MUSEUM DOCUMENTS AND MODERN COSTUME 



289 



vision of the scientist. l)ut the knowl- 

 edge of the schohu" also niid the feeling 

 of the artist as well, l^ui it is not 

 etlieieney alone that we need : we nmst 

 hriiig hack to modern indiisti'v as far 

 as possihle the pei'sonnl intei'est that 

 was in the ancient hand ci-ari>. WC 

 niii>t inciii'jiorate in nm- industrial art 

 the charm and enthusiasm of other 

 days. 



It is not ditlienlt to understand how 

 important a part our great museums 

 and lihraries must ])lay in the proper 

 indu>ti'ial e\]iression of art. They are 

 for the artist inexhanst ihle nunes of 

 suggestion. The art of each peoi)le and 

 age is an evolution from some former 

 type. The artist, especially the decoi-a- 

 tive artist, is concerned not alone with 

 purely original creation, hut with the 

 inspired selection of certain ideas and 

 motives of ancient origin that may have 

 a fresh significance for his own time 

 and people. The scientist and the 



spirit. 'I'liey rellect in .-implicity and 

 suhdned oi-nament the I'eaction of our 

 womanhood to the grave responsibilities 

 and ])i-ohlenis of the hour. The super- 

 hcial and the ostentatious have been al- 

 ino>l eliminated, and yet all the appeal 

 and chai'in of brighter days retained 

 _iind eidiaiiceiL 'I'he common sense and 

 iiner feelings of American women have 

 resisted every effort to put them into 

 drab uniforms. Had it been otherwise, 

 we should have lost a wonderful charm 

 fi'oni our li\cs. Whatevei- our subse- 

 ((ueiii experience, almost our first im- 

 j)ression of color comes to us through 

 costumes. And there are great num- 

 l)ers of people whose only art education 

 is derived from faljrics and dress. If 

 we exhibit in our museums the textiles 

 and the garments of former ages, if we 

 pro])ei-ly regard them as objects of art 

 worthy of comparison with the can- 

 vases and marbles of the masters, we 

 must admit that modern fabrics and 



scholar study the past, reject what is of costumes (if they are up to the proper 

 no avail or is false, and Iniild upon the standard) are worthy of consideration 

 refined residue our modern science and with contemporaneous art productions, 

 literature. Elimination and acceptance In every age that expressed an art 

 are of equal importance. So must 

 the artist sift the artistic heritage 

 of the past and salvage what is 

 beautiful and appropriate for his 

 own time. 



The spirit that has guided Amer- 

 ica in this titanic struggle for 

 democracy has enriched beyond 

 estimate or appraisal our spiritual 

 lives. The burdens and sacrifices 

 that we have l«)rne with pride and 

 willingness, the splendid ideals for 

 which we strive, have added a dig- 

 nity and a feeling to our national 

 life tliat must find expression in 

 every phase of our physical and in- 

 tellectual existence. We may con- 

 fidently expect that the great in- 

 dustrial changes going on about 

 us will be accompanied by a revival 



in art and literature. The yoke and the knotted ribbons on the right side 



11T^,^„„' ^^„i,,„, „, „,. Ai „ i2 i of this wiiite silk tailor-made blouse were taken from 



W omen s costumes are tlie nrst „ ^ ,, „ ,r • n .• r^ 



a Korean blouse in tlie Museum s collections, tour- 

 objects to feel the effect of this new tesy of Edivanl L. Mayer 



