The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-05
THE LECTURE OF MR.. HUNTINGTON.


would say that it was one which b lad been selecte
for him, by the gentlemen who acted az com
miItee in conducting the present course of lectures
He might, therefore, be excused for any appearance
Of audacity for venturing on a theme so sacred
and which should be approached in profoundly
reverentaI spirit. II may not be uninterestins
even, at this state of the course, TO state the cir
cumstances under which it originated. Some
months since, proposition was made before the
Academy of Design, Il believe by Mr.. Edmonds,
to appoint certain evening in each of the winter
months, for general meeting of the artist;
OF this city, for the promotion OF more intimate
acquaintance, or fer the general interests OF art
place in the Academy of Design, by which it is pro-
posed 10 pcpularize and throw open wide the doors
OF the institution, that il may be emphatically the
home Of ell artist, in every department. One Of
the hIst things which grew out of those meetings
was the present course Of lectures, and the ew
impulse which has thus been given to the artistic
body, 1t is sincerely hoped. may prove Gas was well
said by Mr.. Curtis), "to be not the spasms of
death, but the thrces Of birth" 1t is intended,
believe, that the present series shall be q prelude
| to another, in which the more practical principles
OF art as well az the distinct departments, shall be
reated,-such as Greek sculpture, color, drapery,
landscape, art, &c. How soon this may be
brought about ! have not yet learned. The
meeting just alluded to, has been characterized
BY great good feeling artists generally feel
friendly towards their brethren. The world, how
ever, has some mistaken notions about the senti-
ments OF painters towards each other. Ii is often
said, the artists are careless set Of madcaps and
poor devlls-always quarrelling with each other
because TorngiaHo threw his hammer at Michael
Angelo and broke his nose, and gentle Dominich-
no YVES driven from Naples by the prosecutions and
half drawn daggers ofth savage Spagnoletto; and,
IN our own times, Newton was kicked down long
hight OF stairs by his uncle, Gilbert Stewart. The
impression has gone abroad that artists are always
take. Perhaps may be excused for saying there
Is no profession which leads to a more fraternal
spirit than that Of painting Possibly, the sculp.
turers, from the use OF the hammer and chisel,
may fall into more pugnacious habits.
know that the artists, as a class, are excit.
able and passionate; but, at the same time,
II may cay il, that should not, the artists are be-
ale Impotence may Be allowed, When I alter be-
/ slowing weeks of love and toll upon picture, aud
fancyi1g the work full Of interest and beauty. one
lie met by the remark from some patronizing critic,
"that's a nice size for picture or "what style
OF frame would be suitable for room hung with
rose colored curtains! An occasional growl must
needs follow such trials. Such is the artistic tenn.
per; but what is all this to the purposel--enoagh.
Let us pass TO the consideration OF the subject al
lotted to me, which is-Christian art. shall not
attempt 10 treat the subject historically, but only
generally, and beg the audience to indulge me in
desultory and careless arrangement Art may be
considered as Christian in three respects--hrst,
as being 50 IN It's very nature; then, as nomnslly
go; and, finally, as inwardly and positively 80.
In these divisions, there lie a correspondence TO
\ the characters Of the human race. All men are
Christians in that they are the children OF Christ,
the Creator and whether hey will or no, in their
very being and powers, the images OF his person
and the evidences Of his goodness. Again, very
many are so in name; protesting the creed, prac-
Using the morality, and speaking the language OF
the religion. But those only, II will be granted, are
truly and wholly Christian, whose inmost hearts
are penetrated, as well as their lives governed by
! the divine principles Of faith and charity After
making few more PREDATORY remarks, the leeur-
chat sense 10 which have alluded), generally
Christian The simplest tracing OF an outline by
the hend OF child, when spontaneous, is an ex-
ercise OF the creative faculty, and is no small
proof Of bis claim to an immortal parentage and in
berltanee. Those feeble lines scrawed by an infant
on the scrap of paper with which il plays at his
mothers feet, and which bears some dim resem-
blance 10 living being, are but the dawnings OF
that power which the Almighty ha. conferred on
his children Of shaping, from the unmeaning chaos
Of matter, forms Of beauty. and OF reproducing all,
but the breath Of life, his own sole prerogative.
Whenever the artist puts forth his wand 10 call into
being true work Of art, he Is but initiating his
Divine master, and is 80 far Christian and Il mat
tefs not whether from the shareess mass OF clay he
/ moulds the human form-or from rude earth and
rock reArs the Architectural pile, harmonious ia
hnes-or by ar angement Of sounds charms the car
and steals away the soul by diyinely warbed notes
all are bot reflections Of the DIVINE and must re-
dound to the glory Of the Creator. When the poet
peoples the brain Of the silent and solitary reader
with phantasms and dreams, or TO come more home
10 our subject, when on the bare, fiat canvas,
earth the painter wakens TO life the images Of the
past when in his lonely studio, the sepulchred
form throws CT it's white shroud, and the lite and
motion OF nature begin to be developed; when, by
the repeated touches OF his pencil, the blood seems
ans = . ssa With tenderness, or CLEANS with
anger end the group, In all ts living force, is re-
vealed to as, then is another creative act accom-.
plished-one more proof is added that we are the
offspring a God II Ia but mother echo 10 the pro-
longsd and ever extending song with which the
Frt SECT - 49, a.
genc most tor we and they are alike the sons OF
god Every work OF arr is also an illustration of
OhnsiIsnty, IN general way, for, ia every paint.
rag, tha N every statue, ie wrapped up the great
truths Of feyelation--the creation OF the race The
ePostacy under whose curse we struggle and are
ever bound and the hope oi that immortal life for
nmcn we pant. In this light we zee how high is
me ealing Of every true artist our pencils are
oouId by indissolubls Inks to the past. and the
coming eternity. Every work you produce that
mas eny real character, is forever engraved on
your own sous, and on the souls % All who behold
y. Erase ne effect you cannot. II the soul IL
tGgnded by what you have done, woe TO YOU for
he'd, " Will remain forever II the soul - puri-
STAN is ahlessngs wait upon you. Every foul
hDgefs every lsble az the blood upon murderous
thall shine on long azure line - luminous, and
destroyed, I'LL The very sA.Dleassnt pictures are
longer, III that eht shall growt.put out. Yes,
serene and unclouded from The face OF Cybich flows
\ There are those who would frown on all afuself
injurious to the Christian religion. Il is not how.
\ ever my province 10 answer such objectors some
OF them are sincere, doubt not but most OF the m
1 have their eyes tent too steadily on the coars.
/ earth al their feet Let them look upward and
around them. How fair hath the Creator made All
thngs-last nights sunset, which bathed the whole
heavens with a flood Of glory, which made so
gorgeous that tumultuous pile Of clouds, a1d turned
your river into molten geld, and gave a deeper
richness to the brown forests which overhung its
psnks. That living picture you scarce glanced at
put there was one who gszed losg md wistfuy al
y, on whose soul all it's beauty is impressed for
sver: The humble landscape painter, whom you
oeepse, has treasured up ali, and viii perpetuate
IN eolors, u not 90 bright at least more enduring
our saviour himself called the attention OF the BY.
asnoes 70 ne exquisite coors and delicate form
sne ny" Behold, saith he, Solomon, il all his
s'VV' ~ a0' hrsyed like sae Of these" His