New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-12

plan and execute great works "s ''
needed for this position but cannot peheve NC 70
now competent Then the house he springs ron mas n
its share Of patronage. Mr. Mlss ptre has received
much sustenance from Government-wolnshiy savage
and inhospitable great artists she adopted ana lo
tered hmand later has been almost equally kind 10 MI.
Stone. They her ROmuus and ReInus, ana ts iu'i
time they wcaDed. II Is time that some natonai
commissions given to best artists-mcn whose
native genius and long years OF patient heroic study ana
labor have regulations not confined TO their nauve
land which many has proved TO them but mig
gardy patroness, sorry stepmother. Will not ask inc
contract for this "big Job" for Mics Hosmer or Misc seb
bins as Congress up the justice OF paying equa
wages for equal work, except indeed when the woman
be exceptionally young and pretty but should say give
It to Palmer OF thoughtful genius, long expert
ence careful study 1t would be no experiment Win
him. Twelve or thirteen years ago be modelled group
for one OF these very Capitol pediments representing
the Landing OF the Pilgrims" noble and beautiful IN
spirit and design but the artists time was too valuable
for lobbying his works being IN great and constant oe
mand at bome and he failed TO obtain the COMMISSION
Or let 1t be gwen to @ A. Ward, an eminenty many
sculptor with the genius to conceive and the thorough
artistic knowledge execute group for that pedneh
which we should all be proud TO look up to.
IL does not seem to necessary to have anything III
legorcal or ideal In such group There surely enough
that is heroic tragic pathetic and sacred In the history
of our last ten years 10 furnish real life scenes 10 pon
sculptor and painter We have enough OF aegory anu
poetic license PersieOs Spawning groups IN tue oeao
fu War and more dreadful Peace Of the eastern 'front.' Oh
the Capitol-in Greenoughs Washington. appealing 10
Heaven and the Dorcas Society and in those respenden
frescoes Of the Rounda wherein the Father OF his Coun
try all I'm lilac and gold represented in sort OF MO
Mammalian ap0theosls among the Houris-made 10 se
forever with the girls, like naughty Idle VINO
does MT repent All. could that brave. simple country
gentleman come back and see himself thus disposed
and draped and what Is called "idealSed' wouid no
like the picturei
The group that is wanted for this pedment may be a.
poetic az real In character but should be something
dlgnned decent and distinctly American; though TOT
that matter II the works OF art which now adorn the
Capitol are not distincvey American what are theyi
As the old East India storekeeper asked, III Asia
don't spell Asia whafdoes it spell The works OF j. o.
A. Ward not only exhibit strength and originality OF
genius but, without rceortng 10 clumsy anegory are
typical and national in subject and spirit His Indian
Hunter is not only great artistic achievement, 10 Is the
most purely American piece Of satuary yet executed IN
this country. copy Of tins In our Capito Woud de-
onstrate even 10 the most arttic that there could be
power without colossal proportions, and strength WIN
out ponderosty. One would suppose that most OF the
sculptures here had been executed by contract al 30
much tun. Indeed, these marbles would have been Tar
preferable in the simple placid form Of panels and pillars
than In such wretched distortions and aborons OF art as
now dsfgure the Capitol
The French Government appoints an Art Commission
made up eminent eonoisseurs and on their Judgment
secures TO itself choicest products OF French genius
Our Government buys twice the value OF real works
OF art the hucksered and obbied monsrosties and i'm
beces OF daubers and stODecutters, Is there never
10 be on end OF tsi Instead Of inviting and rewaroins
true merit is the Government 10 go dseouragng and
insulting It. by patrODizng only pretenson ana igno
rancei The Government that paid down ten Thousand
dollars in good gold for that luSerly Franklin OF y
f,rn IA faOla al
has set mp costly raven images of Stone before which
no man Is guilty Of breaking the second commandment
would scarcely have taken Browns splendid statue oi
Grasne whGh has brought great LIE INTO ie ia Pss
royalty for the painted pagisrsns and historical lastly
ines of Powell and for portrait OF Lincoln, ID "hich
that lamented Martyr is remaryred, while II turns
cold shoulder TO real pictures by real artists
lam told that there is in Albany in some hall or CLUB
house. nepainting by the great French marine artist
Isabey representing Peuys Victory. That picture-so
runs storywss ordered more than 20 years ago by
co,s-sss lint informaty the commission allowed
that honorable body to repudate The subject
rendering the picture almost unstable in EuropS the
artist was obliged TO dispose of here sacr
fee Since that time. know every thing OF lisa
bey's has increased in value: Government lost
something beside honor ia the transaction why cannot
we have OF the mastery portraits OF Ames anu
Page FOR the Capitol, tho WhiteHouse, and the state
Department. Why cannot We have in the now vacant
panels OF the House OF representatives ahdsSpeo anu
marines by Church and Biersadt and by our Philade
phia painters Rohermel and HamtOni The pictures OF
Mr. Hamilton are almost peculiarly the luxures OF rch
Phadelphians they not known as they should be
known elsewhere-cerainly not in Washington Nature
left out Of him. leaves out OF most poetic artists
the pushing, lobbying, bargaining element. few OF
his pictures have been purchased by coHnossrs OF New
York aud Boston, and few have gone TO London where
they are greatly admired his water coors especially
Mr. Dickens took home one Of his marine views" What
are the Wild Waves Saying which, hear, now hangs
in place of honor in the charming library OF Gadsiill.
Place. There is one picture by Mr. Hamilton which
would show grandy In the Capitol. IL is large sea
view by moonlight vivid and tremendous scene. rep
resepng the capture OF the Scraps by the Bonhomme
Richard commanded by that indomitable seaion that
half Mythical hero, Paul Jones. The French chip dis
mantled ridded, aud burning, is beching out fire and
smoke crmsoning the crests Of the waves and the white
moonlight and painting the clouds with fearful glare.
The flames seem to be Of peculiar CHASTITY red as
though colored by the blood they have licked up from
the steaming deck Tbe picture has absolute historic
value and ought to belong To the nation. c. G.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO THE DIRECTORS OF