Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-07

ers, in nne, seemed 70 take very narrow
views Of what the Government ought to do
10 tho matter 90 narrow, indeed, that a
resolution was Introduced and adopted,
recommending that works OF art Intended
for the Government buildlngs be executed
on the soil OF the United States. Nothing
could have been more lmpractlcable than
the enforcement Of such lawi indeed the
Injury IL would have doneto artists them
selves, 10 say nothing OF the damage II
would have indicted on art, must, after a
little reflection, be apparent to the common.
est understanding. 'Ir.I "rHr t'..
Il does not seem to have occurred to these
gentlemen that art makes the best progress
when LEFT unrestricted, and that artIsta may
sometimes follow their pofssslon 70 adyan.
tage with tho examples and models OF for
elgn countries before them. In nne, the
whole action Of the convention makes rs
question whether artists are the beat quail
nod 10 shape the conduct Of a great govern.
menl In its dealings with art.
Although the convention resolved Itself
Into permanent lnstltutlon, TO meet yearly,
Il does not seem TO have had a very long life,
for VIC hear nothing Of Il In future Year,.
memorial, however, was draughted and
presented to Congress, In which il was set
forth, THAT your memorlallsts appear be-
Tore your honorable bodies TO solicit for
American art that consideration and eucour-
agcment 10 which they conceive II 10 be en-
meut." . ..'r.....', ~
Their memorial, II must be here stated, lie
In the nature Of complaint, and embodlcs
serious charges against tho folly aud extray-
agnnce displayed In decorating the Capitol,
and the Injustice Of employing foreign
artists 10 do what II was held Americans
could do much better. There were upwards
nj ANA hNNa WM1 ..a0 40 "A A.. Il
memorial, artists and patrons OF art, promi-
nent among which We fnd the names Of =.
r. Clifford, Blerstadt, II. X. Brown, aud
Durand,
Among all this array OF names, however,
We regret TO say Il would DO difficult to find
ono 70 whom the Government would have
been justified In giving an order for a work
% decorate the Capitol. Mr.. BlerstadL, Mr..
Elliott, Mr.. Clifford, Mr.. 1nness, Mr.. Dlrand
and Mr.. suynam were clever painters In
their peculiar line Of landscape, portrait and
small Interior. Not one OF them, however, has
given the slightest indication OF capacity TO
paint an historical picture that would be
satsfactory TO the people, and do credit 10
the Capitol OF this great nation.
Rapid as had been the progress we had
made In landscape painting, and deserved
as was the reputation Of some Of our artists
had made for their works, at home and
abroad, we had 10 confess that we were still
far behind In what Is called historical
paintings. That branch Of art In this coun-
try was confined TO three or four men, none
OF whom had made any very deep impress
sion on the public by their works.
WHAT CONGRESS DID.
Congress acted promptly on this memo
riol, and 4 select committee Of I've was APP
pointed by the Speaker Of the House Of Rep
Tesentatlyes, with Instructions TO report
upon the eNpediency OF granting the pell-
tlon OF the memorlallsts, and with power TO
report by bill or otherwise. The committee
was composed Of Messrs. Humphrey Mar
shall, Lawrence NJ. Keitt, George Taylor,
Edward Joy Morris and George ii. Peudleton,
They were appointed on the lst day Of June,
1858, and reported March Q, 1859. D..
The report, we understand, was drawn up
by Mr.. Edward Joy Morris and Mr.. George
II. Pendleton, aud does them great credit for
the broad and national views II embodles.
"The art commission" say these gentle
men, "aSkcd for by the artists OF the United
States In their memorial, your committee
consider important and proper but as pro-
vision for such a commission has been made
In the clause Of the appropriation bill for
the extension Of the Capitol, your committee
have not recommended Joint resolution for
that purpose"
Further on In their report the committee
says, Painting and sculpture are the hand
maidens Of history to record the traits and
characteristics Of national life, and to con-
vey TO amer ages, by Images presented tothe
| eye, the costumes, arts, and civilization Of
such periods as the artist may embody upon
his canvas, or grave upon the marble. The
ruins Of Nineveh aud Babylon furnish from
their buried walls and broken statuary a
more correct idea OF the civilization that eX-
listed within them than enterprise can gather
| from any other sources. Art Is language"
says the committee, "and It is peculiarly
usefal as M index to the civilization Of a
| people--a key TO Tho volume Of their national
life" We quote the precise language used
by the committee In lie reports s.'s
"The eye OF intelligence hunts" says the
committee, In uslr report, "for the hidden
mysteries OF past greatness among such
works OF art as the antiquarian can dis
cover, and the mind Of the student artist
reproduces, by the aid OF these, the living
| pictures Of ages long since passed and
almost forgotten. The American people
have a history, many Of whose passages de-
serve TO be engraved upon imperlshaole ma
terials."
The committee takes very wide range
Of dlscusslon, but Is not so clear as We
could have desired as TO what they intended
TO recommend. We can, however, get
pretty nearly at what the committee In
tended TO report upon The committee con-
dennis the policy OF employing foreign
artists 10 decorated building in which every
thing should be strictly national, and Is par
ticularly severe on the extravaganza dis
played In useless ornamentatlon, which they
declare to be little less than libel on our
national taste. 900 o. D.. . -f..
"The Capitol Of the United States, )" says
the committee, SIS a most extensive edl1cc,
l ~ ~ Wuhtgh Entntnna nF Nhs
public treasure have already been expended
and in the decoration Of which, by statuaT,
and painting, tho widest field ls open for tn
genius Of our artists. It might have beel
made a splendid testimonial OF the natlona
taste by being adorned with Illustrations o
American history. For tkls purpose u
class OF men could have been employed viii
more assurance OF success, both for design
and execution, than the practical and pro
fessional artists OF our own country, who
Lave attained the front rank Of their pro
fesslon. No other Glass;" add the commit
tee, "of the people combine the same knowl
edge Of coloring, Of forms, and the yariou
objects OF professional skill, that these me
morialIsts certainly possess, and there ar
none superior to them In the sentiment o
true patriotism. The committee hare no
been Informed that American artlsta hay
been engaged upon the establishment o
| the CnpW0li out nv nave Deen MADE pain
fully conscious that the work has been pros
ecuted by foreign workmen, under the I'm
mediate supervision Of q foreigner. As
! consequence, the committee find nothing !
the design and execution Of the ornaments
! work OF the Capitol, thus far, which repre-
} seuts our own country, or the genius an
taste of her artists. There ls n
necessity for attempting 10 al up tho niche
, and panels immediately that should be ID
, work OF time, and for the employment Of tn
highest professional skill and taste"
The committee are also afraid that III
| style OF Establishment being carried on wi
: offend the spectator, and therefore recon
mend that "a plain coat or two Of whltewas
J is better, In the opinion Of this committee
! for q temporary finish, than the tawdTy an
= exuberant ornament with which many
/ the rooms and passages are being crowded.
D Well directed as some OF the remarks (
this report are, II is evident that the con
= mittee did not have very clear understand
s ing Of the questions It was called 10 conslde
so far especially as they related to the techn
0 caltles aud details Of art. Its effects see
= | 20 hava haan dirasla1 alnOal antiFelv ga In