The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-11
THE FINE ARTS.

The Philadelphia Artists vs. the Art Auc,iops
An article which appeared in the North Arnerican a
few days ago. entitled philadelphia as anlArt Mar
ket," and which has been copied by other papers we
believe is calculated to leave an erroneous impres
sion on the mind OF the public Some of the arou-
ments and statements are at singular variance with
the real facts OF the case we understand them
Without doubling that our contemporary has en-
deavored to set forth the subject according to its
real merits, the article evidently written with
out thorough knowledge on all the points dig
cussed, and its Interior purpoTt appeared to be to
defend the Academy of Fine Arts against the
charge brought against 1t by the artists that it has
turned its galleries into auction mart for foreign
pictures,
The Academy OF Fine Arts occupies peculiar DO
stton 1t is ostensbly an American, and distnctivey
Pennsylvania school of art, and it certainly needs
no great amount Of argument to prove that its
principal duty Is to foster and encourage native
art II it were not an academy-if it were merely a
combination OF private gentlemen for the purpose OF
trading in art productons-the would be vastly
different and no one would have o right to complain
If nothing but foreign works were admitted to
its galleries. The Academy however is a chartered
institution, professedly established for particular
purpose and all its claims to the regards OF the pub
lie are based upon its pretensons as an art school
When the Academy therefore, let's out its galleries
for auction purposes, it degrades itself and the
cause which 1t makes pretense Of supporting.
Picture selling, whether by auction otherwise, is
perfectly legitimate pursuit, and there gentlemen
engaged in it in this city who have the esteem and
confidence Of both the artists and the public Indeed
matters have come to such pass that very many OF
artists would rather send their works to Messrs.
Earle, Haseltine, or Robinson, and trust to their
judgment in hanging them judtciously rather than
10 entrust them to the tender mercies OF the Aca-
denny directors. The distinction in this is Ger
tainly not difficult to understand
The position Of the artists with regard to foreign
art has m N To VIII oh
allude, as it has habitualy been by those who at
tempt directly orndirectly to- defend the policy of
the Academy Of Fine Arts. No man protesting to
be AN artist who has talent enoagh TO produce pic
ture that is worth the canvas it is painted upon,
objects to the introduction Of foreign works. On
the contrary, the pictures OF the best European
painters always welcomed here and eagerly
studied. The artists, however, do object, and
rightly to their own works being put up against the
ceiling, or down on the floor, or in the worst
possible light, at the Academy exhi-
bitions, in order that foreign works
belonging to the directors and their friends may
have all the choice positions; and they justly in
dgnsnt that the galleries of the Academy should be
turned into auction for the sale OF pictures OF
any kind, foreign or native. There have been ge-
nuine exhibitions at the Academy, occasionally COM
posed exclusively of foreign works, which have not
only not been objected to by the artists, but have
been appreciated and enjoyed more heartily by them
than by any other class OF our citizens. The exhibit
| ton OF English works which took place some eight
years ago gave artists a opportunity to
| study the peculiarities Of a certain school Of
foreign art represented in its best works; and if
such exhibitions were more frequent so long they
did not interfere with the legitimate functions of the
Academy, no sensible man-and the majority Of the
artists are sensible men-would offer the least obec-
ton to them, but on the contrary, would welcome
them for the opportunities they afford for study.
During the past winter two of the galleries of the
war alu oil
tion purposes, and, as we explained in an article
published at the time OF the closing OF the schools
the end of March, the classes confined dark,
dismal, underground quarters, which would have
been submitted TO Gheerfully If there had been
nothing better to offer, but which, under the circum-
stances, were anything but credtable to the nsti-
| tuition.
The idea OF holding auctions and especially OF
| foreign works. would be received with astonshment
and wrath II proposed in any European academy,
and II Is only because artists have no interest
| rights in the Pennsylvania Academy that the
| directors are hound to respect thai such things
are allowed here. II the press, instead OF
pattng this decrepid institution on the back,
or passing over its shortcomings in silence would 90
TO work aud endeavor to produce reformation in lis
| way OF dong business, we might expect TO have an
art school in Philadelphia that would be worthy OF
the name Until very lately nothing whatever has beer
said by the newspapers about the deficiencies of the
Academy. Our local critics have been content TO yis,
the annual exhibition and comment upon the works
as they hung and the Academy has managed its az
fairs in its own way, and its squabbles with the ar
lists have attracted attention whatever outsids
OF a very limited circle. The people Of this citv
however, beginning TO take some little interest
| in art subjects at the present day. and the eonse
quence is that the Academy suddenly received :
rude shock by the expose which followed the discre
ditabe eeute OF last year. and has begun to opeI
its eyes and to find itself about one hundred year.
behind the age in all its IDEAS That the Academy
ever will be worthy OF its name under It's presen
system OF management we do not believe; and as tn
importance and necessity for properly organize,
school OF art are increasing every day, Call upon al
whotake any interest in art, as means of education
and culture, to aid in bringing about change q
speedily as possible.
FRANCE, during the yea" 1868 imported the follow
{ ing quantities OF coal and coke, in tons;-
From Great Britain. .............1,8S 1856 900 $50
~ Belgium. - tlotVOO 44Si ~
g {" Germany ny.................1, 4 $4,000 2l2.IO