Page:Woman in Art.djvu/205

WOMAN IN ART charming bits of block printing in the Japanese manner by an American hand came from Tokio. There were alluring groups of Japanese children, quaint figures in lovely costumes, and little Japs thrilling with the fierce spirit of war. They are the work of Helen Hyde. She does her delicate printing with her own hands, sometimes pulling off two hundred prints from one set of blocks, each requiring the nicest care in the coloring and adjustment. In addition to the exquisite mechanical work, the pictures, the drawing, the color are fine, and the whole exceedingly decorative. One of her recent prints takes its title from the well-known hymn, 'Onward Christian Soldiers,' though the treatment is not especially evangelical. A Japanese boy, processional and fine in warlike robe, lifts his feet as though to the sound of fierce martial music. The procession is skillfully indicated by the foot and elbow of a second of these 'infantry' appearing at the side of the picture, which is called 'Marching As to War.' Perhaps the most attractive of all is "The King of Japan," a baby held aloft and condescending to notice two worshipful women in front of him. One is not sure that the women in Japan rule the men as they do in the United States, but certainly the children rule the women as Themistocles said they did in Greece thousands of years ago."

At different times when in America, Miss Hyde sketched in various localities, always finding new beauties where others overlooked them, and always helpful to younger artists seeking the best expression for the nature that appealed to them. This appreciation of both art and artists was a godsend to some diligent workers in the southern states where Helen Hyde went at one time for rest and a new environment. At another season she acted on the advice of a friend and turned her steps toward Mexico, expecting to find, as she expressed it, "a country of sharp contrasts and sharper edges." Instead, she found it a country of wonderful colors softened by the warm, mellow haze, harmonizing the tones of various individualities of scenes. This characteristic of semi-tropical atmosphere is reminiscent to the writer of the exquisite glow suffusing the landscapes painted by Frederic E. Church in South America during the nineteenth century—a mellowness of tone that might be a hint of Paradise.

Some of the sketches by "H. H." in that memorable year of 1912, she made into fascinating color-prints, especially of the children and donkeys. Miss Hyde had a heart that went out to children of every name or race, because they are buddings of humanity, and in their simplicity, naiveté, and loveliness are prophetic of earth's future. As an artist she caught the charm and naturalness of child life.

There seemed so much for Helen Hyde to accomplish in the world that it was a shock and grief to the art world as well as to her wide circle of friends to 163