Viewing page 8 of 14

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

JANUARY, 1970

created as an artist? It really didn't matter for I was absorbing these thoughts and ideas on art which I had never heard expressed so clearly before.
Tanner continued, "You must know also that the Dutch painters have greatly influenced the French painters. Chardin, for example, is right out of the 'Little Masters' with his rustic interiors, and Courbet, where would he have been without Van Ruysdael and Hobbema?; even the earliest works of the Impressionists -- Monet, Pissaro, Van Gogh, Cezanne; even Matisse, they are all indebted considerably to the Dutch. Yet, in spite of all this, the French during the last century remained primarily faithful to their classical heritage as bequeathed to them by Poussin, David and Ingres.

"Now, young man, you mentioned earlier having seen the Rubens pieces in the Louvre. What else has impressed you in the Paris museums?"
My immediate reply was, "The large paintings of the lily ponds by Monet, in the Museum du Jeu de Paume." (This exhibit had opened a short time before my arrival in Paris. It was the talk of the art world. In addition, Impressionism was spreading in America and I had felt its impact, as had many others. So, to see these works constituted for me a real occasion.)
Mr. Tanner reflected momentarily and then remarked: "Monet certainly is one of the strong painters of our time. Who can deny that? Yet in his attempts to achieve an effect of atmospheric light through the use of spectral color he may have risked losing a sense of form and structure. Cezanne was doubtless correct in making such a judgment in appraising his works and others of the Impressionist school."
"Could you elaborate further?", I asked.
"Well, remember that light can be many things: light for illuminating an object or for creating a mood; for purposes of dramatization as in a theatrical production. For myself, I see light chiefly as a means of achieving a luminosity, a luminosity not consisting of various light-colors but luminosity within a limited color range, say, a blue or blue-green. There should be a glow which indeed consumes the theme or subject. Still, a light-glow which rises and falls in intensity as it moves through the painting. It isn't simple to put into words."
Again, I was up and about the room examining the unfinished works leaning against the wall; it was now becoming much clearer to me.
Tanner spoke: "Those works are not yet complete but maybe they can give you at least a partial understanding of what I am after-to battle the total expression in a pervasive luminosity."
My curiosity then led me to a shelf upon which there was a number of jars or containers, the contents of which were obviously pigments, oils, and painting media. I had already taken a few occasional glances at these containers during the course of our conversation. I turned to him with a questioning look. He knew I wanted to know more about them.
"These are the results of my efforts to develop a painting medium which will enable me to achieve the qualities I want in my work. They are still in the process of development. That is all I can tell you at this time. Right now, I am not revealing my findings to anyone. . . ."
Apparently desirous of changing the subject, Tanner continued: "Oh, yes, young man, I'd like very much to know about other young colored artists in America. At the moment, I can only think of Will Scott, whom you may know since he, too, was from Indianapolis. He spent some time over here and we saw each other on various occasions."
"Indeed I know Scott. Although he is now living in Chicago, he does come down to Indianapolis frequently. Truthfully, I had in mind talking with you about him. Whenever I used to see him, I would ask about the time when he was a student of yours."
"Scott wasn't a student of mine in the strict sense of the word. I don't pretend to teach, as teaching is now understood. But he was a talented, energetic fellow. I had a high regard for his work and I believe this was mutual. I'm delighted to know he is doing well."
"Among the other young artists there are Aaron Douglas, who does portraits and murals, Richmond Barthe, a painter turned sculptor, and Palmer Hayden, who arrived in Paris well over a year ago. He and I see each other a great deal there."
"Does a young artist of color find any semblance of a conducive atmosphere in which to work? It's generally known that I left the country some years ago because of the unbearable racial practices, and settled here. I return to America only occasionally to visit my family and to look after business matters."
"I am afraid little or nothing has changed, Mr. Tanner. The Negro artist faces the same problems