The New York herald., 1863-03-02
Are snd Artists-The Recent ssles se
Pictures.

Art and Artists-The Recent ssles se
Pictures.
Inc same Influences that have enhanced the
price OF stocks and given an impetus to spscu-
iations In real estate are for the moment help
Ing greatly the interests Of art Whenever
there is sale OF really good pictures the prices
realized compare favorably with those of any
former period, even in the most prosperous
times 1t would seem a. II almost every one
was desirous of investing something in a de-
scription of property which, whore discrimins-
tion is used, gains, instead Of losing, by being
kept. There are few instances in which a mic.
ture by an artist of reputation will not sell for
more than was originally given for it. Like
old wine, its marketable value increases with
ape. This fact was never moro appreciated
than it is just now. In the doubt which exists
in regard to the safety of securities, whether
rightly or wrongly, people rush to investments
which are not liable to be affected by political
events. AS an evidence Of this we need only
point to the results of the sale of tho
collection known as the International Art In
stitution, which took place last week. Foreign
works Of fair average character brought un-
usually large prices whilst many of an inferior
class realized sums considerably beyond their
value: For one picture alone "A portrait Of
Humboldt-by Schrader, Of Berlin, Mr.. A. T.
Stewart paid fifteen hundred dollars--in this
instance not too much for work of 80 much
merit. : 80 . o
The tendency to speculate in this direction
viii lea4 to the formation Of great many pri-
vate collections, which will in their turn react
favorably ON tho interests Of American artists
The gentleman whom we have just named Mr..
Stewart, Is, we understand, purchasing exten
sively, with view to the formation of large
gallery to be attached to his private residence
He could not expend portion of his immense
wealth to more advantage, either in reference
to the qualification Of his individual tastes or
to its speculative results. Another Of our
citizens has, since his retirement from business.
been quietly purchasing up all the good pic
lures that he can lay his hands upon, with
what purpose is not exactly known, but 1t il
believed to be for highly praiseworthy and
patriotic object. The galleries Of Mr.. Aspin.
wall, Mr.. Lennox, Mr.. Belmont, Mr.. Wright and
other patrons Of the arts are constantly re-
ceiving fresh accessons from abroad, and we
only wish that larger share of their orders
was bes stowed on American works There
never was, and never will be, perhaps, period
when it will be more in the power Of such men
to give an impulse to American art. We are
passing through one Of those great national or
deals which is especially favorable to the de-
velopment of native genius. In that branch in
which ovr artists have hitherto been most def
cient-historical painting-it is perhaps of all
things the best calculated to stimulate their
latent ambition.
We know that il is objected by some Of our
most muniGcent patrons Of art that the events
Of civil war are not those that it is either de-
sirable or praiseworthy to perpstuate on can
vass. This is a mistaken view to take. All
the episodes Of life, whether individual or
national, whether joyous or mournful, whether
calculated to elicit the smile of pride or
the flush of humiliation. are alike nt subjects
for the artists pencil. They each serve to con-
vey their lesson and their warning. The civil
wars of England, Germany and France con-
tributcd to art some of its greatest names and
some OF its most effective subjects. We regret
to find that the efforts Of those of our native
artists who have attempted to strike into this
new and prolific vein should have been dis
couraged by such narrow minded reasoning.
The field which Delaroche, Horace Vernet,
Ingres and Phillopoteaux occupied with 50
much credit to themselves is surely one in which
they may venture to labor