
to be
strug
be strug
into the
the life
Hfea!
the third
third dimension which deines
defines the
the natu
natu
of the
gling into
ralism
ralism of
of the
tbe Renaissance.
Renaissance. Giotto's
Giatto's art
art established
established the
the basic
basic prin
art of
of mural painting from which evolved
evolved the
the elaborate
elaborate art
of
ciple of
the Renaissancefinally
Ke~nallss~an.ce-h:na,Uy to
to be
be submerged in
in the
the Baroque, and
then
then to
be revived
to be
revived centuries
centuries later
later by Gauguin.

Modigliani. Nude. (Oil

Amedeo Modigliani.
canvas, 1917.)
1917.)
(Oil on canvas,
Guided by
awareness of
of the
the functional line,
revived awareness
the revived
line, ModigliModigli
by the
ani
Botticelli. This
Florentines and Botticelli.
art to
to the
the early
his art
ani rooted
rooted his
early Florentines
picture
African sculpture
influences of
of Mrican
certain inft.uences
also reveals
reveals certain
(note
sculpture (note
picture also
the
in this
this work show how the
influences in
the head).
head). These combined inft.uences
earlier
the pages
of this
this century
earlier artists
artists of
history.
pages of history.
century turned back the
funda
Ignoring
the High
Renaissance, they
they began
began the search for fundaHigh Renaissance,
Ignoring the
mental rootings
art forms.
in early
forms.
early art
rootings in

VAN GOGH
GOGH i\.ND
AND THE EXPRESSI\'E
EXPRESSIVE LINE
Van Gogh's
furnish aa key to
to his
his painting, for
for in
in them is
is
Gogh's dra\vings
drawings furnish
found the script
of
his
genius.
.
These
excited
of
his
re
shorthand, excited drawings re..
script
genius.
veal his absorption
with the
the rhythmic line
line to
to express
the varied
varied texture
texture
absorption \vith
express the
of nature's appeal.
vVith
a
very
of
With
a
varied lines,
appeal.
very personalized calligraphy of varied
strokes,
the quality
strokes, and spots,
texture of
of grass,
flowers,
spots, he expresses
expresses the
quality and texture
grass, flo\'vers,
trees,
each
form
\vith
its
o\';n
kind
of
line
to
with
its
trees, house,
house, and sky;
own
of
line
to interpret
sky;
interpret
its character,
its
the excitement
excitement \\"ith
with \vhich
which it
It stimulated
character, rhythm,
stimulated
rhythm, and the
senses.. These dra\vings
his senses.
anticipate
the
expressionist
painting
the
the
of the
drawings anticipate
expressionist painting of
mid-twentieth century,
has
condensed
into
for in
In them "an
Van Gogh
has
Into
century, for
Gogh
the sensation
functional lines
movement, and emotion \vhich
lines the
sensation of
of light,
which
light, movement,
the depths
express
of his
his sensibility
express the
depths of
sensibility and subjectivity.
subjectivity.
The lines
at Aries*'
flat planes
planes in
ArIes" reveal
reveal how
hO\\e"
lines and flat
In "The Bedroom at
distinctly Van Gogh
lvas Influenced
influenced by
the Japanese
Japanese concept
of picture
picture
distinctly
Gogh was
by the
concept of
making. This In
in no respect
respect means that
that Van Gogh
Gogh was
,vas "copying"
"copying" Japa
Japamaking.
nese techniques.
techniques. Rather it
it proves
proves that
that an original
original talent
talent transforms
transforms
needs
Influences
influences into
into aa highly
highly personalized
personalized technique
technique to
to suit
suit his
his own
o'\vn needs
and purposes.
purposes.
Let us
us for
for the moment study
study the
the lines
lines in
in this
this picture
picture and journey
journey
with them as
as they
they delineate
delineate the
the bed,
bed, the
the chairs,
chairs, and all
all the
the other
other ob
objects of
of his
his room,
room, cutting
cutting out
out their
their "personalities"
"'personalities" with
,\lith almost
almost aa flare
flare
jects
of
of caricature.
caricature. As these
these lines
lines move throughout
throughout the
the picture
picture space,
space, dis
distorting the foreshortening
foreshortening of
of space
space and objects,
objects" they
they stir
stir us
us deeply
deeply
torting
with
\vith the same kind of
of emotions that
that must also
also have moved the
the artist,
artist"
as
the throes
throes of
as he was
,\\"as in
in the
of implanting
implanting his
his living
living experiences
experiences upon
upon the
the
canvas.
canvas.
The lines
lines in
in this
this picture
picture are
are sometimes
sometimes anxious and nervous,
nervous at
at
other
are determinedly
other times
times ponderous
ponderous and heavy;
heavy; at
at all
all times
times they
they are
determinedly
of spaclal
out character
searching out
out the
the perspective
perspective of
spacial design,
design, cutting
cutting out
character
searching
rhythms~ shaping
shaping textures,
textures, and moving
moving weightily
'tveightily and inordinately
inordinately
and rhythms,
in
in aa transfixation
transfixation of
of emotional
emotional outpouring.
outpotlring.. These
These lines
lines certainly
certainly do
do
1

59
59

THE
THE FUNCTIONAL
FUNCTIONAL LINE IN PAINTING
PAINTING

60
60

not
they interrather they
dilettante artist;
of the
the dilettante
the graciousness
Inter
not express
artist; rather
express the
graclousness of
pret
the
all-absorbing
strength
of
a
obsessed
,vith
the
,vender
with
a
mind
obsessed
the
the
of
wonder
pret
all-absorbing strength
and beauty
all living
are deeply
of all
lines
They are
beauty of
living experience.
deeply emotive lines
experience. They
'which
.....hich convey
the tren1endous
tremendous impact
of Van Gogh's
fanatical
convey the
impact of
Gogh's almost fanatical
quest
a spiritual
to carve
of life
life a
of affirmation
carve out
out of
affirmation and
spiritual experience
experience of
quest to
beauty.
beauty.
"Tith
in ArIes"
With this
In mind UThe
''The Bedroom in
Aries" assumes the
this in
the isolation
Isolation
of
",vith
the
loneliness
of
Van Gogh's
with
the
loneliness
of aa monastic
of
monastic chamber permeated
Gogh's
permeated
spirit.
It is almost as
there ,vith
him, transfixed
as though
w^e ,,\Tere.
were there
with him,
transfixed as
as he
he
though ,ve
spirit. It Is
is
"\veightY:t
is by
the shimnlering
the 1veightY:t
Intense colors
colors which he is
is
weighty, intense
by the
shimmering light
light and the
about to
in excited
the canvas in
We watch him lay
to fix
fix upon
excited rhythms.
rhythms. 'Ve
upon the
lay
out the
the design
of the
the lines,
feel the
the
lines, forms,
forms, and colors;
colors; and with him feel
design of
friendliness
friendliness and intimacy
of these
these inanimate objects
as he breathes
breathes
Intimacy of
objects as
into
Into them the beauty
of iife's
life's manifestations,
revealed even in
in the
the ugly
manifestations, revealed
beauty of
ugly
chairs
the emotional intensity
chairs and bed. With him "tve
we share the
of this
this
intensity of
ecstatic
which by
ecstatic outpouring,
its very
sustained in
in
by its
very nature cannot be sustained
outpouring, ,vhich
life,
poetry, or
lives on in
In music,
In poetry,
In a
a work of
or in
of art
art such as
as this.
this.
life, but lives
music, in

Vincent
Bedroo1n
Vincent van Gogh.
Gogh. The Bedroom

at Aries.
(Oil

on

canvas, 1888 or 1889.)

eXJ)re:SSl()nl~)tic line
Van Gogh's eXI)re:ssi()nt~)tic
line shapes out forms and cuts out the per
expressionistic
emon~!lSIS almost of caricature. These lines,
emph~!lSls
the emphasis
spective of space with the
with their varied modulations and textures, speak of Van Gogh's impas

sioned quest to carve out of life a spiritual experience of affirmation and

room. is
is peI:mf~atf~d. with the loneliness of Van
beauty. This room
permeated
Gogh's quest,

These
These Hnes
lines do not
not describe the objects but rather express the artist's
emotions
emotions and feelings, They are a subjective calligraphy which intro
duces
Ps,rcnIQIOf;?;lCai age in art
duces the
the psychological

CEZANNE'S SPACE LINE

The lines
lines in
function new to
art. For
in Cezanne's
to art.
Cezanne's painting
painting assume aa function
the
time
they
have
become
loosened
from
their
restrictions
the first
first
their restrictions to
to
loosened
they
contour,
and
emerge
as
instruments
to
express
an
awareness newly
as
instruments
to
contour,
emerge
newly
express
a'w'akened
awakened in the
the mind of
the object
is
of man. Now space
object is
space rather than the
regarded
as
an
entity,
and
the
lines
emerge
as
abstract
symbols
for
the
as
abstract
the
lines
as
for
the
symbols
regarded
entity,
emerge
expression
of placement
in space.
expression of
placement and movement in
space.
Even before
art also
before Cezanne,
illusion of
of
also included the
the illusion
Cezanne, Western art
space-the
appearance
of
objects
existing
in
related
depths
within
the
of
in
related
the
spacethe appearance
objects existing
depths
picture.
this was obtained through
the mathematics of
of
through the
picture. But previously
previously this
perspective,
and
the
forms
'\Tere
placed
in
different
areas
within
aa
the
in
different
were
areas
placed
perspective,
perspective
framework.
Therefore,
space
and
objects
were
treated
as
as
treated
Therefore,
perspective
objects
space
separate
entities. And it
it was the perspective law which decided the
the
separate entities.
perspective
relative
placement of
relative size
size and placement
of the forms within the picture.
picture.
But Cezanne did not work this
this way.
to visual
visual areas
areas
way. He penetrated
penetrated to
entirely
outside
the
perspective
boundaries.
He
conceived
of
space
the
as
of
entirely
perspective
space as
him
the object.
To
space
and
form
were
synonymous,
and
interinter
were
object.
synonymous,
space
inseparably.
locked inseparably.
Cezanne's picture
In Cezanne's
picture world the
the lines,
lines, projecting
projecting the
the eyes
eyes inward
the
nearest
(from
the
nearest
forms
into
depth),
chart
integrated
universe
an
into
chart
(from
integrated universe
depth),
within the
the boundaries of
of aa visual
visual experience.
experience. These lines
lines interpret
interpret
the dynamism
the
dynamism of
of nature.
nature. They
They vibrate
vibrate with energy.
energy. They
They course
course
like
through
space,
like
vectors
structuring
the
picture,
appears
to
vectors
the
which
through space,
structuring
picture,
appears to
grow organically,
organicallY7 pulsating
pulsating with life.
life. Like aa steel
steel framework,
framework, the
the lines
lines
grow
lock
lock the
the forms into
into a pictorial
pictorial edifice.
edifice. They
They carry
carry the
the mind and the
the
the restrictions
eyes far
far beyond
beyond the
restrictions of
of camera vision,
vision, for
for they
they coalesce
coalesce
eyes
space and form into
into an integrated
integrated dynamic,
dynamic, multi-dimensional
multi-dimensional uni
unispace
verse.
verse..
These lines
lines also
also serve
serve to
to delineate,
delineate, for
for they
they emphasize
emphasize the
the exist
existence of
of dimensional objects.
objects. They
They appear
appear behind the
the forms,
forms, carving
carving
out a spacial
spacial void,
void, to
to be filled
filled in
in with mosaics
mosaics of
of color
color planes.
planes. These
62
62

63

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE

IN

PAINTING

gradually
the a"pen
jf three-dimensional
into form and assume
assume the
three-dimensional
gradually model into
aspect <of
solids.
solids.
The lines
lines in
In their
their course
course at
at times
times also
define more than
also define
than one
one aspect
aspect
of
of the object.
inclusion of
of more than
than one
one view
view into
into one
one image
object. This inclusion
image
expounds
new l'isual
visual conception.
It introduces
introduces the
the pictorial
expounds another nel\'
conception. It
pictorial
philosophy
which the
of facet
facet painting,
the principle
abstract
of abstract
philosophy of
painting, from which
principle of
painting
derives.
It
has
therefore
opened
up
a
new
world
for
the
conIt
derives.
has
therefore
a
world
the
con
Cor
painting
opened up
temporary
artist-a
world
space
and
form
unite
harmoniously
artist
a
where
form
unite
harmoniously
temporary
space
into
a multi-dimensional,
into a
multi- visual, sensory
multi-dimensional, multi-dsual.
sensory experience.
experience.
Thus Cezanne created
a new l\'orld,
created a
in conception
differed in
world, which differed
conception
from any
the art
the past.
of the
vision introduced
introduced the
art of
of the
the twentwen
any of
past. His new vision
"
tieth
Cezanne's
whole
"psyche"
was
absorbed
in
this
experitieth century.
Cezanne's
in
this
century.
psyche"
experi
ence.
ence. In his
his view the
the factual
factual and concrete
concrete aspect
of things
things (objectivity)
aspect of
(objectivity)
disappears.
For,
to
him,
the
outer
world
existed
as
a
projection
to
the
outer
existed
as
a
For,
him,
disappears.
projection which
activated
to be interpreted
activated his
his visual
visual senses,
conscious under
under
senses, to
through conscious
interpreted through
standing
control. To him there
truth other
there were no facts
or truth
other than
facts or
standing and control.
how he felt,
or "realized,"
as he
it. His
called it.
he called
felt, conceived,
'"realized," as
conceived, and analyzed,
analyzed, or
mind dominated,
interpreted,
created,
with
a
happy
merging
of
ideal
a
ideal
of
created,
dominated, interpreted,
happy merging
(conception)
and
sentiment
(feeling-sensory
reaction;.
reaction).
(feeling-sensory
(conception)
Cezanne's
of reality.
as interpreted
his
Cezanne's understanding
reality, as
understanding of
interpreted through
through his
visual
fit into
into any
of the
the past.
Nat
visual experience,
any conception
conception of
past. ~at
experience, could not fit
urally,
established order.
order. The
subscribe to any
therefore, he could not subscribe
any established
urally, therefore,
world,
as
he
saw
it,
with
the
true
eyes
of
the
visionary,
was
not static;
the
true
of
the
as
static;
it,
world,
eyes
visionary,
therefore
static,
perspective
framework.
art could
fit into
therefore his
his art
could not
not fit
into any
static,
any
perspective
He struggled
the true
true creator,
for emancipation
creator, a pioneer
pioneer
struggled for
emancipation and became the
his search,
carving
his lifetime
to his
art. He devoted his
lifetime to
in art.
frontiers in
search,
carving out new frontiers
and finally
a new pictorial
of which the space-line
created a
language, of
space-line
finally created
pictorial language,
lines
is
his expression.
the instrument for
for his
is the
the alphabet.
expression. His lines
alphabet. This was the
(and
color
planes)
speak
the
prophetic
language
of
our
century.
of
the
color
century.
prophetic language
(and
planes) speak

Paul
Bibemus Quarry.
on canvas,
Cezanne. Bibemus
Paul Cezanne.
canvas, 18g8.)
1898.)
Quarry, (Oil
(Oil on
into a
a pic.
Gezanne's
a steel
structure spaceform
steel framework,
like a
Cezanne's lines,
framework, structure
lines, like
space-form into
pic
the planes,
planes, which
which pile
torial
out the
torial edifice.
edifice. They
monumentally,
up monumentally,
pile up
They shape
shape out
the forms
con
lines the
forms conand stresses.
Within the
the lines
held
stresses. Within
tensions and
held together
by tensions
together by
of color
mosaics.
color mosaics.
crete
into solids
solids by
crete into
by means of

Paul
Paul Cezanne.
Cezanne. Afont
Afoul Saint
Saint Victoire.
I'ictoirc.

(Oil

The lines,
like vectors,
move through
lines, like
vectors, move
depth.
The
picture
with
depth.
picture pulses with energy,
dimensional,
harmonious universe.
universe.
dimensional, harmonious

on canvas,

1904.)

space, projecting

movement

into

interpreting a dynamic, multiple-

NO.4.
Series No.
John
Mountain Series
Marin. Tunk Mountain
color, 1949)
1949.)
4. (Water
(Water color,
John Marin.

rhythms, shapin excited

excited rhythms,
Marin's
free line
line darts
darts through
Marin's free
shap
through space
space in
vista
mountain,
opening
up aa vista
ing
out
suggestions
offield,
trees,
o
out
mountain,
field,
trees,
opening up
suggestions
ing
charm.
of
poetic charm.
with great
of landscape
great poetic
landscape with

Lyonel Felninger. Luneburg

II.

color and ink,

ink, 1933.)
(Water color

ruled
knit geometry,
is one of a loosely knit
geometry, where ruled
Hues shape out thinly transparent spaclal areas
areas which construct
construct
-'Oc_ . .c.... ~':t: . world.
Into a multiple-dimensional vista of the post-Cezanne
world.
~Jll.-"'-.lLL~lI.ji.l..l.JlL
Feininger's space

iLJ'-.A,.....

1L

4
4
THE SCHOOL OF PARIS
THE
MAY BE APPLIED TO THE
PARIS*' IS
THE "SCHOOL OF PARIS'"
is A NAME WHICH MAY

whole modern art

all those
art movement,
includes all
those painters
movement, and broadly
painters
broadly includes
rooted
tradition.
Like
the
terms
Baroque
tradition.
the
rooted within the
the twentieth-century
Baroque
twentieth-century
and the
identifies a
a period,
Paris" identifies
of Paris"
the Renaissance,
"School of
Renaissance, "School
century
period, our century
in
of
course,
no
nation
can
claim monopoly
to
in art.
art. In this
this context,
of
course,
context,
monopoly to
this
Paris
was
its
initial
host,
and
most
of
the
its
initial
this movement,
Paris
host,
movement, although
although
major
hos
in the
the congenial
of that
that most hosideas were nurtured in
congenial climate of
major ideas
pitable
city
to
art,
and
many
of
the
original
founders
of
the
school
to
of
the
art,
many
original
pitable city
were French.
French.
The modern movement in art
art has spread
world,
throughout the world,
spread throughout
reaching
from
Italy
to
the
Orient.
Picasso
is
a
Spaniard,
Matisse
was
is
a
to
the
Picasso
Orient.
Italy
reaching
Spaniard,
French,
a
Russian,
Soutine
a
Russian
Jew,
a
a
Russian,
French, Klee was Swiss,
Swiss, Kandinsky
Kandinsky
Jew,
and Stuart
States an
is an American. In the
the western United States
Stuart Davis is
indigenous
is growing
which, while having
original
growing which,
having the original
indigenous movement is
move
bears
stamp
of
its
own
origin,
still
b,ears
strong
kinship
to
congenial
moveits
still
to
strong
congenial
origin,
stamp
kinship
ments flourishing
in
France
and
other
countries
throughout
the
world.
countries
in
flourishing
throughout
It
is \vith
with this
this modern movement,
the "School of
of Paris,"
It is
Paris/' that we
movement, the
68

69
69

THE FUNCTIOSAL
FU:NCTIO:NAL
PAI:NTING
1::."i
IN PAI'XTING
PAINTING
FUNCTIONAL LINE I:N

"tvill
will
painters whose styles
will nO"t\l
now deal,
traditional painters
deal. ignoring
styles
Ignoring many
many gifted
gifted traditional
\Ve will
are
already
discussed.
'Ve
treat only
are rooted
In the
rooted in
will treat
the techniques
discussed.
We
only
already
techniques
lvith the
nel" techniques
"\..hich still
..,,,..,,...
~~. . __..
with
the new
still need clarification
clarification and interpretatechniques which
interpreta
....,.l.Jl."-' ..
tion,
art student
the art
student but
to the
but also
also to
to the
the general
tion, not only
only to
general public.
public.

.c.1'""':ll_

1l"'Ir.c.'lI'"1lllf:A....".:Il1

1IIJ1\.A

.L-\.~
AN

IN\TISIBLE LINE
INVISIBLE

In all
all paintings
paintings there
there are
are Invisible
invisible lines
lines which
"\vhich trace
trace an intricate
intricate
In
net,vork of
of the
tIle paths
paths that
that the
the eyes
eyes follow,
follo,v, when
,vhen one looks
looks at
at aa pic
picnetwork
ture.
If
,ve
,v'ere
to
actually
dra'\7
these
lines
upon
the
picture
surface,
ture. If we were to actually draw these lines upon the picture surface,
they would
'\vould ,veave
into aa nicely
nicely designed
if the
the picture
picture "\vere
were ,vel!
well
weave into
web, if
designed "\veb,
they
composed.
The
eyes
,vould
then
move
from
form
to
form
"\vithout
without
to
eyes would
composed.
hindrance. They
They would
,V"ould be
be captivated
captivated ,vithin
the integrated
within the
hindrance.
integrated design,
design,
and '\vould
be
carried
throughout
the
lvhole
picture
with a dede
the
whole picture space
carried throughout
would
space ,vith
lightful
fascination..
ease and fascination
lightful ease
.L~t
times
in
abstract
painting these
drawn to
to
are actually
these lines
lines are
At times in abstract painting
actually dra'\vn
shape
forms
,vhich
design
into
linear
and
spacial
patterns
upon
the
the
linear
into
spacial patterns upon
shape forms which design
picture
his picture
artist titles
when an abstract
abstract artist
titles his
surface. Therefore ,vhen
picture
picture surface.
Hmodel"
are
no,vhere
to
be
seen,
to
the
are
nowhere
these objects
"still-life" and these
"model" or
or "still-life"
seen, the
objects
ob
observer's
is
not
being
pulled.
Quite
to
the
contrary,
for
these
obfor
to
is
observer's leg
contrary,
being pulled. Quite
leg
jects ,vere the sources froIll \\;rhich the lines and planes
de
were first
first deplanes ,vere
jects were the sources from which the lines
rived.
themselves
are
not
seen,
the
picture
is
are
is still
still
the objects
rived. ",Vhile
While the
seen,
picture
objects
"realistic,"
move
visual tracing
in that
that it
it contains
contains a visual
"realistic," in
tracing of the harmonious movements ,~rhich
folIo,\!
as
they
move
from
object
to
object
to
which the
the eyes
follow
as
object
eyes
they
object
through
linear tracings,
visual linear
design
tracings, objectified
objectified into design
through space.
space. These visual
lines
for
the picture
are a
a basic
basic source for
lines and patterns
surface, are
patterns upon
upon the
picture surface,
contemporary
abstraction.
abstraction.
contemporary
These lines
of the
the abstract
abstract painter's
lines express
interpretation of
express the
painter's interpretation
visual
as
a
"journey"
of
linear
and
color
movements
and
a
linear
color
as
of
visual experience
"journey"
experience
tensions
space.
.
This
is
the
real
world
of
the
abstractionist,
is
real
of
tensions through
abstractionist,
through space.
and it
source of
of most of
his calligraphy.
the SOllrce
of his
it is
is the
calligraphy.

70

THE

ABSTRACT LI~E
LINE

The abstract
abstract line In twentieth-century painting defines a concep
tion of
of space
tion
space and living experience which was born from within and
is pertinent to
is
pertinent to our century. It therefore takes on a character which
differs
differs fronl
from any
any which appears in previous art. This line still remains
an enigma to
those\,Who
larlQ'llaQ~e of traditional art and
those who persist in
in the
to those\'Who
the language
have
have made no
no effort
effort to
to learn
learn the
the language of our times. At best these
complacent
state that
that "they like
like Picasso," but only in his blue
complacent minds state
periodw
that they have made a concession to
period. In this 1Nay
way they think that
advancement,
that they can therefore brush aside all subsequent
advancement, and that
as aberrations
painting
aberrations of our sick age.
painting as
is not so
That this
this is
so is
is an obvious fact to any serious student of
allmodern painting.
To
the
the
contrary, modern painting contains an allpainting.
,\,"hich
statement
'\'''hich
the
stimulating statement which parallels any of the great epochs of the
for
past,
at its
its best
the true spirit of the classical quest for
best expresses
past, and at
expresses the
fornlality,
order"
and
structure.
structure.
order,
formality,
the
is deeply concerned with esthetics
The contemporary
contemporary artist is
their
for
and
colors
beauty
of
the
structural
elements
of
the
structural
of lines, planes,
beauty of
is "'.Jf
o\vn
....
like the Oriental, he is
own sake
sake and expressiveness.
especially
expressiveness. And, like
concerned ,vith
has learned to regard as
the functional line, which he
he has
with the
art.
fundamental to
to his
his art.
in structural space, organized
movement in
It
It is
is the
the conception
of I110Venlent
conception of
a pictorial
that has absorbed
into
U'''' ...... the mind of the abstract artist.
into a
order, that
pictorial order,
This has
the creation
creation of the new kind of picture. The key to
has forced
forced the
in the '\lork
this
work of Cezanne. But his was Just the begin
this is
to be found in
is to
several colleagues broke right through
ning.
Picasso,
Braque,
and
their
their several
Picasso,
ning.
Braque,
into
abstraction-the
abstraction
of
of movement and 1"'1d'-:lIr.t:a"n'1.~nt
the
abstraction
into abstraction
placement in space,
of the object.
to
annihilation of
the complete
to the
complete annihilation
artists dissected
these artists
It
7<Jl'~'1..1Il.."-" and analyzed
with the
the line that
that these
It "ras
was mainly
mainly ,vith
cubist
the
problenl.
For
instance,
in
the
the spacial
instance,
painting The Ac
spacial problem.
its inner
to
cordionist~
the
lines
cut
the
cut
lines
the
cordionist,"
express its
right through
object
71
71
I

..,...

iC''1 .. ,I'Y'l ....Y"II...".f-'''''.T

'''-''-.LlUII..lLA

CJl,UI>J/''''' ...

1I".I. .....

..

4t

THE
THE FUNCTIONAL LINE IN
IN PAINTING
PAINTING

72
72

spacial
in their
their manifold aspect.
these cubistic
cubistic analanal
spaciai movements in
aspect. From these
yses,
called
analytical
cubism~
the
artists
finally
arrived
at
a
completely
called
a
artists
arrived
at
the
cubism,
yses,
analytical
finally
completely
ne1;V
new pictorial
function. They
established the
the system
of aa new classical
classical
pictorial function.
They established
system of
order,
suitable to
to interpret
the conceptive
ideas which incited
incited the
the
order, suitable
interpret the
conceptive ideas
creative
creative spirit
of our century.
spirit of
century.

Accordionist,
Picasso. Accordionist.
Pablo Picasso.

(Oil

on canvas,
canvas,

191
1911.)

the external
The line
become freed from describing the
line has finally become
aspect
penetrated beneath the surface of
things. It now has penetrated
aspect of things.
structural dynamics.
forms,
their inner,
to interpret their
inner, struct.ural
forms, to
dynamics. These are
energized
stress and gravitational tensions. They
lines, lines of stress
energized lines,
en2"Ule<:~reQ
the en2"Ule<:~re<1
express
space.
engineered harmonies which hold forms in space.
express tbe

PICASSO AND THE ABSTRACT LINE

In
pivotal figure.
art of
Is the
the pivotal
In the
the ne,v
new art
Picasso is
is
of our century
figure. He is
century Picasso
the
one
painter
,vho
may
have
reached
the
stature
of
the
Renaissance
the
painter who may have reached the stature of the Renaissance
artist
the almost
his scope
almost superhuman
dimen
in the
the largeness
of his
artist in
largeness of
scope and the
superhuman dimenmade
an
imprint
sion
of
his
achievement.
Picasso
has
sec
sion of his achievement. Picasso has
age secimprint on our age
material and the
ond only
the concon
the material
to Cezanne.
of the
Cezanne. He sums up
only to
up much of
tent
tent of
the modern quest.
of the
quest.
As line
line
it is
with Picasso's
Picasso's line
this volume it
is only
line is
is the
the subject
of this
only ,vith
subject of
tIS
first
examine
the
"Woman
with
that
we
will
deal
at
this
time.
Let
time.
first
the
will
at
this
us
that
deal
reduced the
aa Mandolin,"
of
artist reduced
the forms of
to observe
observe how this
this versatile
versatile artist
Mandolin/' to
lines
to
symbolize
form
and
nature into
flat
planes
and
calligraphic
lines
to
flat
into
symbolize
calligraphic
planes
the chair
space.
the right
are combined into
into one
instance the
chair are
right arm and the
space.. For instance
the
upper
and
the
lower
arms
plane
for
a
pattern
of
space,
and
both
of
the
the
for
plane
pattern
space,
upper
Despite
the
apparent
are
by
a
crisp
linear
calligraphy.
linear
the
sim
are signified
signified by
crisp
calligraphy. Despite
apparent simappears
foreshortened,
,vith
just
plicity,
how
skillfully
the
lower
arm
with
the
skillfully
just
plicity,
appears foreshortened,
of
the
mandolin.
.
And
how
directly
enough
poise
to
sustain
the
weight
to
sustain
the
the
of
directly
weight
enough poise
the
the line
line of the other arm also
also suggests
anatomy and weight,
weight, while
suggests anatomy
at
at the saine
it is
is curved beautifully
as a rhythm
me
same time it
rhythm against
against the mebeautifully as
chanical
of
the
instrument.
chanical rigidity
of
instrument.
rigidity
Now observe the lines
are abstracted
abstracted into
into
lines of the sha,vl
shawl which are
with
the
angularity
of
the
the
planes,
weaving
downward,
and
contrasting
the
of
contrasting
angularity
planes, weaving
finally,
note
the
classical
version
shawl upon
the
other
shoulder.
And
the
classical
version
finally,
upon
p::lttern, with the
the lines
a flat
lines
of
of the head,
is also
also abstracted into
into a
flat pattern,
head, which is
of the features recalling
the
Greeks.
recalling
selection and control
is manifested a selection
Throughout
control
Throughout the picture
picture there is
of
structural
lines
and
color
essentialsforms flattened into a design
lines
color
of essentials-forms
of
structural
design
until
they
loom
with
the
fullness
fill out with study,
until
harmonies which fill
fullness
the
hannonies
study,
they
life.
of life.
resonant with significant
is resonant
Picasso's subtly
subtly selective line is
significant gesture.
gesture.
for
only
does
it
is
not
it move through
Its apparent
for
Its
simplicity
is
deceptive,
through
only
apparent simplicity
deceptive,
it also
also expresses
the fonn"s
form's emotive
space
design the picture,
picture, but it
space and design
expresses the
74

i5

THE FUNCTIONAL
FC"CTIOXAL LINE
U:-iE

i" PAINTING
IN PAIXTIXG

its emotional motivation.

significance,
motivation. Here the
the artist's
profound huhu
artistes profound
significance, its
manism is
is
manism
is revealed,
revealed, for
for his
his lines
replete with
with inner
lines are
are replete
inner meaning.
meaning,
the "l\landolin
In the
"Mandolin and Guitar,
painted in
in 19:Q,
Guitar, Juan-Les
Pins," painted
Juan-Les Pins,"
1924,
just
one
year
previous
to
the
have just
just discussed,
discussed, we come
just
year previous to the picture
picture we have
upon
manifestation of
versatility. Despite
the vast
of Picasso's
Picasso's versatility.
vast
upon another manifestation
Despite the
difference
in his
difference in
his major
major styles.
an
equivalent
classical
poise
is
maniclassical
is
mani
styles,
equivalent
poise
fested throughout.
fested
It may be
of Picasso's
that it
is the
be said
said of
Picasso's diversity
it is
the
throughout. It
diversity that
of
very
a
manifold expression
a
venturesome
mind
in
its
attempts
of
venturesome
in
its
to
expression
very
attempts to
solve
,vhich
is
rnlr,+:~'lY't'.",,,",,,,,,,,,!I"',",,'!f""'"
"
........
a.."'+
solve the
the complex
thought. In
his own way.
he
In his
complex which is contemporary
contemporary thought.
way, he
has come to
-...."""'..-fL.."""...... house
has
a solution,
to a
house in
in order.**
order." His
art
and set
set "the
"the modern
His art
solution, and
therefore
tllerefore
age
many
therefore sums up
for
this
of
the
wonders
and
beauty
of
its
for
this
the
its
of
of
age many
up
beauty
unique
living
experience.
unique living experience.
It is
is difficult
in such
It
picture as
the ":\fandolin
Guitar" to
to
difficult in
such a
a picture
as the
"Mandolin and Guitar"
isolate anyone
isolate
such as
as the
the line.
for
the other
other elements.
element, such
line, from the
elements, for
any one element,
all interlocked
are all
they are
unity. But as
interlocked into
into a
a unity.
as one
one may
select one theme
they
may select
in a Bach fugue
in
\\l'e will
\vill
in its
its study.
will take
take the
the line.
so we
line, and
fugue and delight
delight in
study, so
to
unravel
the
intricacies
of
this
composition.
it
try
to
it
from
very
involved
'"'vJu.Jl.
...
~JJl.IIo.
the
intricacies
of
this
try
very
composition.
The lines
picttlre
serve
a
.
.
.
in this
a
lines in
this picture
manifold
purpose.
First.
they
serve
de
manifold
picture
purpose. First, they dein
fine
space. Let us
this in
fine placement
in mind.
us bear
it is
is space and
bear this
mind, it
placement in space.
space
~'sees
that commands the
not
interest. Therefore he "sees
artist's interest.
not objects
the artist's
"sees
objects that
through"
transtla'1'lenl;~
a transparency-to
uses
the object-as
its spacial import. He uses
through" the
object as a
transparency to its
spacial import.
the
at
the
line
to
that
the
that
define
the
space
object
occupies,
at
the
the calligraphic
line
to
the
the
define
space
object occupies*
calligraphic
en
He
thinks
expense
of
its
aspect.
of
his
picture
as
one
spacial
thinks
of
as
its solid
solid
his
of
spacial enaspect.
picture
expense
as
belzJ)een the
tity,
the objects
are forms,
as well as the
the
tity. lvhere
objects are
forms, as
where the
the spaces
tity,
spaces between
of
objects
~~hole area
a plane
a whole
area of
themselves.. He capsules
into a line
line or
or a
capsules into
plane a
objects themselves.
and
intervening
spaces;
into
design
upon
objects
these
he
patterns
a
these
he
into
design upon
intervening spaces;
objects
patterns
the
the picture
surface.
picture surface.
picture. They
The lines
also pattern
pattern
the picture.
lines thus
thus design
the space
of the
They also
design the
space of
are
and
thicknesses
are
out
varied thicknesses
in varied
as they
out shapes
textures as
they move in
shapes and textures
white. varied
dots and
varied sometimes with dots
black and white,
straight
curved, black
straight and curved,
spots.
square. oval.
variations of
of rectangle,
lines shape
oval,
rectangle, square,
square,
geometric variations
shape geometric
spots. The lines
order
'\\l'hich
is
harmoniously
composed
is so
and circle
which
a symphonic
order
so
circle into
into a
harmoniously composed
symphonic
fer
that
fascinated by
the picture
that the
the eyes
by the ferthroughout the
space, fascinated
eyes move throughout
picture space,
art.
in this
statured work of
of art..
to be
be found in
tility and invention
this fully
invention to
fully statured
tility
into
This
the plane
plane and the plane
plane into
the line
line into
into the
of the
This magical
weaving of
magical weaving
us
mani
for
space,
takes
on
shape
for
us
mania
form
and
which
symbolizes
the
a
takes
symbolizes
shape
space,
era.. It
is the
It is
fold
of our era.
calligthe callig
the advanced thought
of the
fold preoccupations
thought of
preoccupations of
life
art
of
the
a
of
raphy
which
puts
into
expressive
language
of
art
view
life
the
into
expressive language
raphy which puts
.,...,a,.'O."i.ort

'v..;Jl.Il,...

J.c.;"' ...... .ll.Jl.Vllo.'\".i.

n \ f l ....'r'\.J"'I.C!P!

"''''-'.Il.JI,..ll.'''' ... Jl.IIo.&,.Il. ..... \JI

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE IN PAINTING

76
76

,vhich
which is
is neither
neither theological
materialistic (nineteenth
(nineteenth
theological (medieval)
(medieval) nor materialistic
century).
century).
This
art on the
Einsteinian relarelaThis ne,,,,,
the one
one hand parallels
new, dynamic
dynamic art
parallels Einsteinian
tivistic
tivistic premises,
the other
other implies
premises, and on the
implies aa metaphysical
metaphysical exposition
exposition
of
with twentieth-century
of life,
is not
which is
not only
science
life, vvhich
twentieth-century science
only compatible
compatible with
but
(materialism),
expounds
the
docin its
but also,
its denial
denial of
the
of materiality
doc
also, in
materiality (materialism), expounds
trine
trine of
of free
will (the
free will
the mind to
to create
create beauty
of the
beauty and order),
order),
(the power
power of
with existence
as a
a sensory
existence recognized
controlled, and
recognized as
sensory experience
experience controlled,
translated,
a
highly
selective
and
disciplined
intelligence..
a
selective
translated, by
by highly
disciplined intelligence.
Thus Picasso
Picasso incorporates
his highly
sensitized awareness of
the
of the
highly sensitized
incorporates his
texture
which, in
texture and rhythm
of existence
existence into
a pictorial
structure which,
into a
in
rhythm of
pictorial structure
its
its consummating
the essential
essential
order, incorporates
control, poise,
consummating control,
poise, and order,
incorporates the
spirit
of classicism.
.
spirit of classicism.

Pablo Picasso.
oman with Mandolin.
Mandolin.
Woman
Picasso. J

(Oil

on canvas,

1925.)

of color
color
The lines
lines move asa
as a melodic theme within an ensemble of
out
form,
character,
and
planes.
In
their
course
shape
out
their
course
character,
form,
they
shape
planes.
ac
the object only those
those actexture.
lines have selected
selected from the
texture.. These Hnes
of the picture. They
to the
the design of
cents
lend themselves
themselves to
cents which lend
are
are the
the calligraphy
expresses the twentieth-century con
calligraphy which expresses
of classical
classical poise and order.
ception
ception of

.X

d
Pablo
1925.)
Pablo Picasso.
Picasso. Three Dancers
Dancers Resting.
Resting. (Ink
(Ink drawing,
drawing, 1925.)

Pablo Picasso.
Picasso. Alandolin
Mandolin and Guitar.
Guitar.

(Oil

on

canvas, 1924.)

Out of
of the
the many
the visual
visual experience offers.,
offers,
many possibilities
possibilities which the
Picasso
Picasso has selected
selected only those
those lines
lines which define
define a
a realm
realm of
of uni~
uni
fied space.
fied
"abstracted" from nature,
into a
a
nature, compose
space. These lines, "abstracted"
compose into
design
a high order.
of a
order. They pic
design which interprets an intelligence of
ture aa classical
ture
classical world of
of poise and grace..
essence and
grace. The very essence
climate of the
the classical
classical spirit are
are portrayed here.
here. With the
the intrica
cies of a Bach fugue, these lines
cies
the color
lines harmonize with the
color planes
to
visualize movement and placement in
to visualize
in space.
construct
space. They construct
into
into a perfectly
perfectly composed
composed picture.

THE ABSTRACT LINE: BRAQUE

BRAQUE
The line
line in
in abstract
abstract painting
It synthesizes
is highly
ob
highly stylized.
stylized. It
synthesizes obpainting is
ject
into a
a calligraphy
as shorthand
shorthand symbolizes
the
ject and space
space into
symbolizes the
calligraphy much as
word. It
It attempts
to reduce the
the vast,
dimensional world of
of visual
visual exex
vast, dimensional
attempts to
perience
into pictorial
eliminate the
strives to
to eliminate
the extraextra
symbols, and strives
perience into
pictorial symbols,
neous and the
the incidental,
for an essential
essential pictorial
incidental, reaching
reaching for
callig
pictorial calligraphy
tactile qualities)
serves as
as a
a
lines, planes,
colors, and tactile
(of lines,
raphy (0
planes, colors,
qualities) which serves
language
the artist's
awareness of
a dynamic,
to interpret
artist's a,vareness
of existence
existence as
as a
language to
interpret the
dynamic,
elusive,
illusive experience.
It reduces
reduces forms to
a basic
to a
basic geometry
elusive, and illusive
experience. It
geometry
(not
rather felt)
than its
its title
im
title immeasured, but rather
(not measured,
felt) and professes
professes no more than
plies,
visual field
the visual
is to
to abstract
field those
abstract from the
those elements
elements which
plies, which is
symbolize
essential nature and can be equated
its essential
a pictorial
Into a
symbolize its
equated into
pictorial
language.
language.
This can be better
better understood
understood if
if we would eliminate
the
eliminate from the
picture
all the
elements other
other than
the pictorial
by Braque
picture "Abstraction" by
Braque all
pictorial elements
the
the existence
pitcher is
the lines.
lines. We can then observe
observe how the
of the
the pitcher
is
existence of
translated by
translated
black line
a multiple
line which combines a
side
by a black
(the side
multiple view (the
presented
thus presenting
the mouth from above),
presented frontally
frontally and the
above), thus
presenting two
views
views simultaneously
simultaneously into
into one design
shape (multiplicity
of vision).
vision).
design shape
(multiplicity of
All the
the objects
objects are
are thus
thus faceted
faceted to
to present
present aa composite
composite of
of the
the visual
visual
All
field,
(as though
though one were moving
moving
different angles
field, viewed from different
angles (as
through the
the picture
picture space).
tensely do these
these lines
(and planes)
planes)
lines (and
through
space). How tensely
compose to
to signify
placement in
in space,
space, and yet,
yet, how
signify movement and placement
compose
brilliantly do they
they design,
to structure
structure the
the picture.
picture. All
All the
the forms
forms are
are
brilliantly
design, to
thus
thus arranged
arranged into
into an integrated
integrated design
design of
of lines,
lines, shapes,
shapes, colors,
colors, and
textures.
textures. The frontal
frontal presentation
presentation of
of the
the forms,
forms, so
so that
that they
they con
construct
struct parallel
parallel to
to the
the picture
picture plane,
plane, is
is aa principle
principle which will
will be studied
studied
in
in a future
future volume. At the
the moment
mome11t we may
may study
study to
to great
great advantage
advantage
not only
Braque's uses
uses of
of the
the line,
line, not
only to
to control
control visual
visual movement and to
to
Braque's
musical instrument,
design space,
space, but also,
also, like
like a musical
instrument, to
to play
play aa linear
linear
design
theme in
in an ensemble of
of planes
planes and colors
colors which compose
compose into
into aa
beautifully orchestrated
orchestrated harmony.
harmony.
beautifully
80
80

Georges
Life: Le Jour.
Sfa7/ Li/tf;
Jour.
Georges Braque.
Braque. Still

(Oil

on canvas,

1929.)

The lines
rh'VU1LlnJLC
lines pick up
texture and contour
contour in
in their
their rn'VU1LlnlLC
up texture
rhythmic course through
,usJtv define several as
the picture
also at
at times
times Slnlul.tatleo
They also
picture space.
space. They
simultaneously
'USJtv
top
of
the
of
the
that
peets
of
the
object
the
the
of
the
pects
object (observe
top
pitcher is viewed frontally).
Thus does
does the
the artist
artist select
select from the
the many possibilities of multiple-faceted
vision (Cezanne)
vision
those aspects
of the visual field which fit into a
(Cezanne) only
only those
aspects of
structural
structural design.
design.

THE ABSTRACT

LINE: MATISSE

~fatisse's paintings are

Matisse's
paintings are

areas through
through
areas

composed as
as comparatively
comparatively economical flat
flat
composed
which the
the lines
lines move in
ill rhythmic
rhythmic accents,
accents, which subtly
subtly
which

pattern the
the pictures
pictures into
into compact,
compact, decorative
decorative units.
units. The lines
lines in
in these
these
pattern
paintings
are
delicate
and
melodious;
they
lyrically
"sing"
rhythms
melodious; they lyrically "sing" rhythms
paintings are delicate
throughout the
the picture
picture space.
space.
throughout
In the
the "Interior
"Interior with
with aa Violin
Violin Case'*
Case" the
the lines
lines breathe in
in light
light and
In
color
harmonies.
air,
as
they
cut
out
space
for
design
and
brilliant
color
brilliant
air, as they cut out space for design
And their
their simplicity
is deceptive, for they are controlled with con
consimplicity is deceptive, for they are controlled
a
a
summate brilliance
and
skilL
They
flow
with
the
calm
of
summer
of
the
flow
skill. They
brilliance
han
their hanbreeze,
to pacify
the spirit
with the ease and the chann
charm of their
breeze, to
spirit with the ease
pacify the
dling.
They
are
joyous
lines,
functioning
for
their
own
quality
their
for
quality and
dling. They are joyous lines, functioning
out
floor tiles,
beauty,
as
they
dance
witll
the
W3;11
patterns,
square
the
floor
wall
tiles,
with
the
patterns, square
beauty, as they dance
de
accent
the
space
of
the
chairs,
table,
and
the
violin,
and
move
to
dethe
the
accent the space of
violin,
chairs, table,
out
lineate
and
simultaneously
cut
decorative
lineate direction
direction and depth;
simultaneously
depth;
patterns
surface.
the picture
upon the
picture surface.
patterns upon
While these
a loosely
follow a
lines at
at times
times follow
these lines
they are
loosely knit perspective
perspective they
their
by
no
means
subject
to
the
perspective
principle.
For
direction
to
the
by
perspective principle.
subject
also for
for pattern
is
in space
fix points
to fix
is carefully
modified not
not only
pattern
space but also
only to
carefully modified
points in
move
and decoration.
therefore
"distort"
in
order
to
within an
to
in
"distort"
therefore
decoration. They
They
linear and spacial
overall
as an animated linear
overall rhythmic
spacial motif.
harmony, as
rhythmic harmony,
Thus their
length,
and
direction
are
carefully
are
direction
their placement,
carefully determined
placement, length,
com
by
a
juxtaposition
of
tensions
which
organize
the
picture
a
tensions
of
organize
picture into a comby juxtaposition
pact,
structural
unit.
unit.
structural
pact,
Matisse
facile virtuoso
Matisse was aa facile
virtuoso of
of the brush. He was aa painter's
painter
painter's painter
in
with
the
pictorial
elements
of
lines,
planes
and
in that
the
that he composed
lines,
planes
composed
pictorial
a
intelligent
colors
and
beauty.
He
was
a
highly
for their
their own harmony
colors for
intelligent
highly
beauty.
harmony
and
full knowledge
who revealed
revealed aa full
and sophisticated
contempo
knowledge of contemposophisticated painter
painter who
rary
space
principles,
color
harmony,
and
order.
order.
color
harmony,
rary space principles,
and as
Matisse
was also
Matisse was
also aa highly
artist, and
sensitive, esthetically
esthetically aware artist,
highly sensitive,
visual
to
with
responsive
the
living,
visual
experito
the
he was
was deeply
with most artists
artists he
experiliving,
deeply responsive
82
82

83
83

FC";CTIONAL LINE
THE FUNCTIONAL

PAINTING
IN FAINTING

ence.
ence.

At his
his best
best and
and most
most significant he
he functioned
functioned directly
_
. within the
rfllI'r~.,..t'I'ILI"
At
tradition of
of the
the iuminist
luminist painters*
painters" whose pictures are permeated with
tradition
vivid colors,
colors, luminosity,
luminosity, and air.
air.
vivid
"'Interior with
with aa Violin
Violin Case"
Case" is
is aa brilliant
brilliant design,
....",,...~'lI""\I'Il":ll',jQI,r
'\.JI.'II.. ..:u.. .I::.a.,II,. orga.nlzea
"Interior
organized
purely
d.lcig()n'll
through
a
relationship
of
vertical,
horizontal,
a
and
of
horizontal,
vertical,
diagonal (recessive)
through
relationship
.'\".&.'I\o"o.;//JI.,I;,&'''',

''\".&.JI. .... .F.''''-'JI..Lt;,lIo.ll.

planes, which picture

picture aa room in
in Nice flooded
flooded with the
the rich
planes,
bright colors
colors of
of aa warm,
,vann, sun-lit
sun-lit day
day on the
the French Riviera.
Riviera..
bright

light

and

1 7.)
Case, (Oil
Violin Case.
Henri
Interior with aa Violin
Matisse. Interior
canvas, 19
Henri Matisse.
1917-)
(Oil on canvas,
fluid and
It is
is fluid
structural. It
Matisse's
and
line is
is simultaneously
Matisse's line
simultaneously ornamental and structural.
and
charm
throughout
the
picture
ease
varied
ease
varied and moves with great
picture
throughout
great
colors
brilliant colors
with the
rich, brilliant
the rich,
Nice, flooded
in Nice,
flooded with
a room in
It pictures a
space. It
Riviera.
of a sunlit day on the French Riviera.

THE ABSTRACT
ABSTR.A.CT LINE: STUART DAVIS
,..'O,.....
Stuart Davis may
Stuart
considered the
the dean
dean and
and certainly
one of
of the
the
may be considered
certainly one
most American of
contemporary
abstract
artists.
"Being
Ameriof the
the contemporary abstract artists. "Being Ameri
been aa very
can" may
Since
conscious effort
Stuart Da\"is'
Davis* part.
effort on
on Stuart
may have been
very conscious
part. Since
his return
his
after
years
in
Paris,
he
has
consciously
return to
to this
this country,
after
in
he
has
and
Paris,
country,
years
consciously and
deliberately
culled
his
ideas
from
the
American
scene.
He
shapes
upon
culled
his
ideas
the
scene.
deliberately
shapes upon
his canvas forms ,vhich
his
which he conceives
conceives to
to be
to
be typical,
indigenous to
typical, and indigenous
a,~"are
ho'v indelibly
this
this country.
Davis seems
seems acutely
aware of
of how
environment
country. Davis
acutely aware
indelibly environment
~O'l""U''II'''!I'JI''.o artist.
imposes
its imprint upon the
artist.
consciousness of
of the
the sensitive
sensitive
imposes its
imprint upon the consciousness
Davis
highly
cerebral
in
his
approach
is an intellectual
Davis is
intellectual painter,
in
his
to
cerebral
approach to
painter, highly
his
Deliberate
and
objective
in
his
analysis,
he
sifts
through
in
his problem.
Deliberate
his
he
sifts
analysis,
through
problem.
objective
all
all extraneous
matter until
arrives at
the
extraneous matter
until he
he arrives
at the
essential expression
the essential
of the
expression of
form,
abstracted
to
its
basic
pictorial
geometry.
He
is
a
+_""'I"'lr'lI,...
is a formalist
formalist who
form, abstracted to its basic pictorial geometry.
upon control
l"'"ith
.continually
. . ,.",'n't'n1l1""JU"
times, with
insists
at all
all times,
held continually
with the
the emotions
insists upon
control at
emotions held
in
every
line and
in check
check and subordinate
subordinate to
to the
the mind. He analyzes
analyzes every line
plane
for
their
function
and
character,
and
constructs
them
into
constructs
into an
for
their
function
character,
plane
integrated
picture
which
calligraphically
symbolizes
characteristics
dis"\vhich
characteristics
dis
which
integrated picture
calligraphically symbolizes
tinctly
tinctly American.
in contemporary
Davis
line in
functional line
the functional
is very
of the
Davis is
conscious of
contemporary
very conscious
scene.
esthetics,
the
idiom
of
the
American scene.
the
of
the
it to
uses it
to speak
he uses
esthetics, and he
speak
to
the
Observe
how
he
employs
the
lettering
to
serve
ho'v
Barber Shop"
in "The Barber
Observe in
lettering
employs
Shop"
variations
to
as
an
integral
part
of
the
design,
and
the
linear
variations
to
expres.'i
'-A''''I;.\,...liJI~''
linear
the
as an integral part of the design,
express
the
a,vning,
barber
and
signs,
the
store,
the
awning,
the
bricks,
and
the
the
the
bricks,
barber pole
store,
awning,
signs,
pole
use
of
stacatto
windows in
on
the
left.
Note
the
of
black
.
use
the
left.
in the
the buildings
stacatto ""rindows
buildings
and
lvhite
Ushorthand"
of Brooklyn
delineation of
the "shorthand"
"shorthand" delineation
and white
white lines,
lines, the
Brooklyn Bridge
Bridge in
the
the
distance,
the
fire
ladders
on
the
far
right,
the
black
gas
chandelier
far
the
ladders
fire
the
the distance,
gas
right,
center.......
on the
left center....
center.
the top
top left
the essence of
p,icture writing
This
an idiomatic
idiomatic picture
is an
This is
expresses the
writing which expresses
picture
is linearally
in
the
he wishes
a
picture
which
is
a
lvishes
in
wishes to
to convey,
which he
idea which
the idea
linearally
picture
convey,
hori
the
austere,
and
is
composed
to
conform
to
the
principle
of
vertical,
horivertical,
to
to
is
and
austere,
principle
composed
for
illusion,
zontal
movements,
with
overlapping
for
the
spacial
illusion,
\\rith
diagonal
with
zontal movements,
spacial
diagonal overlapping
mathe
art. His
His lines.
modern art.
principle of
lines, matheof lnodern
which
classic spacial
is the
the classic
which is
spacial principle
worSd.
the geometry
matical
man-made world.
rule the
in their
their exactitude,
exactitude, rule
matical in
geometry of a :rn;;Ut-HI;"!{lf"
85
85
..".,I"'11I'J1'''

.II, ..... ,.,4"'-Jl..LUI.

i1LLlL ..U "",.L,,/J,I/,...:J.

Oft'Il'OT\<I-"1l""li1

JQl""'1n,...II::lo1f"1f"1'nn

I'IIj!"fo

Davis. The Barber

Barber Shop.
Stuart Davis.
on canvas,
0 .)
canvas, 193
Shop. (Oil
(Oil on
1930.)

The lines.
picture calligraphically
speak the idiom of the
lines in
in this
this picture
calligraphkally speak the idiom of the
the
geometry.
ruled, manscene. They
American scene.
pick
out
out
the
of a
a ruled,
manThey pick
geometry of
made world.
world.

5
5
THE NON-FIGURATIVE LINE
LINE
KANDINSKY
as a
line in
in non-objective
functions non-figuratively,
The line
non-figuratively, as
non-objective painting
painting functions
therefore
free agent.
free
emancipated
from
objects,
and
therefore
with
agent. Completely
objects,
Completely emancipated
for
its own find
find a valid reason for
no object
"to lean
lean on,'t
it must on its
on," it
object "to
in
lines
idea
the
that
being.
Kandinsky,
the
Russian
artist,
conceived
the
idea
that
lines
in
the
Russian
artist,
being. Kandinsky,
a
themselves
could
be
a
language
of
power,
and
could
move
through
of
themselves could
through
language
power,
the
as rhythmic
to interpret
of the
the canvas
canvas as
the space
forces, to
dynamism of
interpret a dynamism
rhythmic forces,
space of
universal
dimensions.
universal dimensions.
laid bare.
In
bare. Kandinsky
is laid
In Kandinsky's
deliberately
Kandinsky deliberately
Kandinsky's paintillgs
paintings space
space is
removed himself
which
inspired
visual world of sight,
from the
the visual
himself from
sight,
inspired so
of
the
great
painters
of
the
Western
world,
and
instead
imposed
many
the
world,
imposed
many of the great painters of
upon
himself
the
intellectual
problems
of
exploring
pure
abstraction
of
intellectual
the
himself
pure
exploring
problems
upon
so he
(non-figurative
a musician composes
sounds, so
composes with sounds,
space). As a
(non-figurative space).
like
trace
composed
with
lines
and
color
planes
to
trace
movements
which,
like
to
and
color
lines
which,
with
planes
composed
through
infinity.
.
vectors,
steer
a
harmonious
course
course
a
steer
vectors,
through infinity.
as though
move as
on page
Thus
in the
the picture
the lines
Thus the
lines in
though
89 move
page 89
reproduced on
picture reproduced

87
87

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE IN PAINTING

88

in
to their
powerful tenIn a
a cosmic
to be
be held
held to
their course
course by
cosmic void,
ten
void, and appear
by powerful
appear to
sions
picture space.
They
within the
sions '\vhich
which confine
the picture
are an imconfine them '\vithin
im
space. They are
print
of
explosive
forces
"\vithin
a
1vithin
cosmos
from
the
earth
has
within
a
which
the
of
earth
forces
has
print
explosive
disappeared.
They
chart
the
dynamism
of
the
universe
in
linear
symin
the
universe
of
linear
the
chart
dynamism
They
sym
disappeared.
bols
snake-like and curved,
are sometimes
bols 1vhich
which are
sometimes straight,
or
curved, or
straight, then snake-like
circled
and
integrate
harmoniously
to
speak
the
the
circled and arched,
to
music of
of
arched,
integrate harmoniously
speak
the
the cosmos.
cosmos.
The non-objective
up in
line finally
in the
the pure
of
geometries of
finally ends up
non-objective line
pure geometries
the
the neo-plasticists,
deStill movement,
of which Mondrian is
the deStill
is the
the
movement, of
neo-plasticists, the
most famous exponent
in this
this country_
fixed the
theoreticians fixed
the
country. These theoreticians
exponent in
line
back
upon
the
flat
plane
where,
rigidly
ruled
into
squares
line firmly
into
flat
the
where,
rigidly
firmly
upon
plane
squares
and rectangles,
it established
established the
the basic
basic geometric
rectangles, it
geometric theorem from which
all
all modern functional
functional design
design emanates.

Vasily
No.
Vasily Kandinsky.
Kandinsky. Painting
Painting No~

259~
25$. (Oil

on canvas"
on
canvas, 192,3..)
1923.)

Kandinsk
y s lines,
a cosmic void.
like vectors"
course through a
lines, like
vectors, course
Kandinsky's
They
within aa pictorial
They integrate
integrate within
pictorial framework where they are
held
a carefully balanced
held to
to their
their course
course by
stresses, and a
tensions, stresses,
by tensions,
of
visualized. They sing of
geometry~
are cosmic music"
lines are
music, visualized~
geometry. These lines
movements
universal
of orbits
is one of
orbits of mOC\il'ements
harmonies. Their theme is
universal harmonies.
within
of the
lines speak of.
voids of
of space.
within the
the limitless
limitless voids
space. These lines
UnlV(~nje~
beauties
universe.
beauties and harmonies which span the UnllV(~n!e~
7

EXPRESSIONIS:\f:
EXPRESSIONISM: FIGURATIVE AND ABSTRACT

\,r
the pictorial
for the
a servant
servant for
as a
line functions
functions as
the line
Wee have
have seen
seen hO\4~r
how the
pictorial
it has
.
In
the
course
of
its
history
of
many
concepts
of
life.
its
the
course
of
In
history it
exposition of many concepts of life.
traced
upon
the
flat
picture
surface
the
whole
fac;ade,
not
only
of
the
of
traced upon the flat picture surface the
only
facade,
theological
and
speculative
ventures
of
man,
also
of
the
"aspect"
the
also
of
but
"aspect"
theological
speculative ventures of man,
of
the vastness
vastness of
of spacial
of appearances
exploration..
spaclal adventure and exploration.
appearances and the
In
into an
line has
has again
the line
mid-twentieth century
In the
the mid-twentieth
again entered into
century the
ex
we
find
it
functioning
entirely
new
area
of
expression..
Here
to exfind it functioning to
area of expression.
entirely
absorbing
the
minds
of
a
press
the
new
ideas
which
are
currently
the
of
are currently absorbing
ideas
press the
called
the
abstract
expressionists..
group
of
"avant-garde"
painters,
group of "avant-garde" painters, called the abstract expressionists.
These artists
sub
it were,
as it
of the
the subartists use
use the
the line
line to
offer a new view,
to offer
were, of
view, as
'\vhere
the
line
speaks
a
language
terranean
areas
of
the
subjective,
terranean areas of the subjective, where the line speaks
language
untranslatawhich appears
is certainly
be scarcely
to be
certainly untranslata
scarcely intelligible,
Intelligible, and is
appears to
ble
barriers of
the barriers
of
ble into
Into words..
line attempts
to break through
words. This line
through the
attempts to
those chambers of
the mind
of the
rationality..
It tries
tries to
to penetrate
Into those
rationality. It
penetrate into
be
which,
as dark corridors,
were closed
off as
this time,
closed off
to this
corridors, hidden bewhich, up
time, '\Jere
up to
neath the hard crust
to be
crust of
of staid
staid conventions-areas
conventions areas certainly
certainly not to
transversed
the discreet.
discreet.
transversed by
the conventional and the
by the
the examexam
Freud and the
led the
furnished the
the psychologists
the way
way and furnished
psychologists led
seems with us;
It seems
that
ple
all is
these artists.
artists.. He taught
is not as
as it
to these
that all
us; that
taught that
ple to
but a fac;:ade
lives
the
the blatant facts
facts of
life are
are but
of life
facade behind which each one lives
life of inner
Inner isolation,
In a world impenetrably
cut off
others..
a life
off from others.
Isolation, in
impenetrably cut
in a
a horrible
horrible
Here one may
live in
In a realm of
warmth or in
of security
security and warmth-or
may live
loneliness.. This secret
secret world of
is experienced
and fearsome loneliness.
the mind is
of the
experienced
Individual. Although
the outside,
silent to
uniquely
to the
outside,
by each individuaL
Although deeply
uniquely by
deeply silent
It erupts as
inwardly
emotions, intuitions,
sensibilities,
intuitions, sensibilities,
Inwardly it
erupts as a volcano of emotions,
Inarticulate yearnings
it strive-the
strive the security
of
and inarticulate
yearnings (for
(for what does it
security of
transpires
with nature and the
the universe?).
All this
this transpires
early
early man's affinity
affinity ,,,ith
universe?). All
In substrata currents which run deep
the surface
surface of
the verbally
of the
in
verbally
deep below the
be "seen" and shared
shared only
the
articulate,
to the
articulate, and can b,e
only when brought
brought to
In a language
this..
as this.
surface in
language such as
'-'Ag,,",'V';1JL.LJL.VJLJL
'-'oII'rodIJ'V';)JL.LJL.VJL.JL

90

91
91

THE FUNCTIONAL
FC;liCTIO:-O....L LINE
U;liE IN
IS PAINTING
P.\I:-iTI="iG
THE

These lines
lines are
are truly
truly primitive,
pnmltlve, for
for they
they strike
strike at
at the
the basic roots
These
of sensibility
and intuition.
sensibility and
intuition. They
They address
address with
with the
the same appeal to
to
of

subjective yearnings as primitive

primitive art.
art.
subjective yearnings as

Thus the
the modern artist
artist has
has
Thus
reached
an
affinity
with
his
prehistoric
ancestry.
and
the
arts
of
an
arts
of
reached
the
affinity with his prehistoric ancestry,
prehistory
take
such
preeminence in
in contemporary
contemporary esthetics.
esthetics. But
But in
in
prehistory take such preeminence
reaching
across
the
the
modern
ages
artist
is
by
no
means
like
his
prelike
his
across
the
the
modern
is
means
artist
no
ages
pre
reaching
by
for he
he isis the
the man
Inan
decessor, for
man of
of today,
today, and
and his
his art
art must
must sustain
sustain according
according
decessor,
to contemporary
contemporary demands.
.I,.I,_,~.
demands.
to
abstract expressionist
The abstract
expressionist line
line may
may be
be esteemed
esteemed to
to be
be aa language
The
of
imagiIlation
,vithout
a
Its
the
imagination
without
text.
appeal
is
like
magic,
stripped of
of
of the imagination without a text. Its appeal is like magic, stripped
all
magical
po,vers.
It
a
n~JI:.)t".:D,nh~la::'l~"''-"
powers. It implies
implies a metaphysics,
metaphysics, without
without aa theosophicai
theosophical
all magical powers.
superstructure.
to
It
may
be
said
be
religious,
without
a
theology
or aa
a
without
be
It
said
to
be
theology or
religious,
may
superstructure.
It seems
to be
be laying
"_w~""",.i..,.t'~I"""''II''''II for
God. It
seems to
laying the
the foundation
foundation
for an
an exposition
exposition of
of life
life for
for
God.
lvhich
there
T.,rln"'II"'\lI"l(~
which
still
is
no
tangibly
known
factor.
By
expounding
a
metaa
meta
factor.
which there still is no tangibly
By expounding
physics
for
there
is
as
which
yet
no
system,
it appears
appears to
to be
be
it
known
is
there
as
no
which
for
system,
yet
physics
groping
for
truth
to
a
spiritual
which
it
has
key.
amorphous
The
has
it
no
which
a
truth
to
for
key.
amorphous
spiritual
groping
that it
it shapes
upon the picture
~lf''''''I"'''ll''''''O therefore,
forms
picture surface,
surface,
therefore, are
are deeply
deeply
forms that
shapes upon the
as
enshrouded
in obscurity
and
mystery,
appear
as
nebulous
as the
the
as
nebulous
and
and
enshrouded in
mystery,
appear
obscurity
embryo.
embryo.
IIn
n this
of painting the
like aa poem
poem of
of
line evokes
the line
evokes emotions like
this type
In
type of painting
sounds
at
times
is
personal
and
private
is so
so
times
at
Its language
without words.
words. Its
sounds without
private
language
personal
that
sometimes deeply
in wonder,
moved, emotionally
looks on
on in
that one
one looks
wonder, sometimes
emotionally
deeply moved,
provoked
and
esthetically
gratified,
but
eventually
exhausted
by
but
and
by a
eventually
esthetically gratified,
provoked
statement
never
fulfilled.
statement never fulfilled.
recesses of
E,ach
the inner recesses
Each
works
in isolation,
works in
thus ,,,orks
artist thus
Each artist
isolation, sharing
sharing the
life
",ith
no
one
but
himself.
is
no
in this
this expreswith no one but himself. There is no togetherness
life with
expres
togetherness in
in
are together
artists are
these
artists
in
these
sionist
in
the
fact
that
that
in
fact
the
sionist movement,
together
movement, except
except
mutual
.
But
each
one
individually
endeavors
to
each
But
aims of
of expression.
mutual aims
individually
expression.
of uniqueness,
strike
u.lu.
.l'4 ....
.L:&,""'~,.;)t where
treasures of
and unearth
unearth treasures
the depths
into the
out into
strike out
uniqueness,
depths and
the
all
from
difference
from
others,
each
picture
is
conspicuous
for
its
all
the
others, and
each picture is conspicuous for its difference
imita
and imitaas derivativ'e
derivative and
any
to another artist is condemned as
derivative
similarity to another artist is condemned
any similarity
tive
therefore
discard.
to discard.
doomed to
is therefore
therefore doomed
and is
tive and
search
and individual
individual search..
How
searchthis isolation
isolation and
is this
this aloofness,
different is
aloofness, this
How different
were
ideas
where
the
equivalent
(non-real)
the
where
ideas
were
arts
of
ing
from
the
arts
of
past,
''''rere
past,
ing from the equivalent (non-real)
the
was
then
artist
The
ingrained
and
grew
Olut
out
of
a
common
culture.
The
artist
then
,,\\"as
was
the
culture.
ingrained and grew out of a common
visualized
which
forms which Vl:l.Ud,lll,eu
the forms
articulator,
visualized
the curator-of
curator of the
the creator-and
creator and the
articuiator, the
mass
such
as
the
Byzantine.
.
and
Byzantine.
the
as
such
and aspiration,
ideal a.nd
mass ideal
Byzantine.
aspiration,
It
evocative. It
still deeply
is stillde'eply
still
But
abstract expressionism
in abstract
line in
the line
But the
deeply evocative.
expressionism is
"-4 ..... JLJl.JI,lIA

"""'1I11""t'1""',o

..."u.JL,...... ll.,JI, ...... ;j:;"

'l"r'lll"'lrOTI"'II.oY'nA,f'C"

i.\I...

Q9
JA
92

LI:SE IN
I:"'-I PAINTING
PAI~TI:\G
THE FUNCTIONAL
FU,CTIO:>;AL LINE
L1~E
1:"<
PAI~TI:';G
THE
."'I".,IA. . . ....." .. , , ,.......

\vithin an
is an
an esthetic
esthetic line
line which
which poises
poises and
and balances
balances within
within
an unconditioned
unconditioned
space, and moves
moves rhythmically
rhythmically against
against aa reverberant
reverberant background
background of
of
space, and
color
planes
and
textures.
textures.
and
color planes
As the
the prime
prime movers
movers of
of the
the expressionist
expressionist movement
movement the
the figurative
figurative
As
expressionists
Paul Klee
Klee and
and Georges
Georges Rouauk
Rouault merit
merit special
special attention,
attention,
'.''''''''IJJI.''-.:lI,,1Jl,~IJA.J\.J.''''''U' Paul
expressionists
for they
they hold
hold an
an important
important historic
historic position
position in
in the
the contemporary
contemporary
for
father
the
scheme.. Paul
scheme.
Paul Klee
Klee especially
especially may
may be
be esteemed
esteemed as
as the father of
of the
the
scheme.'
are
lines
the
,,"hole
,\~orks,
most
whole
movement.
But
in
Klee's
works,
in
most
cases,
the
lines
are
in
cases,
in
Klee's
works,
But
movement.
whole
bear
That
\vith
forms.
Is,
definite
in
their
association
with
tangible
forms.
That
is,
they
bear
with
they
association
tangible
definite in their
kI10Vlt"n objects and
ho\v much
resemblances to
to known
known
and experiences,
experiences, no
no matter
matter how
how
much
resemblances
objects
Klee's
of
transfornled
by
these
may
have
been
transformed
the
digestive
processes
of
Klee's
the
digestive processes
these may have been transformed by
talents and
and reflections.
reflections. Klee's
Klee's line
line not
not only
only reflects
reflects his
his reactions
reactions to
to
talents
subcon
the
of
Hpsyche"
the
life,
it
also
digs
into
his
"psyche"
and
taps
the
depths
of
the
subconand
his
into
also
depths
it
taps
life,
"psyche"
digs
scious and
and automatism.
automatism. There
There is
is also
also aa perversity
perversity in
in this
this line.
line. It
It
scious
into
twists
it
as
'\\."ith
"feminine
delineates
with
almost
a
"feminine"
touch
as
it
subtly
twists
into
touch
a
"feminine"
subtly
delineates with almost
This line
,.vhich shape
forms which
which
out
his
intuitions
and
taste.
line is
is lyrical
lyrical and
and
taste.
intuitions
his
out
forms
shape
into
fragile,
at times it
it is
meager, and recessively
recessively shrinks into
is pinched and meager,
pinched
fragile, at times
his
of his
\vhich
the
aa most
delicate
nuance
which
touches
the
innermost
depths
touches
which
nuance
depths of
delicate
most
sensibility.
sensibility.
the
of the
This
disavows the validity
turned inward,
validity of
inward, disavows
recessive line,
This recessive
line, turned
contem
of
malaise
the
,""orld
outer
Possibly it
it diagnoses
world (objectively).
outer world
diagnoses the malaise of contem(objectively). Possibly
Cezanne's
of Cezanne's
porary man.
It
as
an extreme
extreme fragmentation
as an
functions
It functions
man.
fragmentation of
porary
Cezanne's
sensations/' But Cezanne's
sensations."
his sensations."
famous
realize his
to realize
about "trying
dictum about
famous dictum
"trying to
devoted
and
\vas
al,\tays
mind
was
always
focused
upon
objective
phenomena,
and
he
devoted
mind was always focused upon objective phenomena,
re
became
world
external
the
his
genius
to
the
realization
of
how
the
external
world
became
rehow
his genius to the realization of
of
solved
a conscious control and resolution of sensory
sensory experiexperi
solved through
through a conscious control and resolution
be
balanced
ence.
a
beautifully
balanced
synthesis
bea
his pictures
in his
synthesis
created in
He created
ence. He
beautifully
pictures
Van
of Van
true of
also true
is also
This is
tween
and inner sensibilities. This
tween recognition
recognition and inner sensibilities.
imbalance
an
was
there
Gogh,
but
in
a
lesser
degree.
'With
Van
Gogh
there
was
an
imbalance
\Vith
Van
With
Gogh
Gogh, but In a lesser degree.
his pictures
where
s"\vay,
full sway,
held full
times held
at times
transforming his
pictures
emotions at
his emotions
where his
sway, transforming
Van Gogh,
redeemed Van
into
What redeemed
'Vhat
and passion.
sentiment and
Gogh,
of sentiment
turmoil of
Into aa turmoil
passion. What
his
where his
and
when
rationality
and
control,
where
,~as
lvhen
control,
his superior
was his
at his
his best,
when at
best, was
rationality
superior
most
the most
of the
In pictures
passionate
quest for "the
b,eautiful"
resulted in
beautiful" resulted
"the beautiful"
pictures of
passionate quest for
exquisite
and
clairvoyant
beauty.
exquisite and clairvoyant beauty.
sub
the subthe followers
followers along
\vith
But
of the
most of
with most
the case
case with
not the
is not
this is
along the
But this
modern
the
to the modem
\TVan
mo,dern
an Gogh
jective
paths which Cezanne
and Van
Cfemneand
up to
Gogh opened
opened up
jective paths which
shrank
outerworld,
theouter
world.
backupon
his back
world,shrank
turned his
in contrast,
contrast, turned
world. Klee,
Klee, in
upon the
from
it
and
lived
more
and
more
within
himself,
commenting
upon
within
and
more
himself,
more
lived
commenting
and
upon
It
from
........... g ....

is

Y"Ii,...c.C'

93
93

THE FUNCTIONAL LINE

IX

PAINTING

~_ ~n'Ofo'\l
....
life sometimes
humor,
bitterly and then with the
Irony
and at
at other
other times with sentiment and exquisite poetry, creating pic
and
tures which are delightful fragmentations of the imagination and way
tures
'\,:ard
ward inwardness.
the two
t\\"'O men,
men, Rouault
Ronault is much more affirmative, for his "nega
Of the
tions" took aa positive turn.
turn. His removal
tions'*
objectivity found a
refuge
in
medieval
in
medieval
Rouault
focused
refuge
theology.
upon religion. His
lines cut
cut out
out shapes upon the canvas like the leading in medieval
lines
stained glass.
glass. Into
Into these
these he
he placed glowing colors to design
of
stained
devotion
and
devotion and prayer, identified with the ikon and the altar. Renault's
removal from externality, therefore, takes a turn backward to a revival
removal
':lIi:O~'.,. T\~ attached and anchored
of the
the religious
religious passions
of
securely in a tradi
tional theology.
theology. Of all the
the famous expressionists growing out of the
tional
affirmative
and Van
\.:"an Gough,
"""'V~,j,i;;.J'll. his is the only one which
affirmative art
art of
of Cezanne
Cezanne and
holds
to aa positive religious doctrine. It is within this area,
holds firmly
firmly to
therefore,
that the
the scope and
and significance of Rouault's art can be
therefore, that
measured
the modern
. . .U..'J'",""~Jl.J&.J.
J1.\,,,""',,....
scheme evaluated.
his position
within
the
measured and his
position
To sum up,
a
cycle
seems
to
have
a
have
to
been
seems
cycle
up,
completed. There appears
't"'r"It":Jlrlt'''lI'''~1
to
be
an
affinity
bet\\"'een
the
m,lgllCal
to be an affinity between the magical line of early man and the expres
sionisfs
...
.II.~.A. 'i""" into the unknown and the myste
after J1.intangibles
"'~""II.""""'A,J'Oo."'''''''''''ioJ
sionist's striving
striving after
rious,
the line
line delves
delves deeply into the remote areas of the hu
rious, where the
man personality
to automatism and impulse, treading the
resorts to
personality and resorts
.implication.
.
Here the lines just "hap
delicate
of
nuance
and
of
delicate paths
paths
pen"
and
assume
the
the responsibility of "speaking for themselves/*
pen"
taste to
to play unimpeded, giving
They
inner sensibility
sensibility and taste
rely upon
upon inner
They rely
of sensation. At times the
expression
to
the
very
pulse
and
heartbeat
the
to
very pulse
expression
line
'li"'rl'lllJ1"''f'''II''',t:'4''''jl'''\'''''~.4'''' But it al
the 1"nllil"'T"If""C!r~r"'\n1Ir
vision enlargements of the
from vision
line extracts
extracts from
microscopic.
the
of
ways
gives
free
reign
to
the
u ....
j;;O,"
to
the
free
rhythms which flow through
reign
upsurge
ways gives
the
.....
.ll."'...... by conscious control.
unhindered
when unhUlaC~red
the canvas,
the hand to
to the
canvas, '\vhen
faith in the correct
J..U.(JL.l.l.JI.,L"'~IW
~ ...................
manifests uimplicit
The abstract
abstract expressionist
expressionist matnljteSlt5
when it is allowed
LJI,.]!'lI''L..LJ;.'~.
the human psyche,
ness
_""'". . . .
lies innately
ness which
which lies
innately within the
this way. The controls
hand
the
in
freedom
the
emotions
and
the
to guide
freedom to
guide
are "man made,
which
from without,
made/' and are there
are imposed
which are
without, are
imposed from
fore
not
in
harmony
with
the
inner
emotions,
emotions, which, when not
fore not in harmony with the
art of deep
rise to
thwarted,
to an art
can give
thwarted, can
deep and evocative expressiveness.
give rise
the
to
to have completed itself, and the
Thus
of
centuries
seems
centuries
of
the cycle
Thus the
cycle
fetish,
of
the
mask
and
the
the
primitive
line,
lvhich
speaks
the
language
which
language
speaks
primitive line,
The
of today. The
in the abstract expressionist
has
kindred spirit
found aa kindred
has found
expressionist 0
spirit in

life

t:' ......

.of""''''''''''''''''",
.......... 'O'"

"111I""'ITI"'""",A....,.,JOr"1t"
"'1l""'I .... "' .........A ......, d .......

T"'...

....

'II.JlU1.-lil::.J .l.

.l..

.ILL.U....

JIL ...

...

c;A.UI&"v
c:.a.v.,lI..:u,J.J.
Q.u'"V.A..A..I.Q,il,.L,.;,
... .A..A.

.L.......... .II.

"'

, .... Vj,.&.

UIIJ'';'U,&.
-.1 ......... i:O.'"

J.,lll. ... j"A""".....

lL,,",
""'.ILtL.

JL ... ' .....

THE FC:SCTIONAL
FUNCTIONAL LINE
ONE

94
94

IN PAIXTING
PAINTING

artist
"--i...
the subjective
is again traveling the rhythmic currents
artist is
currents of
of the
experi
ences
very roots
his o\v'n
own souL
soul. He
of his
reach to
the very
roots of
ences which flow deep and reach
to the
seems
the constant
constant denonlidenomi
seems to
to be
be again searching for
for the
the prime mover,
mover, the
nator
behind
the
fa<;ade
of
fact
and
realityfact
nator \\Which
the
of
which reigns supreme
reality
facade
supreme
that
zealously constructed
constructed through
throughthat artificial
has so
exterior \\hich
which man has
so zealously
artificial exterior
out
his civilizations.
out "his
civilizations.
,.;;:plU.....,.'.....
.Il.
,,;;1
..... ....,.'.... '-" ......

Paul
Skizze (While
Reisse Skiz.ze
Paul Klee.
Klee. Reisse

Traveling), (\Vatcr color, 1925.)

Into a pat
Klee's delicate
weaves into
It weaves
Is decelltl'veJ.v childlike.
line is
delicate line
Klee's
deceptively childlike. It
in day
where
the
mind
dwells
dwells
the
where
areas
tern
of
tern of fantasy, picturing
dreams.
the automatic
automatic Impulse and touches upon
with the
It plays with
dreams. It
the
With poetic fantasy and ap'oaJreDtUv
semi-conscious. ~Vith
the semi-conscious.
apparently artless
those
subterranean
areas which,
candor,
it
dares
to
venture
into
those
into
to
venture
dares
candor, it
consciousness.
human
consciousness.
for
lie
the
lie dormant within the
most part,
the most
for the
part,

Jackson Pollock. No.

12. (Oil

on canvas,
canvas, 1952.)
1952.)

occurs when the

automatic occurs
the automatic
ink blot,
the ink
Like the splash and the
blot, the
in
the inand
the
mind
is
un'pre~rof~lt:ate:d
the
is dormant. Then the
action Is un'pre'roe~lt,ate:(1
unpremeditated
of forces
forces
reveals a world of
full sway.
holds full
stinctive impulse holds
sway. This reveals
areas of
of
pr<>m1PUJtlgs
subterranean areas
in the
the subterranean
that lie
lie in
which obey the pf()m1ptllrlgs
promptings that
for more
intuitions too
too deep
of .intuitions
the human psyche. As imprints of
deep for
forma
of embryonic
lines 'speak
these blot lines
clear articulation, these
speak of
embryonic formafor view
v""",.,........ ,............ order
within chaos.
chaos. They open
tions, of pol:eultlal
up for
open up
potential order within
of speech
rn~rt.runlC
lie beyond
the realm of
forces which
which lie
areas of rh,rthlnlc
speech or
beyond the
rhythmic forces
articulatable.
the visually articulatable.

~forris
~forris
Wounded Scoter, Xo. 2. (Water color on rice
Graves. l';Vounded
Morris Graves.
paper
cloth, 1'944~)
1944.)
paper mounted on cloth,
ffi,any
.A.
pervades
in
m,any
areas
areas of mid- twentieth-century art,
in
A spirit
many
spirit pervades
,"There
SUbljeC1~.l\le hold full sway without the
the SUD1!,ecltl'\l"e
the mystic
where the
subjective
mystic and the
Graves'
magic
the superstition
superstition of its prehistoric antecedents.
magic and the
m~{stlen:OlJ[S
p,refier:lce
lines
the m~fsten;ot:lS
into the
lines dig
presence called "bird." They
mysterious p,refieT1Ce
dig deep
deep into
speak
essence
life other than human and expound
of spiritual
spiritual essence in life
speak of
aa doctrine
boundaries of conventional
outside the boundaries
lies outside
doctrine which lies,
or animism, but rather an
metaphysics.
not pantheism
is not
This is
pantheism or
metaphysics. This
life in all its manifesta
that life
avowal,
or worship"
ritual or
without ritual
avowal, without
worship, tbat
tions
is spiritual.
tions is
spiritual.

\Vallace Putnam. Earth.,

Earth Air,
Air" i'Vater.
Water. (Oil
on canvas, 1953.)
Wallace
1953.)
(Oil oncanvas~
7

a vista
These lines
vista of
of earth.
earth. The central line,
lines synthesize a
line, like a
monstrous snake, coils
coils through space,
cliff,
valley, cliff,
encompassing valley,
space, encompassing
and plateau.
is an
all birds,
bird shape
birds, flight
through the
flight through
shape is
plateau. The bird
heavens;
trackless depths
a symbol
of the trackless
is a
the .fish
iish shape
heavens; the
symbol of
depths of the
shape is
oceans.
a poenl
artist reduced a
oceans. Thus has the ,artist
poem of nature into three
lines,vhich
lines which reverberate with significant
significant and poetic
poetic content.

~ark
Mark Tobey.
Ikonen. (Tempera, 1950.)
Tobey. Ikonen.

Mark Tobey>s
lines "weave
weave into
into a
a palt10r'aIIla
Tobey *s lines
panorama which de
partmentaHzes
action. They evoke anonymous
partmentalizes human action.
images
of mystic
mystic implication. The lines move through
images of
the
the whole
whole picture, knitting together a panorama of hu
manly
motivated gesture,
each trapped within its own
manly motivated
gesture, each
chamber of
of destiny.
does Tobey portray human
destiny. Thus does
action
action and emotion-in
emotion in aa citadel
citadel of temporality, within
aa boundless
boundless and timeless
timeless space.
space.
Jimmy

Ernst. Essay. (Gouache, 1951-)

The world

is

a graph, revealed linearly by infinite,

micro

Human

scopic, electric charges.

are but so many forces

rhythms of

life

move within

thought and emotions

which activate motion. The

are dynamic, supercharged forces which

own destiny. Thus these

orbits of their

lines speak of an infinite world, wherein human thought

and action dwell.

CREDITS
CREDITS
An Oiran
Art
Oiran in
in night
attire.. Courtesy
of .l-\rt
the Metropolitan ~Ius,eum
Museum of
night attire.
Courtesy the
A Lua Matiriri
Matiriri.. Courtesy
Natural History
the American
of Natural
American Museum of
Courtesy the
J.4.runta
Mu
Arunta tribesmen
tribesmen making up for Corroberee..
the American ~IuCorroberee. Courtesy the
seum of
Natural
History
of Natural History
}:"ukeghir
Natural
bark picture. Courtesy
of Natural
Museum of
birch bark
the American 1\fuseum
Yukeghir birch
Courtesy the
History
History
Rain ceremony,
Frank
Rmawi Valley. Courtesy
the Frobenius Institute, FrankCourtesy the
ceremony, Rusawi
fort,
Germany
fort, Germany
Rain ceremony,
Frank .
Rhodesia.. Courtesy
South Rhod,esia.
the Frobenius
Frobenius Institute,
Institute, Frank..
ceremony, South
Courtesy the
fort,
Gennany
fort, Germany
Painting,
Ger
the Frobenius
Frobenius Institute,
cave.. Courtesy
Motoko cave.
Institute, Frankfort, GerCourtesy the
Painting, lYfotoko
many
many
Family
of NatuNatu
Museum of
the American ~fuseum
ancient .i\fexicans.
Mexicans.. Courtesy
tree of
of ancient
Courtesy the
Family tree
ral
ral History
History
Page
from Codex ]\luttall.
of Natural
the American Museum of
NuttalL. Courtesy
Courtesy the
Page from
History
History
of
Navajo
the American Museum of
ceremonial of
of Hasjelti
Dailfis.. Courtesy
Courtesy the
Hmjelti Dailjis.
Navajo ceremonial
Natural
Natural History
History
101
101

THE
THE

FU~CTIONAL LINE
LINE

FUNCTIONAL

102
102

IN
IN PAI~TI!\;G
PAINTING

Painting from the facade of a Men's House,

American Museum of Natural History

Mural, Menena's ancient tomb

seum of Art

at

New

the
Guinea. Courtesy the

J\IuThebes. Courtesy the

the l\le:troIDOntaln
Metropolitan Mu

fU',_'...........
~Iuseum
~I
useum Collection
Collection
Museum
Collection
Drawing of Osiris. In the Brooklyn
In
the
Armant.
In
Collection
the
Museum Collection
Temple relief from
Brooklyn :\1useum
I .. , ....

In
In the
the Brooklyn ~Iuseum
Museum Collection.
Collection.
the
useum of
- \rt
Museum
of ..Art
the
Gathering of Philosophers. Courtesy
Metropolitan ~f
J.\fa'Tsh
the
~fetropolitan
l\fuseunl
of
.-\.rt
Marsh Scene 11)ith
with Birds.
Birds. Courtesy
the
Museum
of
Art
Courtesy
Metropolitan
Book illustration, One Hu.ndred
Hundred ll'omen
in Japan, Courtesy
Women in
the :Lvfetropoli..
Courtesy the
Metropoli
tan l\v!
useum of
Museum
of ~-\rt
Art
Anushirwan Afarries
Marries the
the Daughter of the
the Khaquan
illustration,, Ji4nllShirwan
Manuscript lllu~~trlztl(']n.
Khaquan
of
the
~fetropolitan
the
Museum of
of
of China. Cochran Collection, Courtesy
Courtesy
Metropolitan l\tluseum
Art
China. Courtesy
the 1\Ietropolitan
of .A.rt
Museum of
Art
Family portrait, China.
Courtesy the
Metropolitan lYluseum
Sand-dui and Consort.
Consort. Courtesy
the American
Museum of
American 1\fuseum
of Natural
Natural History
Courtesy the
History
e13.ZQ1Llel:)... The Prado,
e13.zQ1Llez:)
Madrid
Prado, rvIadrid
Menippo (Velazquez).
Countess d'Haussontr';lle
d'Haussontn:lle
d'Haussoiwille (Ingres).
the Frick
Frick Collection
Collection
(Ingres). Courtesy
Courtesy the
Drazving
British Museum.
Drawing (Rembrandt).
(Rembrandt). The British
Takitian Women
Two Tahitian
IVomen (Gauguin).
~fetropolitan Museum of
the Metropolitan
of
Courtesy the
(Gauguin). Courtesy
Art
Madonna and Child (Crivelli).
i.\Iadonna
the
Collection, Courtesy
(Crivelli). The Jules
Jules Bache Collection,
Courtesy the
-Metropolitan
~{useum
of
.o\rt
Museum
of
Art
-Metropolitan
Birth of
of Venus
JTenus (Botticelli).
(Botticelli). The Uffizi
Uffizi Gallery,
Gallery, Florence.
Florence.
Arena Chapel,
Chapel, Padua
Padua
Christ Mocked
Afocked (Giotto).
(Giotto).. The Arena
Nude
.l.Vude (Modigliani).
(A-fodigliani). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Solomon R.
R. Guggenheim
Guggenheim Museum
~fuseunl
The Bedroom at
Aries (Van
at Aries
(Van Gogh).
Gogh). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Art
Art Institute
Institute of
of Chicago
Chicago
Bibemus Quarry
Quarry (Cezanne).
(Cezanne). Collection
Collection S.
S. Kramarsky
Kramarsky
Mont
(Cezanne). The George
George W.
Collection, Courtesy
Afont Saint Victoire
Victoire (Cezanne).
\V.. Elkins
Elkins Collection,
Courtesy
the
the Philadelphia
Philadelphia Museum of
of Art
Art
Tunk Mountain Series
Series No.
(l\farin). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Downtown Gallery
Gallery
1\/0. j4- (Marin).
II (Feininger).
Guggenheim Museum
Luneberg II
(Feininger). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Solomon R.
R. Guggenheim
lVIuseunl
Luneberg
Accordionist
the Solomon R.
R. Guggenheim
Accordionist (Picasso).
(Picasso). Courtesy
Courtesy the
Guggenheim Museum
lvluseum
Woman with
with Mandolin
iWandolin (Picasso).
(Picasso). Private
Private collection,
collection, New York
York
Three
York
Three Dancers
Dancers Resting
Resting (Picasso).
(Picasso). Private
Private collection,
collection, New York
Mandolin
(Picasso). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Solomon
Solomon R.
R.
Guggenheim
l\.fandolin and Guitar (Picasso).
R . Guggenheim
Egyptian family

stele.

n1lf'll""It'''''Il''''9<il''llf

Museum

Jour (Braque).
(Braque). Courtesy
Courtesy the
Life: Le
Le Jour
the National
National Gallery
Gallery of
of Art,
Art, Chester
Chester
Life:
Dale
(Loan)
Dale Collection
Collection (Loan)
Interior
Interior with
with aa Violin
T'iolin Case
Case (Matisse).
(~{atisse)Oi Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Museum
Museuln of
of Modern
Modern Art
Art
The
Barber
The Barber Shop
Shop (Davis).
(Davis). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Roy
Roy Neuberger
Neuberger Collection
Collection
Still
Still

103
103

CREDiTS

Painting No.
So. 259
:;)59 (Kandinsky).
(Kandinsky). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Solomon R.
R. Guggenheim
Guggenheim
Painting

;\Iuseum
Museum
Reisse
Reisse Skizze
Ski:::.e (Klee).
(Klee). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Saldenberg
Saidenberg Gallery
Gallery
12 (Pollock).
NO.1:;)
(Pollock). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Sidney
Sidney Janls
janis Gallery
Gallery
No.

useiim of
Wounded Scoter^
Scoter, No
So 2.2 (Graves).
(Graves). Courtesy
Courtesy of
of the
the Cleveland
Cleveland M
;\luseum
of Art,
Art,
Gift of
of Gamblers
Gamblers in
in Modern Art
Art
Gift
lkonen (Tobey).
(Tobey). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Willard
Willard Gallery,
Gallery, Lelie
Lelie \VittIes
\nttles Collection
Collection
Ikonen
Gallen
Essay (Ernst).
(Ernst). Courtesy
Courtesy the
the Grace
Grace Borgenicht
Borgenicht GalleT)
Essay

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