The National Register.
London, England, 1817-11-03 00:00:00

'PINE ARTS.

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ACADEMY OF ST. FERDINAND, MADRID.

The following Letter on the state of the Fine Arts
in Spain, is translated from the I)iario de Madrid of
September last, being addressed to tta; Editor of that
jonnial :
" Si !Y.-Though I have travelled in foreign fount ies, and
directed my attention to objects connected with the Fine
Arts, t do not, cm that account despise, as sonic do, the
works of ray own country. thi the contrary, I bestow praise
on whatever is ilesei viug of it, and my love for the progress
of the Fine Arts iot spans impels tole to remiest you also to con-
tribute thereto, by inset til"e, in your Journal au account of the
great improvement which has been made in onr Academy of
Ferdinand, cud of which every one may be a witness this
season, as there is free admission to it. In this establishment
we possessed valuable paintings, and statues, but they were
without order, they were perhaps placed in dark corners,
forgotten, and consequently fornwol no part of ally arranged
collection. we now see them cleaned from the dust which
covet iii them, and placed by the side of works as hid, the
enlighten( 41 taste and munificence of our Sovereign has caused
to be collected together is thii centre of beauty, for the ad-
miration 011 he elliillllS Mill the 111S1111C1l1111 111 1I10,4• avho study
the arts. The Academy has lotahlishell a ettomerieal catalogue,
in which each work is dust.' died, and the name tit en of the
artist, who execute,' it. 1;y the help of this, any one may
know, 01,1 111,1161 y, the school to which each painting
belongs, soil the subject it represents, thereby enjoy Mg the
privilege oh the celebrated piiifessVrs, ancient and modem,
and the disliuguished place merited by amaiciiis, the ladies
especially, who humour the acts by dedieating themselves to
the study of them. 'l.O promote the zeal ,it't hose who profess
them' a saloon has been prepared in which ale exhibited the
works of those individuals who arc desirous of sulosiiting
their productions to the pahlie eye. During the first 11:1.1.1s,
there were searvely ant of the viol ks of professors ; this oc
casioned diseomented people to exclaim, that no one now
strove to Impure reputation, or to increase that which had
already been acquired; and that there Was 110 111114er any
enthusiasm for the Academy. But within these last days,
works have appealed that 01' public esteem earned by
several professois. Not willistrtuding this, however, there
have appeared no paintings applicable to recent events, of
grand, or novel composition, such as I have seen in some of
tine exhibitions in Paris, where, adapting themselves to cir_
cunistances, they paint the most remarkable occurrences ;
OWN INJ, lately (.X{lll/1441 the grand ;Milne tit the. Lolly of
Henry IV.; they likewise represented the victorious Spa-
nish 6111:1 ales, though they riolicooled them, as well to satisfy
little, mean passions, as to draw the atteuvion of the specta•
for front the real fact, which was the humiliation of the van-
quished. Though the recent history of our Country plescuts
sonl.oiy subjects for the pencil, I see no representations of
the teat 101 illAht of invincible warriors, at the report mils
of tile approach 4.f tnr Medico or the Abuelo ; nor of the gene-
rosity of the Patriots, in preserving the lives of prisoners,
who hail this, them with execution; no representation,
real or allegorical, of that innate desire of Spaniards to de-
fend themselves with constancy and honour against those who
dared 10 impose on them a Boon;( yoke. lAA us, louwevel,
home, that, animated by the eneiourogement afforded them
by his )Tajo sty, and 11.1ving head one royal Person.
age, and .ta ing that the others do not disdain to exeici,e
the pee •il, 0111 Artists will pottritay in lively colours the gh).
Tic. of the Spanish deleurr. the %ill lII'S of the people of
drid, who died of loiongt r, toot•r than accept to catifrosto their
oppressors, and other 411.1.0ns no; less praiseworthy, which do
1110u0iir to Muse who desimbo them. Yes, Sir, as the nation

TIM NATIONAL REGISTER.

recovers peacefully from the ravages occasioned by a war
more than usually disastrous, the arts will improve, and by
directing their progress according to the admirable originals
of antiquity, the Artists of Spain will hold a distinguished
place among those of the rest of Europe, and our country
will be visited by curions foreigners, hose praises will do
away the calumnies that have hitherto ohmred what of good
we possess. For this purpose, let people be ex.dted to de•
vote themselves to the arts: some to honour them by their
exercise, others by acquiring a knowledge of them as neces-
sary to complete their education; let travellers bring home
copies of the excellencies they may see abroad , let artists
acquire taste in the execution of their works ; and faithful ge-
niuses who possess the gift of transferring nature, adorn by
sculpture or painting the majestic monuments, which our
Architects will raise with simplicity, strength, and beauty,
to the honour of their country.
" 1 our most obedient servant,
" A. B."