SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1924.
THE CHINA MAIL.
The Cathedral of Chartres
Modern art has not been able to find the secret of such marvel- lous stained glass. The windows in this church, made in the 12th. century, are, as our poet Lowell says: "The pride of France. Each the bright gift of some
Mechanie Guild
Who loved the city and thought
gold well spent
To make her beautiful with piety." Chartres. is, and has always been. the shrine of the Maiden Mother, Even the Druids, perhaps hearing some echo of Isaiah's prophecy. built on this spot an altar to her whose child should be the helper of humanity, the maiden in whose arms the Christ should rest.
....
By LILIAN HAYDEN RIESTON.]
Vast forests once covered this breat plain of La Beauce, out of which the grind pathedra! lifts its spires. The dim aisles of those dark wools, through which solemn processions of chanting Druid priests inoved slowly, have given place to waving fields Krain. This
is today the pranary of France, a sunlit, hadeless, treeless, waterless regin.
The vity of Chartres was long the most important thwn of France, and was there that the people's idol, good Henri-Virwas crowned. Little Mury Stuart, brought up at the court of France, was brought here to see the sights, and to worship in the vast cathedral-when she was but six years old and again by the king and queen
INDIAN
when she was the enre-free bride of the young Dauphin, who was, alas, con to sicken and die. The tragedy of her life and death might perhaps have been averted had she remained in the country. she so passionately loved."
History Of The Cathedral.
It was in the time of Constantine that Gallic churches were first, free from per- secution. Before this time many had been. built on this site but had been destroyed. During his reign a large cathedral was built here but it was destroyed in 858 by the Normans who came and burnt the town, killing most of the inhabit ants. It was rebuilt and again destroy. ed by the same warlike and devastating site was later destroyed by lightning. Early in the eleventh century Fulbert, the Bishop of Chartres, gave his entire fortune to start another building and inspired by his example, the king of people. Another church on the same
ART
MER HÄLL CHARPRETİ CATHEDRAL IN DISTRYCE~
GAMEY HAVE BEE PRETERVED THE MALL QQET
France helped as did also even the Norman Duke Richard, and the Duke of Aquitaine. The entire population of La capital, contributed and all did what Beauce, of which Chartres was the ever manual work they could in the carrying of materials, even to the youngest child.,. The work was a labour of inve; workmen refused to accept of that toil, in all that remains. again was the agent
wages. The
of destruction.
14
VING
CHOIP
which to-day are the envy and admira- tion of the world. There were 175 of them but some few were destroyed in the time of the French Revolution. There are three immense so-called ruse windows more than forty, feet in dia- meter, thirty-five medium-sized and twelve smaller ones of this same kind and about a hundred other windows. In them is told all the Bible history, both of the old and the new Testament.
The present church was formally The people, nothing daunted, begin dadicated to the Virgin Mary at the again and the present cathedral was by the Bishop of Chartres, in 1280. request of the king, the pioux St. Louis, built in, the twelfth and thirteenth cen- Various parts of the building were turies. There were at that time power inished and added later. Its name was ful unions or guilds of different werk definitely fixed as "Our Lady of men, much as at the present day. These Chartres." The spires are different in became very rich and prominent and design, the older one being much enterprises. They took it upon them-fect proportions. The more modern one Kave large sums of mones to all good simpler and mere beautiful in its per selves to present the new cathedral with is twenty-five feet taller. It was built stained-glass windows and it is these in 1514 by Louis XII.
BECOMES
FIXED
OPAL OF GALA
Interior Of The Church, The hundrels of statues, seem to have distinct individuality and may have been portraits of known people. They represent kings and queens of France. as well as saints and prophets. Then, too, there are numerous groups to represent different crafts and agricul tural pursuits. Spirited bands of men symbolic of the virtues contend with others typifying the vices.. Sin is seen in worsted by triumphant goodness. all to be seen, personified. Liberty, honour, monicry, prayer, are shields of victorious figures are seen the words; courage, purity, friendship, On the
are the priumph of goodness over evil. innocence. The teachings everywhere We see represented here the bravery of soldiers, the devotion of servants, the responsibility of rulers, the loyalty of subjects. All human life is shown before ue and was supposed to be a book in which the bookless people of that time could learn.
Bre
There are fifty great columns to sup port the arcades of the choir transept And nave, and their capitale elaborately carved with faithful repre sentations of local fruits and leaves and flowers. This was the beginning of the attempt to produce objects familiar to the workman, in Gothie art. The very fact that workmen were shown at their bunches and in the fields proclaims that
PES
here was a church where the common the impression of holiness and spiritual man might feel at home. So strong is elevation that even the ruthless soldier Napoleon I. said in the cathedral of Chartres, No one could remain an atheist in this building.".
The, Stairway Of Queen Berthe In, France are very many old outdoor stairways, often of stone richly curved, and sometimes of exrved wood laid in old stairway of the latter sort, known cement. In Chartres is a picturesque As the stairway of Queen Berthe, mainly old building. Whether she lived in this because that queen lived many years in the city in the neighbourhood of this same house and, went up and down this beautiful of these outside stairways is stairway is a questi The most that at the great chateau of Chambord carved stone. These stairs were often on the Loire, and is of most elaborately built in an angle and from their land ings opened doors to various galleries and halla. In many ways these stalra were convenient as old houses had floors at different levels, some of the rooms. being a few feet above others, and from these stairs it was easy by mounting a few steps to enter these different levels.
Pentilence And Famine.
In addition to almost innumerable sieges by hostile armies of many coun- tries Chartres suffered terribly by pestilences which swept the town and
FORVER STA OF QUEEN
left few alive to tell the tale. In olden times sanitary precautions were non- existent and akilful doctor searce- indeed.. Bicknosa raged like, wild-fire and could not be stopped til it had worn itself out and claimed all the victims it chase. The "Hundred Years' War brought untold misery to Chartres, and "when King John was taken prisoner to London his routed soldiers pillaged cities and shat up'in their city the in- habitants of Chartres, dpoming them to slow starvation. Six months the city was besieged and the end came when the parsecuted peasants within rose up against their lords and welcomed even enemies as being kinder. The imprison- ed nobles had wrung what was essential for their own comfort from the helpless peasants.
Chartres has ever been a celebrated place of pilgrimage. In a single day in the fifteenth century 152.000 pligrims aro, said to have come there. It has. bech from first to last the Shrine of Our
One of the French kings brought them Lady and has famous relies supposed to have belonged to the Virgin Mary, back from Palestine during the crusades. There is a special shrine and statue in the crypt of the church which is supposed to have been there from Druid times.
The world cannot afford to lose these monumenta of the patient, self-sacrific- ing work of early ages when-religious enthusiasm was a very real and vital. thing. This last war has taken toll of Rhaims, one of the most beautiful, and it all-powerful America permits the stil more destructive war, that discontented Europa is even now planning, to take place, those other landmarks of a nation's greatness will be effaced and wiped out of existenne."
LACE HVGİRA
ARAGHE INDIAN.
WOMAN MANIHC
A BASKET
Educational Methods Are Preserving the Best cepees of these tribes presented templa
in the Red Man's Art and Craftmanship- Primitive People Show Great Skill.
[By FRANKLIN JOHNSON.)
itself.
Indian. Art.
Navajo blankets and Indian baskets of the study while they are acquiring are in no danger of extinction, but will skill in the performance of the work .continue to delight the eye and taste of future generations. The gloomy.out- look pictured by some people for these greations of native American art fail to receive support from the recognized authorities.
The education of the Indians is emphasizing the importance of por petuating native arts and crafts. The "boys and girls of the once savage tribes are being taught to design and make Articles of use and Heauty? They are being encouraged to study and under stand the laws of nature and their practical application. Through produc live work in their lessons the pupils receive defhite, systematic instruction which enables them to learn the theory
ing surfaces, and these have always been freely ornamented with heraldic and religious symbols and graphic designs painted in brilliant colours. In the green lodges of some tribes certain structural features have been empha- sized in rhythmic designs which were an adaptation of the art of the basket weaver.
Some of the arta of the primitive Indians have been found well worthy,
of perpetuation. This is especially true"
of basketry, rug-making, bead work, patterned after the famous sand paint authorities, as a means of preserving these lings the descendants of the primi Maxion The execution of these old of the arts which prevailed on the con- pottery and the making of lace. Ining of the Indians at Shiprock, New for future Americane a faithful record tive American tribes possess a skill paintings by the primitive people wastinent before the advent of the whites. which is too good to be lost. Encourat onco, simple and Ingenious. The agement of the native arts serves the
Pottery Shows Skill... double purpose of giving the Indians profitable occupation and of developing artistic lines. the individual sense of perception along
WEAVING
The
symbolism of the American Indians consists very largely of natural forms, especially of men and animals, end of such nafural phenomens, as the Bun, the stars, lightning, and rain. The
This would seem to account for the use of these symbols is apparently due to the savage belief that they carry with them something of mystic power. conspicuous and dominant position various tribes. occupied by symbolism in the art of the
The arts and crafts of the Indians represented an evolution covering many generations. For Immediate needs the Evolution Of Art:
NAVAJO BLANKE
(THSONIAN INSTITUTION
utensils there, came the development of an artisan class, which included the tanner, the seamstress, the potter, the woodworker, the painter, the dyer and the stone-cutter. Little invention was .. required for the baking, roasting and Holling of meats, but there was a demand for utensils and apparatus for obtaining and for transporting food materials. This requirement developed the canoemaker and the sled-builder, the fabricator of weapons, the maker of ropes and other skilled workers. In this way the needs of the people brought about the creation of artisana; instinct and self-expression, impelled some of the artisans to become artists
"The American Indian is no longer savage," declared an official, who has colour scheme was worked out in stone Pottery is another expression of
played an important part in the administration of the new form Fot of varying hues, powdered and applied primitive, art in which the present
· Indian art is one of the most striking
to the surface of the rugged cliffs, generation of Indians fa given encour
education. “He is a prosperous, pro- aurvivals of the day when the aborigines
gressive and industrious person. Reproduction of the palatings, from Agement Research has demonstrated
No Better idem of this development can be were lords of the continent. The mani The fact that each tribe has its own achieve ander the direction of the older much skili by all the more advanced generation: Abg, generation, has been that the plastic art was practised with
obtained than through the Indian firs festation of aesthetic sense among the style of art results in giving, wide maniglie fiber These instructors American triber in former days. The
Held at frequent intervals. These native tribes, was widely varied. In the United States. This diversity and their memories and have transmitted adranted in the Pueblo country of the fumanture's*** Torahouses,
-range to the output of the Indians of
exhibitions are held on the various Rave Carried the symbolic designs in making of pottery was expecially Fadians gathered practically everything achievement. The Indians are ORG reservations to create rivalry in modern werving or blankets; is another the Florca in the blankets woven by these sake of perpetuating the art of earlier Valley. one instance it revealed itself in the originality may be seen with striking them to the youngest tribesmen for the north-west and in
"When encouraged to make exhibits at artists specialized in metal working and like
the Mississippi | nature did not meat, their demands theheld by the general population: This sculptore. Elsewhere there was a traditions/Preserved
aboriginal artists. No two blankets are: agos
tribesmeni berme manufacturers. With brings the red race into competition Soma of the Indian pottere hare die the building of homer came. the Inven dency to specialist in basketry Bead
In this way the Indian has been played astonishing sense of proportion tion of primitive furniture and house
with its white neighbours and liks work, feathered ornament
darabled to carry from one generation in the creation of outline. Aft rond hold tenails, ingluding sale to be "The future of indian arta and areita.
proved to be an excellent stimulum: Se paintings. Among the Tribes of the successful in preserving the traditions blanket and banketed ander midva filets, and macht samples of material Korkassing of food MISS PERSOOGTEWARE AND POWE
Primitive The Indians have
to tile text the quaint symbole which lissurs; find, eemarkable grace and used for cooking. Soch utensile ware) (was never as bright pa it is at the great plains the decorative urge found of their arte, in a recent display at the infance tradition.
Blogarty so attractive when wrotight fale the beauty in the work of some of these made of stone, pottery or vegetable expression in the adornment of the tent the Grand Central Palace; in New York; petration of this art is considered
there was an offering of blankets
'per-|· primitive' pottery are...in. constant Red Man used yesasis made of clay, become a permasant feature of test*
demand at prices which indicate the basketry bark or hide. worth the attention of the
artistic worth of the product.
Through the demand for these various types of
American-¡ife, and une that will beźw the entire nation."!
ke dwellings of the people. The aldin