The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-28

...l
We will premise that the present exhibition is no
criterion whatever The number of pictures is less
than usual that there is room on the eve line for
all that of sufficient merit to entite them to this
distinction. Besides the trouble of last year has
shamed the Directors into something like Justice in
the matter of hanging the works, and this season
some of the best foreign works are thrust to one
side in a very OstentatOn of virtue.
BOuguCreaus "Arcada," instead OF being placed
in the centre of the room, where it properly belongs
Is put in less advantageous position if to mark
the extreme anxiety of the hanging committee to do
more than impartial justice, and Achenbach's 'Pa-
estrina' receives even worse treatment This is like
shutting the sabledoOr after the horse is stolen and
unless the Academy shows other and more decided
signs Of improvement, its late repentance will not
avail. A large number of the best artists have not
contributed to the present exhibition They have
not refused to do so in many words but they have
not contributed usual and the reason is that they
take no interest in the Academy and they have come
to the conclusion that they can exhibit to more adj
vantage elsewhere. With regard to the figures given
above, our readers will notice that ont Of l41 works
by Philadelphia artists, 5S or about 40 per cent are
the eye-ine; out OF 70 by New York artists s. or
about 50 per cent, the cye-line; out of Is by
other American artists, 10, about per cent are
on the eye-ine; and out of SO by foreign artists 26
or about 30 per cent, are on the eye-line.
These figures are really worth nothing IN the pre-
sent instance but it will be that the proportion
OF good places Is i'll favor of other than Philadel-
phians. We have explained the displacement of the
strictly foreign pictures but an examination of the
galleries will convince any one that the vast ma
jority OF them, if not exactly what might be
termed the eye-llne near it that there is no
appreciable difference
These questions OF hanging the pictures holding
auctions in the galleries, and Othe similar matters Of
contention between the Academy and the artists
in reality but items of secondary Importance in
the list OF the denquencies of the institution and
the main grievance is that the Academy is not
q school Of art in any proper sense of the word
Now, making all due allowances for the different
circumstances, the absence OF extensive public
galleries. and other appliances which promote art
education in Europe we would invite the attention
OF the Press and other papers that take an interest in
this matter to the following queries:-
l. Is any other art academy in the world conducted
solely by a company Of bankers, brokers' and mer-
chants, who have no practical knowledge of art?
2. Is any other institution OF learning whatever
conducted in this manner?
B. Can the Academy Of Fine Arts-making all due
allowances for different circumstances-be put in
comparison with any Of the European art schools of
similar pretensionB?
T. Would any other art academy allow its galleries
TO be used for auction purposes?
5. Would any other art academy give up the best
places at its exhibitions TO foreign pictures?
6. In every other art academy are not the artists
eager to be numbered among the acadenicians and
hbitions, are they not only too anxious to have them
admitted and solictOus only lest they should be
rejected?
I. Ought there not to be in this city a thoroughly
organized art academy, which will educate our artists
and the public, and which will form the nucleus OF a
great public gallery?
s. Is there the slightest hope that the Academy OF
Fine Arts Judging it by its past and present per-
formances, will ever be such an institution?
9. Is not such an academy worth making an effort
to Obtain even at the risk OF sacrificing the inn
portance OF certain gentlemen who now figure ex-
tensively in connection with the so-caled Academy
as fne-art factotums?
10. Is it not possible TO obtain such academy II
the friends of art who appreciate the Importance
OF the subject will only exert themselves and
either by force Of public opinion or by bringing an
enterprsing rival into the field obge the present in
sttuton to do something?
Here are certain definite points which cannot very
well be poOh-poOhed; every man in the community
whether he knows anything about art or not can
understand them; and, without insisting on cate
gorca answers, we solicit an expression OF opinion
from the Press the North american and other papers
who profess to think that the responsibility of the
Academy OF Fine Arts is sufficient guarantee that
it is possessed Of all desirable eXceences In other
respects
In spite of the assertion OF the Press to the con.
trary the present exhibition is the worst that there
has been for years II we except Professor Schus-
see's "Esther there is not single frstclass MIA
ture and the long array of names which are paraded
forth represent some lamentably inferior works and
a good many others that only make creditabe an
pearance by contrast with the mediocre efforts that
surround them. AS the relative merit of pictures ia
pretty much matter Of opinion, however, and as a
reliable Judgment is very dependent on the culture
OF the critic, are content TO let the Press enjoy
the exhibition if it can without further comment.