The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-31 00:00:00

MEMORIAL OF BRITISH. SCULPTORS.

Sculptors' Institute, 32, Sackville-street.
TO THE RIGHT HON. SIR BENJAMIN HALL, BART.
We, the undersigned, Briti.sh sculptors, feel assured
that we shall not be deemed intrusive or officious in ad
dressing the following statement of the Crown chsrged
with the supervision of the public monuments of the
country.
We have observed with regret that frequent attempts
have been lately made by the most influential organ of
the daily press to disparage the ability of British sculp-
tors, and to defend as au inevitable necessity a recourse
to foreign artists. It is, moreover, reported that a large
sum of money is about to be devoted to a monument to
the Duke of Wellington, and another sum to a memorial
at Scutari to the brave men who have fallen in the late
war ; and, in the present temper of the public
mind, and in the disposition of some who exercise
the patronage -of the country, we are not without
apprehension that due justice will fail to be done to the
English sculptor.
We desire to guard ourselves against the imputation
of an illiberal jealousy of the foreigner. Art is a uni-
versal language, and the artist should find himself a
native of every great city in the world. There has never
been a time when the English courts and the English
people have not received with ready welcome the foreign
painter, architect, and sculptor. May it be thus always.
But we claim for native talent that it also should be
sought for and appreciated. It is not true that there is
a dearth of genius amongst the sculptors. of England.
There are works of indisputable excellence from the
hands of living artists that attest the contrary. What is
lamentably true is this—that means have rarely been
adopted for committing public works to the men of the
greatest merit amongst us. We would humbly suggest
that if the patronage of the 'nation were exercised with
more care and discrimination, and with a genuine desire
to discover the worthiest on whom to bestow it, the
public monuments of England would no longer be ap-
pealed to as displaying in so many instances a painful
mediocrity.
None can feel more deeply than ourselves the degra-
dation which the sculpture of England has suffered
during the last 50 years, from the erection in our Me-
tropolitan Cathedral, the Abbey, and Guildhall, of the
huge puerilities and distressing allegories which deface
the walls of those buildings. But let it be borne in
mind, that while large sums were being lavished upon
such productions as these, Flaxmaa and Banks were
alive, needy and seeking employment. Men who were
neglected year after year by the Government and the
municipal authorities of that time are now the boast of
every Englishman, and are acknowledged to have ears el
an European reputation.
To approach somewhat nearer to our own times, we
would point to a fact of no little significance. A sculp-
tor of the name of Watson recently died ; he was an in-
dustrious artist, and a competitor for most of the public
monuments erected in his day. He never obtained a
commission ; but the rejected models which he exhibited
on such occasions, are now sought for with avidity, and
studied by living artists.
Whether the same unfortunate method of selection
still attends upon us, we must leave other to decide.
We must observe, however, that there is an increasing
indisposition amongst artists of acknowledged merit to
enter into any public competition. It is felt that a pro-
posal for a general competition is no security against an
incompetent or impartial judge.
To combat this indisposition, to foster the genius of
the country, to secure for our greatest monuments the
artists of the greatest power, we would finally submit,
1. That in every competition a public exhibition of the
models of all competitors should precede the selection of
any one of them ; and 2. That such selection should be
made by a committee so constituted that the body of ar-
tists as well as the public in general may confide in their:
To a public competition so conducted we cheerfully ire
vite every artist resident in the United Kingdom, and
we rest confident that, patronage being liberally and
wisely exercised, there will no longer be an impression
abroad, in this country, that the English sculptor is une
qual to the celebration of English heroism.
We have the honour, with great respect, to subserib
•arselves—E. H. Bally, R.A., P. MacDowell, E A. W.
C. Marshall, R.A. J. H. Foley. A.R. A., H. Weesi, J.
E. Thomas, F. M. Miller, T. Thorncroft, A. Hone, T.
Butler, W. Behnes, M. Noble, J. Hancock, A. Munro,
E. B. Stephens, J. S. Westmacott, J. Durham, J. Ed•
wards, F. Thrupp, E. Davis, Thos. Earle, W. F. Wod-
rington.