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THE CRISIS

provide this sense of actuality, of physical existence, to their subjects. I am told that Rembrandt actually used his thumbs to apply the paint in his painting, 'The Man With The Golden Helmet.' You actually feel the paint and, hence, the helmet, as a physical, tactile reality. By contrast, the Italians were more illusionistic. That is, a mystique, an imaginary, classical idealization resulted in their work.

"There is no mystique or make-believe with the Dutch. They are down to and close to the earth and man. Yet, the Dutch were not slaves to nature. Keep in mind, I am speaking of nature as seen through the eyes of art. Do you know the 'Hundred Gilder Print' by Rembrandt? It is an etching of the classic theme, 'Christ Healing the Sick.' Its composition is tremendous in its impact; it is structural in design; verticals, horizontals and diagonals providing these qualities. Dark and light areas help create the drama which one can feel and sense. The drama of the event, in this case, is a man showing his compassion for his fellow man.

"Rembrandt not only portrays the essence of this occasion, but makes it eternally moving. You see, one must recognize that the Dutch had a sense of order, structure and organization in which they believed their art should operate but they brought to this also the important elements of humanity and feeling; and remember all this was done with paint."

I now felt more at ease. Tanner was talking to me but somehow I sensed that he could have been talking to himself. Was I a sort of cooperating sounding-board against which he could express these precepts which had guided him and formed within him the artistic principles by which he 

RETURN TO THE TOMB (Lithograph)
HENRY O. TANNER
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