New-York daily tribune., 1850-05-01

found mlsuDGcrStdLuiAE "Ne
two institutions. the merits OF which II Is no"
none ofour business to enlarge we must nov"
evsr saw that the difficulty ought not 20 nave
.-;.an There need be nothing like competition or
-;n,l,, in the case And had the Academy been
..,na.eA bv an active and generous spirit we nre
.-..oded there would have been none. The
.-,,hls vos-we speak without reserve for there
is Good to be done by t-that IL had become oo'e
corporation, controlled by very small NUMBER u
,srsons and 50 coneenial TO their private wisnes
,bs. they did not mean TO give any chance 'or oP
pos,ion to their management Meah""i'' ~
had grown up a generation Of younger Sf.'S''' ~"
os energy. aspiration, talent, indusu! an" N"o
l.ase and every way worthy OF share IN coa''oi
E,s tho destipies of the Academy. Denied 'nls "y
,ho n.-,ox jealousy of the old incum5ents' they
were unable to do anything toward heep'"s 'ne
;,.,;,nt;on no with the times, snd Accordingly II
Jagged desperately behind
7, this declining state, the Academy became al
Ia, ,ou.ed to the necessity Of making al effort TO
-, ,s Lost position and render iCs exhibitions
.gsin attractive and profitable. Deliberations were
Ia h., ;ts members and directors, bat a. far as
,,e understand no radical difference in It's policy
was determined op no step which should RAISE II
10 the dignity OF real "Academy'-oi an lnst'tu-
ton designed TO instruct people in the knowledge
and love Of Beauty. few new members were
admitted and as the tide Of fashion was setting up
town. it was thought advisable to procure new ana
more accessible rooms in that favored region and
that was all After the failure Of several plans,
three gentlemen came forward, bought lot on
10 hu1fd Ip
and allied themselves by pecuniary and other ties
to the interests OF the Academy, aad Of the Fine
Arts in general.
Here. then, we fiad the Academicans and Council
with the means placed in their hands and full liber
ty to exercise all the judgment and taste they could
combine, in erecting building at once agreeable to
the eye and adapted to the uses of the institution.
What have they donel
1t certainly is not much to expect Of Society Of
Artists. which has been in existence quarter Of
century, that their building shopd be distinguished
by outward beauty and some indication OF its
origin and purpose. The beholder might look for
granite front; doorway arched and supported by
columns with carved capitals on either side inches
with sculptured figures each embematic of Art
and Liberty; under the long windows a series of
bas releis representing the sister arts, Archtec-
tuTe, Sculpture, Painting aud Music and higher up,
below the massive cornice, sculptured frieze rep
resenting the history and progress Of the institu
ton with every projection rich and chaste with
carving and varied ornaments. so that each passer
should stop to gaze upon the beauty OF the edfce
and learn its object. All of this might have been
there; something Of it, at least we have a right
10 expect there. But instead of it what do
seel Nothing but a front OF plain red bricks -
1t will be said that no more than this was posi-.
be with the twenty odd thousand dollars the
Academicians had at their disposal, aud that is
true. But had they entertained Just idea Of what
the Academy should be- had their views been equal
to their position, there need have been no lack Of
funds for ediice worthy of such purpose.
But enough of the exterior let enter. Ven
turing beneath the single huge glass lantern that
lights the door, and on which the practised eye
might expect to behold the word "Oysters," or
Coffee House. aud through long, narrow, mys-
before entering the exhibitionrooms we will no.
tice three studios which are in the upper story
front, and were designed expressly for artists,
for painters. There is now a great lack of good
studios in this city, and it is matter Of some interest
that good ones should be provided of course,
any arranged by the Academy ought to be perfect
Every artist understands the advantages which
always result from properly constructed room and
a good arrangement of light. But your expecta-
tions are doomed to disappointment by these
singularly contrved attics and considering that it
need cost no more TO have had convenient rooms
and good lights than it has + .ia, ,nese miserable
ones one must at least feel scriy bat they should
have been spoiled by ignorance or Indifference.
The Exhibition Rooms, as far as rhsir distribu-
tion goes are very well, bn' .he arrangement for
lighting themis surprisingly lad and Inefficient and
that with the means of having it excellent. Such
thing is unaccountable. There certainly is or
ought to be- Judgment and taste enough in tho
Institution to prevent such worse than bunders
The question then is, Why they were not called
into requisiton on so important an occasion, when
the future prosperity of the Institution was At
stake 1t looks as if the malgn influence to which
we have before alluded were still supreme in ts
affairs This is time when success should by all
means have been secured, when every private
purpose should have given way, the rooms and
lights should have been prepared by the most Judi.
cious taste and skill, every disposition for artistic
and picturesque effect made as perfect as possible,
the pictures hung with consummate discretion, and
thus the general appearance and arrangement
would have impressed with delight 10, only the
public at large. but those who are competent to
pass decisive Judgment ON such matters. But we
regret to say that all this has been done badly
very badly, so badly that no known rules and prin
ciples are sufficient to explain it-But let us walk
through the rooms and observe their general ap
pearance.
In the large room, the first entered, are struck
by the blood red carpet and wsls-red, fierce and