LXXVI BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



Perspective — In the succeeding stage a third step is taken. 

 Here the emblems of the altar are painted also ii])on temjde 

 Avails; but the themes of mythology are mainly the themes of 

 painting, and with this same moti"\'e the master works of art 

 are produce<l. All along the course of the history of painting, 

 religious zeal is the potent motive for excellence. 



This third step consists in the acquisition of perspective, when 

 objects are placed in the painting in such manner as to show 

 their relative position, and the three dimensions of space are 

 recognized in the production of the work. Now conventional 

 signs are no longer needed. In the stage anterior to this, per- 

 spective is conventional, as if a man should say, "I have 

 jjainted two horses on the canvas, but this one must be con- 

 sidered as far away, because it is put on the riglit side of the 

 picture; things on the left nuist be considered as near by." A 

 great many devices for conventional perspective were invented 

 by tribal men before they acquired the concept of true per- 

 spective. 



We nmst nere call attention to an important law of demotic 

 evolution. Growth is made usually by minute increments. 

 Rarely indeed is there a sudden outgrowth, but the increments 

 of development are all made by men with a genius for the 

 activity. Such a man is a leader in the arts. A nudtitude is 

 led by one, so that demotic evolution is dependent very largely 

 on the few for its initiative which the many learn by imitation. 

 This law is observed not ordj- in all the esthetic arts, but it 

 rules throughout the whole realm of human activities. But 

 initiative through the individual becomes demotic, because the 

 many steps in advance which leaders make as minute incre- 

 ments of progress are consolidated through their adoption b}' 

 the many. A leader must have a following or his leadership 

 is in vain. 



Chiaroscuro — In the fourth stage of culture still another ele- 

 ment is added to painting*. This is chiaroscuro, or the delicate 

 recognition in painting of the effects of light and shade in the 

 several hues of the work. This is the highest i-haracteristic of 

 art as conceived by the modern j^ainter. The artist may suc- 

 ceed in all else, but if he fails in this it is failure indeed. It is 

 the difference between the artist and the artisan. 



