The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-07
THR FINE ARTS.
The CIose ofthe Acndemr RxhIhl1lnn.

The Close Ofthe Academy Exhibition.
The forty-slxth annual exhibition Of the Academy
OF Fine Arts closed on Saturday, and that It was a
failure in every respect the most earnest and disn-
terested friends OF the institution are forced to admit
The causes OF the failure perfectly clear to those
who are willing to look at the matter without preju
dice or partiality. We have pointed them out with
suincent plainness in these columns, and we have
indicated what we believe to be the only true remedy
for the disabilities under which the Academy now
la60rs In the present condition Of the fine arts IN
the United States, and with the rapid growth OF
artistic tastes and perceptions the institution
will be only an impediment to real art
education unless It is completely re-
organized and established on a very different basis
from at present An election for officers will be held
to-day, and it is understood that several changes
will be made, with view of imparting new vlgor to
the management in the future. This will certainly
show a healthy regard for public opinion but we
cannot any great benefits to result from the cleo
ton OF new set Of officers unless other and more
radical changes are to follow.
We are not disposed to find fault individually with
any Of the managers Of the Academy; they are all
OF them gentlemen who are entitled to the respect
and regard of the community. We have every rea-
son to believe that they one and all honestly and
sincerely thought that they were conducting an
Academy of Fine Arts on the most approved prn-
cipes and that they were consequently entitled to
the confidence Of the artists and the support of the
public. This is a deluson of the most serious char
q
Academy is only school of art of the most primitive
description is patent to any one who will for mo-
ment give the matter serious reflection. That such
school as it is desirable TO have be built up in
day no sensible person will be disposed to assert;
but with the great and growing necessities of the
case every sincere lover of must be anxious to
see a commencement made at rs early a day as pos
sible. We must expect under any circumstances to
remain without some OF the advantages that are
obtainable in Europe, but we can and ought
to nave art school that will enable students to
obtain that sound practical, and scientific training
that can alone make them thorough artists. In this
way we build up American school of art
which will develop style Of its own and render
artists, in great measure, independent OF European
influences. At present art students, after picking
up what knowledge OF drawing and anatomy they
can in the classrooms Of the Academy, are left en-
trely to their resources the best years OF their
lives are passed cropping in the dark-eXperimentn
to find out the technicalities that competent in
structor could impart in the of single season.
Te be sure an artist must be student all his life,
but to begin WITH is absolutely necessary for him,
If he is to compete with Europeans, that he shall
have a thorough scientific knowledge of drawing,
composition, light and shade, color, perspective,
anatomy and other technicalities which can only
be properly learned in a welLorganized school.
It is not necessary that Academy should be
modelled after any particular European institution,
but it might combine the excellences Of ALL We
know of no better plan than that adopted by our
principal colleges and universites-that is, TO have
an eminent professional man as President of the
institution, and all that pertains to the internal
agement to be under the control of board of aca-
demicians, or faculty Of professors, selected for
their eminent fitness to give instruction in various
branches, while the control OF the property and the
financial management would be in the hands of a
board of trustees 1t is true that these last would
not figure very prominently before the public, but
they would have the satisfaction of Knowing that
they would be doing q good work IN proper and
commendable manner.
1t would be gratifying If the Academy Of Fine
Arts would transform itself into such a school
have indicated, but whether 1t takes up the work
not, we have every reason to believe that such
school will be established, II necessary apart from
the Academy