New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-09
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN
IFirst Artfcle.f

First Artiele.l
Before we enter the grimOOking portal which opens
to our yearly Exhibition of National Art let US pause
moment on the threshold to consider what it is
about to exam ine that may the better appreciate
it. merits, ard be prepared to extGuuate its defects
Thirt, .ope yea,s ogo the first exhibition Of the Ma
tional Academy was opened to the public in room
over The bath house on Chambers street. which stood
on the cite now occupied by Buttons Iheater. There
had been an Americas Academy of Fine Arts, the
managers Of which were, in part, non-proSsonal but
the artists though. themselves entitled to the exclusive
control of institution designed 70 promote the cause
Of art wherein we think, they made an egregnous
mistake; for art is not for the benefit of artists, but
for the world and an institution designed to
foster it and promote It's growth, could best be
managed by men who have knowledgo OF
affairs and who would be wholly free from preference
iealouses, and fantastic theories and riyares. Art
has ourished most vigorously where artists have not
been the managers, but the managed. However, the
artists to their own misfortune, in New-York, sue
ceeded in killing the American Academy and in estab-
fishing the National and here we have its thirty
first Annual Exhibition BY inspection of its works
we shall come at pretty just conclusion as to the
wisdom of its founders and their fitness to conduct its
affairs.
When the first exhibition OF the National Academy
was opened to the public thiryon years ago, Art was
in its cradle in this country and il is now as far az the
Academy is concerned, not a healthy infant, but n
dwarf in leading strings Since the National Academy
took the Fine Arts under its special protection we have
grown in greatness wealth and splendor to degree
never dreamed of by our ancestors. We have now
one of the largest and most superbly decorated Opera
houses in the world, built upon ground which was
a cornfeld when the frst Exhibition OF the
National Academy was opened, and the whole oil the
Fifth avenue with its two miles OF continuous
palaces, its club-houses and churches, was then
rural district occupied by country seats, market gar
dtns and cow pastures. The best example OF Gothic
architecture we could then beast OF was st. Ihomass
Church on the corner Of Broadway and Houston
street; and we have Trinity Church and Trinity
Chayel-splendid examples both OF archaeological art,
standing nearly three miles apart, and yet in the
crowded portions of the city. All our great hotels,
with their profuse wealth of ornamentation, their
sculptured facades and painted ceilings, have
been built since then; our largest packet ships
were then scarce five hundred tuns burden, and
row we have ocean steamers OF five thou
sand tuns, with more Of artistic decorations IN
one of their cabins than whole commercial marine
and navy could then have shown; and three single
buildings in Broadway now with more sculpture on
OF font than the entire city then possessed AT the
opening ofthe first Exhibition ofthe National Academy
Dusseldorf was a name unknown in the world of Art,
and now it stands for school painting to which we
send our young artists to study and there is Dussel-
dolf Gallery in Broadway where examples of its mas
tiers are exhibited to the public Of the new world All
the great names in European art were then UNKNOWN
Delaroche Couture, AIRY Schaiftr, the pre-Raphaei-
ties and Maclise, had not been heard OF.
But where are the great names that have gone forth
from our Academy Where is the American, or the
New-York School of Art which has been nurtured By
it All the decorations of which we make 50 proIuSe
n dspay. the painted windows Of our churches, our
frescoed walls, and the art embellishments when
everywhere dazzle and bewilder Us, the work Of
Germa1s, Frenchmen Engli-hrnen aud lssians. Our
Young artists are sent abroad for instruction to Paris
Florence Rome and to the little town OF Dusseldorf IN
Germany with not half the wealth population of
one Of the Wards Of our city. 1t is bewidering to
look the splendid results Of our free institutions and
the ndomitabe energy ard perseverance OF our people
During the past 81 years, in which progress in
literature and science has not been less than our growth
in population and wealth. LongfeHow Prescott, Ban
croft Willie. Lowell, Melville Hawthorne, have all
become famous since the National Academy was
a. On artist but has been immortazed as the inventor
of the electric telegraph After 81 years Of drow'y
existence. the National Academy has nothing better
to offer US then few pictures but 2ss Of all kinds,
ard q good many Of which foreign, in small
APARTMENT. once small church, as the result Of ito
influence OIL art.
There are many excellent artists and amlaole gentle
men whose names are connected with the Academy;
IL fF-ff ffr II nfrf
mperfectly organized, and Of considerable use to
the cause OF art. II it shut up and forgotten, per-
haps better institution would take its place and II
the Young artists and friends Of American art desire 70
see the metropolis Of the New World occupy the place
to which should aspire in that regard, ths Nseonsi
Academy should be promptly knocked in the hesh'
ard another organization, with better si' anu Oe'ei
managers, be put in it. place.
Uayinr thus taken rapid glance at the Academy
n IN institution let " proceed 10 examine the works
II o.r for public inspection. And frss, let Us at
tenn, 20 instruct the public how to look at the pc
| lures.
Enter the hall consecrated TO Art, and respectfully
salute the obligBg porteress ard tckettaker, Ms
Croker: and, to prepare your eye for the artistic
lerdor in their gorgeous gilt frames look nrst at the
work which hangs directly over the door which leads
into the larger hall; having Satisfied yoursef with gsz
ing On this miracle Of art step across the threshold
ard look at the companion piece hung On the other
side; and when your desire for something better has
been sufficiently whetted in these unressting mbeci-
ties. YOU Will be in a good condition TO apprec!-
ate almost ILL thing, for almost anything viii look
lovely 10 you. But when you have selected the
/ work you wish 70 examine, look at it long
enough to become fauilisrized with the artist
u'ean'ng, il be have any, and to free your eye
e1d your mind from the dominant color and tntIment
Of tie picturcs which hang rear it, This i all import