Nature-Study in Art 



C. H. ROBISON 



State Normal School, Upper Montclair, New Jersey 



Many recall that burlesque lesson based on Scott's lines begin- 

 ning, ''The stag at eve had drunk his fill," and the absurd length to 

 which the correlation idea was there carried out. Doubtless well 

 intentioned efforts to get out of a topic all there was in it have 

 called forth at times both tears of pity and sneers of contempt. 

 The more general understanding, probably, of correlation is that 

 two studies, so-called, shall be so organized that related topics in 

 each shall be taught about the same time, shall be so placed in the 

 curriculum as to be mutually illuminating. Obviously this can 

 happen only at intervals unless one subject or the other sacrifice 

 some of its own continuity. In practice then any considerable 

 amount of correlation compels one subject to become handmaiden 

 to the other, which is no discredit to the first, though the thought of 

 it may hurt some one's pride. We should bear in mind that no 

 such vivid boundary lines exist in the children's minds. A school- 

 room demonstration showing how efficient is a loose top layer of 

 soil in preventing evaporation may be an integral part of a course 

 in. elementary agriculture, of the inorganic part of a nature-study 

 (or "elementary science") course, or of a well taught topic on the 

 Great Plains. 



It is my purpose primarily to point out by a few examples how 

 the materials of nature may be the materials for art work while 

 retaining the spirit of nature-study, how the observations of nature 

 may motivate some of the drill work in art, and, not the least by 

 any means, how the study of nature may lead to a greater degree 

 of truth in art work. By truth I mean the eternal verities of 

 nature and not photographic reproduction, which is sometimes 

 very inartistic. 



We often find the motive for a decorative design drawn from 

 natural objects. The outline and often the entire appearance of 

 the object are purposely modified or conventionalized to conform 

 to the requirements of the design or the harmonious composition 

 of the picture. The fundamental part of the object is preserved 

 sufficiently to suggest what furnished the ins]3iration. Its details 

 may be omitted or changed, but ]3ropcrly not to such an extent as 



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