New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-11-15
Progress of the Pine Arts 90

About 20 wears since. the old European Pant
ngs began to appear 10 the auction stores Of our city
Atthat tine uqre but the poorest class Of works Of Art
made their appearance. These old paintings. N ac.
count y their poverty ike All poor things Lad TO seek
foreign r,srke, or fan into obscury. Their value on
arriving here was greatly enhanced 7eueration for
as paintings wsssaong the gentlemen Of that age -
vel a. Of tie prcsent-a decided evidence Of good
taste and liberal education u true, the affections Of
sorne 500 d,sanf amateurs were sometimes misplaced
and very often very poor pictures found themselves 10
the hands li yOssessOr who the lrst b discover
their merits and bad they the gift Of speech, they
would doubtless have thanked the auctonecr, con
sgnee supercsrgo and all for the part they had taken
IN their 1udden elevation. About this period Old
Par the zenith Of power in this department o.
Art Relatively. PAT knew much about pictures-posi-
lively he knew very little. To Old PAT passion
for paintings and no, 70 his knowledge Of pictures
must be- ascr0ed the influence which be exercised %
some extent over minds DESTROYS Of more intimate
acquaintance with the exceencies and defects Of works
Of Art
81 the period above stated, little auction store in
Chatham st was notorious the emporium Of works
Of Art by the Old Mssers-that ia to say imported pic
lures were generally exhibited in tafs shanty Of a
place for inspection and sas< aud here every day
might be seen the queru,ous and peeng old gentleman
whose fat At that period was an caitedra decision
But very little progress had bpen made in works Of Art
other than portraits that Jay and as there was no
home supply at that time IA pictures sold al an anaz
nqly high price ~. g-e no recollection Of any Pic
lures Of consequence Of scarcely any a, all at that
period from resident Artists. which came into comPe
tton with the weekly sales At the Chatham - auction
store
An snecdole will serve 10 show ia what estimation
Old paintings held Al that period. young artist
had painted a marine view from print after YERNET.
II was a storm at sea, but poorly had he painted il
that hs was Obliged TO it with brown and black
glazing and turn it into night scene. il would not
bear examination as day OF course this process
gave Of antiquity the picture IN question the
competition among the bidders and the large price OBJ
tanned for il shows how deep interest was felt by
amateurs when works even of questionable antiquity
we're offered them The favor With which pictures
from abroad had been received induced gentlemen and
even spectators at later period 10 devote much taste
attention and means the agreeable, but not always
profitable occupation of importing pictures and not
withstsnding the great amount Of rubbish which has
been sent here from Europe, we venture to say that
hundreds OF oxquisitely wrought works Of Art have
found their way to this country through the nstnmen
tality Of the little auction store in Chahamst and the
curacy Of the garru' Gus and peering Old PAN
Artists and Amateurs, who during the last fifteen
years have visited the Rooms Of Mr.. Joseph Earle
whose excellence as an artist in the arduous abors oil
restoring old pictures TO their pristine beauty - every
where known can bear witness 10 the number OF beau
thl original works which during the last few years
have found their way to the United states. The nnd
ence Of pictures Of so miscellaneous character and
hon & lie
tive ON the public taste. and on the Judgment and
style of the Artists Of the United states Artists nm
nidcd by these who have gone before them, can no
more attain 10 eminence than can a nation unaded
attain to high degree Of civilization Aud, hence the
usness Of our remarks in former paper on the mis-
sonsry character of Aft powerful aid ia advanc
inc Civilization intercourse with the world with IT.
concomitant comparisons, very soon dssipsies both
national and individual egotsm and. IN nothing 80
much as in Art is this rule beyond question or eon'ro
versv Nations may Justly perhaps, boast OF their III
umphs on the held of battle or. what is stu better
the liberties which their citizens subjects enjoy
their great works OF internal improvement but works
of Art-worls purely ideal or mitative-are OF char
acter so universal a. 20 forbid the eXclusyeness belong
ing 70 less emotional abors And hence, when Al
American receives the Gold Medal from the Royal
Academy " England France-whcn European Ar
tsts honor US by the exhibition OF their oiiy and IA
horizons conceptions-we do not measure our approba
ton nor DO we restrain H. 10y considerations which
nationality would suggest No; feel, and instantly
too At the first glance their lahore that they belong
10 mo- nation. but to the world that tey have out
grown their fellow morias, and anticipated immortal
iy The delights which attend success in Art are moi
of an ordinary kind they are compensauons Tor eA
traordinary devotion and evidences OF divine
calling. e qualification of future usefulness, and the
promise Of perpetual honor. When the Architect oil
the Universe shall bee regarded an Artist as wei as
Judge then will all who hereafter shall be suitors at
His bar. cultivate knowledge of those Arts which,
while they tempt TO transgresson, and impede the
growth Of no virtue render their devotees more &C.
ceptablc to the Tribunal 20 which all must appeal
Z. W. ".