Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-10
gotal ann personal.

The Fine Arts.-Dr. S. Spooner, a we'll
known connoisseur Of New York, is now in Wash
ington with glorious ard magnificent plan for
the promotion of art; plan which has the high
approval of all the first artists in the country. He
is the owner of all the copperplates of those great
works originated by Napoleon, and published by
the French government, entitled the Mnsee Fran
Gals and the Mnsee Royal containing five hundred
and twenty-five plates after the gems ofthe world,
which he had gathered at the Louvre. Those
plates were all exquistely engraved by the most
most distinguished artists of Europe, and were IN
tended as great treasury of art, costing origin
ally, it is said untold gold. The designs alone for
the engravers cost four hundred thousand francs
DR.. Spooner. learn, proposes TO give these cop
pers 10 the Smithsonian Institution, provided that
the directors will carry out his plan, and place
copy in ihe possession Of every public institution
in the country for the instruction of artists and the
entire people.
Dr.Spooner likewise proposes that prizes shall
be awarded for series of the best original essays
on the arts Sciences manufactures, agriculture,
commerce. political economy, hygiene, &c, and
that these essays shall be published in the cheapest
FORM and circulated far and wide, with the prestige
of authority which public institution alone can
give He is an enthusiastic lover Of the fine arts,
has made them the study Of his life, and is the au-
thor Of the great Dictionary of Painters, Engravers,
Sculptors, and Architects, from ancient TO modern
times, thirteen hundred solid octave pages, and
containing ten thousand biographies, and great
mass Of the most condensed and valuable informa-
alton appertaining to art.
rr>,-. r.l
nous Boydells illustrations Of Shakespeare to all
their original beauty. Alderman Boydell, after
wards lord mayor Of London, very wealthy man,
resolved to immortalize his owl name, as well as
to CRAFTY his love Of the fine arts by getting up
series Of illustrations of Shakespeare that should be
worthy of the immortal bard and an honor to his
country. For this purpose he laid he whole arts
tic talent of the world under contribution, and after
many years Of interchangeable exerton, produced his
world-renowned One Hundred Illustrations of
Shakespeare" at expense, It is said, OF million
sterling Six years labor, in some instances, was
bestowed on a single plate. Upwards of sixty of
| the most renowned artists in the world were en-
| gagged in designing, painting, and engraving the
work upwards of twenty years. 1t was commenced
| in 1855, and finished in 1909.
| We have seen some Of those iustr atoms
| which, in our humble opinion, Justly merit the
high character Of art which has been bestowed
| upon them.
! DR.. Spooner, from what we can hear, is disn-
terested in pecuniary point of view, for what he
proposes on his part is gratuitous. Hew shortly
explain his views before the Smithsonian lnstitu
,ion. His plan appears TO be practicable and of
the highest Importance. II will probably do more
for the preservation OF art than all the other schemes
and plans heretofore devised in the country.