Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-01-31
RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 80, 1867.
Italy and American Artists.

Italy and American Artists.
The interesting sketches of two of
Vermont's most gifted sons, resident at
Florence Hiram Powers and Larkin G.
Meade, Jr., who have attained world
renowned fame by their works of art,
the fearless loyalty displayed by Powers
in his conversation with Southerners
and their sympathizers, also the fact that
the most learned son of our common
wealth, is the American minister to
Italy--leads us for moment to look at
The present condition Of prospects OF art
in that country.
Recent Intelligence Informs us that 3
plan Is proposed in the Italian Parlia-
ment for the enactment Of a law which
is intended TO retaliate upon our govern
ment because it discriminates between
works of native and foreign artists CON-
ing into the United States, to the injury
of the commerce of Italy. The passage
OF such measure will somewhat effect
our commercial and especially our artis'
tic interests. A duty Of thirty per cent.
is to be levied upon all works of art in
sculpture and painting, by American ar
lists resident in Italy, which may be ex-
ecuted by them to go out of the coun-
try. There are some twelve or fifteen
gentlemen established in Florence, whose
works are principally designed for
American citizens, and the prospect OF
such an impeachment being placed upon
the practice of professional American
artists, should excite the attention here
as it does to some extent anxiety and in
dignation among them there. Should
the plan be adopted, Mr.. Meade in sending
off statue would be obliged to pay the
government nearly one third the price
paid for the work. AS an example, Mr..
Powers marble bust of Edwart Everett
for which $4,000 may have been paid,
could not leave Italy without an export
duty of three or four thousand dollars.
The reason why our American artists
establish their studios in that country
is that workmen are easily obtained at
q far less compensation than in the
United States, some of them employing
a dozen men at an expenditure of $4,000
yearly We trust some modification Of
this plan may be secured by our Ameri-
can minister, who has q full appreCia-
ton OF the situation and is as well pre-
pared to judge of its effect as any person
who Is not practical artist. The num-
bers OF American residents are increasing
and the demand for works Of art is
greater than at any period before,
Tor In addition to private orders,
works Of art to be placed in the Ma
tlonal Statuary Hall in the Capital at
Washington, like those which were
proposed to be secured of Ethan Allen
and Jacob Collamer by our General AS
sembly at it's last session, are being
called for, as well as heroic statues Of our
soldiers for local monuments. These
statues our State would wish to have
wrought by the two sons of Vermont
who now reside at Florence, and this
measure would be serious obstruction
to their procurement, which is to be
hoped will be done ere long. We regre'
that the recommendations of Messrs
Morrill, and Edmunds should not havt
commended itself to the popular branch
of our Legislature that we might hav'
responded as no other commonwealth
could have done, by placing in the Capita
at Washington, for the inspection of thu
nation and the world, the statues of two
OF the finest characters that ever gracet
the history Of 8 State, cut from Vermont
marble and wrought by world famed ar
lists who are natives OF Vermont. Sucf
work should be our pride and the honor
tous would be as imperishable as oul
own Green Mountains.