Art and Science

In the education of the American public toward greater art appreciation, propaganda plays an important part. When art galleries seek to launch the canvases of an artist they should create public acceptance for his works. To increase public appreciation a deliberate propagandizing effort must be made.

Propaganda plays an important role in teaching the American public to appreciate art more. When art galleries introduce an artist’s paintings, they should build public acceptance of the artist’s work. Increasing public appreciation requires a deliberate propaganda effort.

In art as in politics the minority rules, but it can rule only by going out to meet the public on its own ground, by understanding the anatomy of public opinion and utilizing it.

In art, as in politics, the minority rules. But the minority can rule only by meeting the public on the public’s own terms. The minority must understand how public opinion works and use it.

In applied and commercial art, propaganda makes greater opportunities for the artist than ever before. This arises from the fact that mass production reaches an impasse when it competes on a price basis only. It must, therefore, in a large number of fields create a field of competition based on esthetic values. Business of many types capitalizes the esthetic sense to increase markets and profits. Which is only another way of saying that the artist has the opportunity of collaborating with industry in such a way as to improve the public taste, injecting beautiful instead of ugly motifs into the articles of common use, and, furthermore, securing recognition and money for himself.

In applied and commercial art, propaganda creates greater opportunities for artists than ever before. These opportunities arise because mass production reaches a dead end when businesses compete on price alone. So, in many fields, businesses must create competition based on beauty and design. Many types of businesses appeal to people's sense of beauty to expand markets and increase profits. In other words, artists have the opportunity to work with industry to improve public taste. Artists can bring beautiful designs, rather than ugly ones, into everyday objects, while also gaining recognition and earning money.

Propaganda can play a part in pointing out what is and what is not beautiful, and business can definitely help in this way to raise the level of American culture. In this process propaganda will naturally make use of the authority of group leaders whose taste and opinion are recognized.

Propaganda can help point out what is beautiful and what is not. By doing so, business can definitely help raise the level of American culture. In this process, propaganda will naturally draw on the authority of group leaders known for their taste and opinions.

The public must be interested by means of associational values and dramatic incidents. New inspiration, which to the artist may be a very technical and abstract kind of beauty, must be made vital to the public by association with values which it recognizes and responds to.

The public’s interest must be sparked through links to familiar values and through dramatic events. To the artist, new inspiration may be a highly technical and abstract kind of beauty. But that inspiration must be brought to life for the public through links to values people recognize and respond to.

For instance, in the manufacture of American silk, markets are developed by going to Paris for inspiration. Paris can give American silk a stamp of authority which will aid it to achieve definite position in the United States. The French Minister of Fine Arts may be induced to lend his authority to the process.

For example, American silk manufacturers develop markets by looking to Paris for inspiration. Paris can give American silk a stamp of approval, helping it establish a clear position in the United States. The French Minister of Fine Arts may be persuaded to lend his authority to the process.

The following clipping from the New York Times of February 16, 1925, tells the story:

The following clipping from the New York Times on February 16, 1925, tells the story:

The result of this ceremony was that prominent department stores in New York, Chicago and other cities asked to have this exhibition. They tried to mold the public taste in conformity with the idea which had the approval of Paris. The silks of Cheney Brothers—a commercial product produced in quantity—gained a place in public esteem by being associated with the work of a recognized artist and with a great art museum.

As a result of this ceremony, prominent department stores in New York, Chicago and other cities requested the exhibition. The stores tried to shape public taste to match the idea approved by Paris. Cheney Brothers’ silks were a commercial product made in large quantities. Yet the silks gained public respect through their association with the work of a recognized artist and a great art museum.

The same can be said of almost any commercial product susceptible of beautiful design. There are few products in daily use, whether furniture, clothes, lamps, posters, commercial labels, book jackets, pocketbooks or bathtubs which are not subject to the laws of good taste.

The same is true of almost any commercial product that can be beautifully designed. Few everyday products fall outside the rules of good taste. These include furniture, clothes, lamps, posters, product labels, book covers, handbags, and bathtubs.

In America, whole departments of production are being changed through propaganda to fill an economic as well as an esthetic need. Manufacture is being modified to conform to the economic need to satisfy the public demand for more beauty. A piano manufacturer recently engaged artists to design modernist pianos. This was not done because there existed a widespread demand for modernist pianos. Indeed, the manufacturer probably expected to sell few. But in order to draw attention to pianos one must have something more than a piano. People at tea parties will not talk about pianos; but they may talk about the new modernist piano.

In America, propaganda is changing entire areas of production to meet both economic and aesthetic needs. Manufacturing is changing to meet the economic need to satisfy public demand for greater beauty. A piano manufacturer recently hired artists to design modernist pianos. The manufacturer did not do so because there was widespread demand for modernist pianos. In fact, the manufacturer probably expected to sell few of them. But to draw attention to pianos, you need something more than a piano. People at tea parties will not talk about pianos, but they may talk about the new modernist piano.

When Secretary Hoover, three years ago, was asked to appoint a commission to the Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts, he did so. As Associate Commissioner I assisted in the organizing of the group of important business leaders in the industrial art field who went to Paris as delegates to visit and report on the Exposition. The propaganda carried on for the aims and purposes of the Commission undoubtedly had a widespread effect on the attitude of Americans towards art in industry; it was only a few years later that the modern art movement penetrated all fields of industry.

Three years ago, Secretary Hoover was asked to appoint a commission to the Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts. He appointed the commission. As Associate Commissioner, I helped organize a group of prominent business leaders in industrial art. They went to Paris as delegates to visit the Exposition and report on it. The publicity promoting the Commission’s goals undoubtedly had a widespread effect on Americans’ attitudes toward art in industry. Only a few years later, the modern art movement spread into all fields of industry.

Department stores took it up. R. H. Macy & Company held an Art-in-Trades Exposition, in which the Metropolitan Museum of Art collaborated as adviser. Lord & Taylor sponsored a Modern Arts Exposition, with foreign exhibitors. These stores, coming closely in touch with the life of the people, performed a propagandizing function in bringing to the people the best in art as it related to these industries. The Museum at the same time was alive to the importance of making contact with the public mind, by utilizing the department store to increase art appreciation.

Department stores took it up. R. H. Macy & Company held an Art-in-Trades Exposition, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art serving as adviser. Lord & Taylor sponsored a Modern Arts Exposition featuring foreign exhibitors. These stores were closely connected to people’s everyday lives. They served a propaganda role by bringing the public the best art related to these industries. At the same time, the Museum recognized the importance of reaching the public mind. It used the department store to increase appreciation of art.

Of all art institutions the museum suffers most from the lack of effective propaganda. Most present-day museums have the reputation of being morgues or sanctuaries, whereas they should be leaders and teachers in the esthetic life of the community. They have little vital relation to life.

Of all art institutions, museums suffer most from a lack of effective publicity. Most museums today have a reputation as morgues or sanctuaries. Instead, museums should lead and teach the community in matters of art and beauty. Museums have little meaningful connection to life.

The treasures of beauty in a museum need to be interpreted to the public, and this requires a propagandist. The housewife in a Bronx apartment doubtless feels little interest in an ancient Greek vase in the Metropolitan Museum. Yet an artist working with a pottery firm may adapt the design of this vase to a set of china and this china, priced low through quantity production, may find its way to that Bronx apartment, developing unconsciously, through its fine line and color, an appreciation of beauty.

The beautiful objects in a museum need to be explained to the public, and that requires a propagandist. A housewife in a Bronx apartment doubtless has little interest in an ancient Greek vase in the Metropolitan Museum. Yet an artist working with a pottery company may adapt the vase’s design for a set of china. Mass production may make the china inexpensive enough to reach that Bronx apartment. Through its graceful lines and colors, the china may develop her appreciation of beauty without her realizing it.

Some American museums feel this responsibility. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York rightly prides itself on its million and a quarter of Visitors in the year 1926; on its efforts to dramatize and make visual the civilizations which its various departments reveal; on its special lectures, its story hours, its loan collections of prints and photographs and lantern slides, its facilities offered to commercial firms in the field of applied art, on the outside lecturers who are invited to lecture in its auditorium and on the lectures given by its staff to outside organizations; and on the free chamber concerts given in the museum under the direction of David Mannes, which tend to dramatize the museum as a home of beauty. Yet that is not the whole of the problem.

Some American museums feel this responsibility. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York rightly takes pride in its 1.25 million visitors in 1926. The museum also takes pride in bringing to life the civilizations presented by its various departments. It offers special lectures, story hours, and collections of prints, photographs, and lantern slides for loan. It also provides facilities for commercial firms working in applied art. The museum invites outside speakers to lecture in its auditorium, and its staff gives lectures to outside organizations. It also takes pride in the free chamber concerts held at the museum under the direction of David Mannes. These concerts help bring the museum to life as a home of beauty. Yet these efforts do not address the whole problem.

It is not merely a question of making people come to the museum. It is also a question of making the museum, and the beauty which it houses, go to the people.

The goal is not just to bring people to the museum. It is also to bring the museum, and the beauty inside, to the people.

The museum’s accomplishments should not be evaluated merely in terms of the number of visitors. Its function is not merely to receive visitors, but to project itself and what it stands for in the community which it serves.

The museum’s achievements should not be judged only by the number of visitors. Its role is not just to welcome visitors, but to bring its presence and values into the community it serves.

The museum can stand in its community for a definite esthetic standard which can, by the help of intelligent propaganda, permeate the daily lives of all its neighbors. Why should not a museum establish a museum council of art, to establish standards in home decoration, in architecture, and in commercial production? or a research board for applied arts? Why should not the museum, instead of merely preserving the art treasures which it possesses, quicken their meaning in terms which the general public understands?

The museum can represent a clear standard of artistic taste in its community. With intelligent propaganda, that standard can reach into the daily lives of all its neighbors. Why shouldn't a museum create an art council to set standards for home decoration, architecture, and commercial production? Or a research board for applied arts? Why shouldn't the museum do more than simply preserve the art treasures it owns? Why not bring their meaning to life in terms the general public understands?

A recent annual report of an art museum in one of the large cities of the United States, says:

A recent annual report from an art museum in a major United States city says:

“An underlying characteristic of an Art Museum like ours must be its attitude of conservatism, for after all its first duty is to treasure the great achievements of men in the arts and sciences.”

“An art museum like ours must have a fundamentally conservative outlook. After all, the museum’s first duty is to preserve humanity’s great achievements in the arts and sciences.”

Is that true? Is not another important duty to interpret the models of beauty which it possesses?

Is that true? Isn’t another important duty to explain the examples of beauty it has?

If the duty of the museum is to be active it must study how best to make its message intelligible to the community which it serves. It must boldly assume esthetic leadership.

If a museum has a duty to be active, it must find the best way to make its message clear to the community it serves. The museum must boldly take the lead in matters of art and taste.

As in art, so in science, both pure and applied. Pure science was once guarded and fostered by learned societies and scientific associations. Now pure science finds support and encouragement also in industry. Many of the laboratories in which abstract research is being pursued are now connected with some large corporation, which is quite willing to devote hundreds of thousands of dollars to scientific study, for the sake of one golden invention or discovery which may emerge from it.

What is true of art is also true of science, both pure and applied. Pure science was once protected and supported by scholarly societies and scientific associations. Now pure science also finds support and encouragement in industry. Many laboratories conducting basic research are now connected to large corporations. These corporations are quite willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on scientific study. They do so for the sake of one highly valuable invention or discovery that may emerge from the research.

Big business of course gains heavily when the invention emerges. But at that very moment it assumes the responsibility of placing the new invention at the service of the public. It assumes also the responsibility of interpreting its meaning to the public.

Big business, of course, benefits greatly when the invention arrives. But at that very moment, big business takes on the responsibility of putting the new invention to public use. It also takes on the responsibility of explaining the invention’s significance to the public.

The industrial interests can furnish to the schools, the colleges and the postgraduate university courses the exact truth concerning the scientific progress of our age. They not only can do so; they are under obligation to do so. Propaganda as an instrument of commercial competition has opened opportunities to the inventor and given great stimulus to the research scientist. In the last five or ten years, the successes of some of the larger corporations have been so outstanding that the whole field of science has received a tremendous impetus. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Western Electric Company, the General Electric Company, the Westinghouse Electric Company and others have realized the importance of scientific research. They have also understood that their ideas must be made intelligible to the public to be fully successful. Television, broadcasting, loud speakers are utilized as propaganda aids.

Industry can provide schools, colleges, and postgraduate university courses with accurate information about the scientific progress of our age. Businesses not only can do so, but have a duty to do so. Propaganda as a tool for commercial competition has opened opportunities for inventors and greatly encouraged research scientists. In the last five or ten years, some larger corporations have achieved such outstanding success that science has advanced tremendously. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Western Electric Company, the General Electric Company, the Westinghouse Electric Company and others have recognized the importance of scientific research. These companies have also understood that, to succeed fully, they must make their ideas understandable to the public. Television, broadcasting, and loudspeakers are used as propaganda tools.

Propaganda assists in marketing new inventions. Propaganda, by repeatedly interpreting new scientific ideas and inventions to the public, has made the public more receptive. Propaganda is accustoming the public to change and progress.

Propaganda helps market new inventions. By repeatedly explaining new scientific ideas and inventions to the public, propaganda has made people more receptive to them. Propaganda is getting the public used to change and progress.