Relation to Art and Poetry

I do not propose to give a dissertation on “Nature in Art” or the “Poetry of Nature”, both would make suitable topics for an evening’s discussion. Wordsworth in one of his poems pretty nearly expresses my feelings.

“O, would that some more skillful voice
My further labor might prevent!
Kind listeners, that around me sit,
I feel that I am all unfit
for such high argument.

I’ve played, I’ve danced, with my narration:
I loitered long ere I began;
Ye waited then on my good pleasure;
Pour out indulgence still, in measure
As liberal as ye can!”

It is said that Art is the imitation of Nature, therefore to be a successful artist one must study Nature, not from books merely, but from Nature herself. It is also said that the trained eye of an artist can see more in a picture than is visible to the untrained eye. It is equally true that the trained eye of a naturalist can see more in nature than is visible to the untrained eye.

A few years ago a local artist called at my Office and asked if I could tell him what flowers were found in the Lake Louise region. Not only did I supply a list of specimens found there, but I showed him pressed specimens of the plants. He then explained to me that he was painting a picture of Lake Louise, and wished to make it true to nature. He desired to put some flowers in the foreground, and knew enough not to insert flowers which were non-existent in the district. Later, I was invited to see the finished picture, and was asked to express my candid opinion regarding it. I was shown a large oil-painting, about 8 feet high and nearly 5 feet wide. The outstanding feature was an almost life-size painting of a deer standing on high bank, beautifully done; the antlers would arouse the admiration and envy of a hunter. Down in the Valley, Lake Louise, and beyond, great snow capped mountains; the morning sun dispelling the mists that had gathered during the night was excellently reproduced, and at first sight the artist seemed justified in gazing with pride on his latest production. But there was something unnatural about the whole scene. Here was a beautiful painting of a species of deer found in the Central States of America, and probably never seen in B.C.; he was standing with his hind-quarters towards the edge of the overhanging bank, his hind feet within four inches of the brink, on sandy soil which would have given way under his weight. On this dry sandy soil was shown two or three of our native plants, one was characteristic of marshy meadows the other of shallow peaty ground, and it was the association of these two plants growing together on dry sandy ground that caused me to enquire if he had seen that species of deer in the Lake Louise district, and which resulted in my learning that the original background was a scene in Yellow Stone Park, but it had been cleverly painted out and Lake Louise put in its stead. He hoped to sell the picture to someone not possessing the trained eye of the naturalist.

I mention this incident to emphasize the fact that a true artist must be a student of nature.

“Dread Spirits! to confound the meek
Why wander from your course so far,
Disordering color, form, and stature
Let good men feel the soul of nature
And see things as they are.”
(Wordsworth)