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

tnotcllassiy rIdloulInR tho Trumbuu pictures.
Mr.. Randolph eucceeded IN defeating a
worthy object, but tho. Injury he did TO art
at the time has long boon felt and regretted,
and by mono moro than American arlais
themseiSeA Both Morse and Allston would
have given the country something valuable
OF the nation. Thai they, were not employed
must always be regarded as a misfortune.
What We have recorded here will serve TO
chow how little interest was felt In art BY
Congress- A. that time, aud how much Il had
10 contend against.
rms WEIR, CHAPMAN, AND vANDBRLIS
nu. putH RUTUREs. any.
II was not pnpl the t7th OF June, 1880,
that Congress made Up its mind that come
thing must be done torenedy the deficiency
In the rotunda, and giyelt more nnlshed
appearance. On that day Joint rel solution
t, was passed appointing COMMITTEES Of menn-
hers Of the Senate and House Of Rspreseu-
tatycs ITO contract with one or more com
Ietcnt American artists for the execution OF
four historical pictures upon subjocts aerv7
log 10 illustrate the discovery OF Americn,
the settlement Of the United States, the
history OF the Revolution, or tho adoption Of
the Constitution, TO DO placed In the vacant
panels OF the fotnnda, tho aoleetlon OF the
subjects to be laft 70 the choice Of the artllts,
under the control OF the committee Ten
Thousand dollars each was the price offered
for the competitors. Our taste In art mat
tore at that time was neither very correct
nor exaotlng II was tho quantlty we got for
our money, more than the quality, that we
looked for. Indeed Il does not seem 10 have
occurred 10 even tho beat frlends art had In
Congress at that day that the value Of q
palntlng depended on lts merits more thar
lie slEe In square feet, nor that works BY
American arlisls might Increase In value as
the nation got rlchcr and tho people more
generous in their patronage Of what. was
really good. -. fl. i7ils .'I on t,
They little thought that tho day would
come, and soon, whom an American citizen
would feel himself rich enough 10 pay an
American artist e25, 900 for a single land
scape, aud consider himself fortunate 10 It's
possession. fhshort, Congress was charged
With having pOrpetrated an IneIcuaable
piece Of ertraVagauco In offering 500 Of
the peoples money for four pictures. II
was urged also by soma members OF Con-
gress that the policy OF offering more than
was paid Mr.. Trumbull for his work would
have very bad effect.
Designs were submitted aud contracts at
once entered Into with John Yanderlyn,
Henry Inmap, Robert Weir aud John q.
Chapman, and they went 10 work. In order
10 provide them ngainst necessity, and TO
place within their reach the means OF sup
port, Congress voted four different appro-
prlatlons OF e., 900 each, the frat In 1887, the
last Ia 1912. This amount was advanced 70
the urtists $4,000 at a tlne) as their work
progTesscd % KY. 3D..
The effect Of giving thls order TO different
artists was good, since IL gave those who
had been contendiug before tbs public for
reputation and position as historical paint
ers fair field for the display OF their pow
ers. The plan also relieved the committee
OF the charge of favoritlsm, which was sure
10 have been brought against them had they
given the order 10 one painter. ...
Twenty years had intefveneJ since TTum.
bull painted hls pictures. IL was held that
the pictures We were to get would show the
progress our prominent painters had made
IN their art during that period. II, how
ever, We accept their pictures as q standard
Of comparison, It must be confessed that, 90
far US historical painting were concerned,we
had progressed but little, II at all. or the
pictures BY Well, Yanderlyu and Chapman,
hnlshed and now In the Capitol, only that OF
the frst challenges particular attention as
expressing correct artistic taste aud pos
sesalng real value as a work ofhrt.
There Is q certain dellcacy Of eoloring and
expression Of feeling and deep religious seu-
hAulNuh AUOuNNHlh llCNhINg AhN
Of the Pilgrims" which will always make Il
respected by the people. The details, too,
arc worked out with great care and evident
study. Some OF the figures are, however,
aat and hard, and placed In positions which
make the effect almost painful. Defects OF
drawing here and there have too frequently
made this picture the subject Of thoughtless
and unjust criticism.
30 clever an artist as Mr.. Weir could not
fall 70 produce q picture replete With eonscl-
entlous painting aud bold effects. Built has
always seemed TO us that he worked more
with view to producing picture full OF
strong effects than strict regard TO historical
truth. We must not forget, however, that
the subject was an extremely difficult one
for an artist TO handle, and that In painting
"The Embarcatlon OF the Pilgrims" the
artist had to MI M by drawing on his fancy
for material. ..-.-
or Mr.. Vanderlyu's Landing OF Column
bus" the most that can be said Is that IL
feebly expresses what the artist set 10 Illus
| traio on canvas, aud affords but little salts
| faction To those who look at Il.
"The Baptism Of Pocahontas' Is simply Q
lIbyl on our respect as people for historical
truth, and has been very generally con-
demned. Indeed, It would be difficult TO
Imagine In what way an artist having any
knowledge Of color and drawing could have
possibly produced anything worse. Its effect
on those who look at II 10 10 excite ridicule,
not respect; hence, It's influence cannot be
good. II has been several umes suggested
1 that this picture be removed, and its place
| filed by something that more correctly rep
rosents the art taste OF the country and less
violently outrages the truth Of history. The
suggestion Is we'll worthy the consideration
Of Congress. ..a. H.. ......'-.. ..sH'.. ".
Congress, IL must DO confessed, was NOT
fortunate 10 what It got In tho way Of
pictures by this order. Popular opinion
was against the pictures, and the cry Wal
raised that we had not an artist 10 whom w
could trust IN order for a picture that would
do credit TO the Capitol. II seemed 70 b.
forgotten for q time that foreign artists had
not given us anything better than Ameri
cans. ra, O.. Hr.l..u 90
To make the matter worse, Mr.. Inmar
died, leaving his picture unfinished. III
had received three installmentA OF y, 90
each from the Government, went to Europe
and, we are informed, 'studled and Worket
on his plclure.n How far he had pro
crossed, or what disposltion was made o.
the picture after he died, We have In yalr
cudeavOred TO ascertain. Persons profess
ing 70 know state that Mr.. Morse, who wal
flrm friend OF Inman, mt one time offered
to take the picture aud finish II to the bes
OF his ability on condition that Congress
would pay him the balance that would have
been due Mr.. InmAn on the fulnlment o
his coutract-S4,0 600. The offer, II made
does not seem to have met the approbatloI
OF Congress, which appears TO have mad
up It's mind that American art was failure
The reports OF Congress, however, do no
show anything eoncerning this propoeluoI
Of Mr.. Morse, There was vacant pane
Ia tho rotunda to be allied, and as Mr.
Inman had not produced picture, SOM
one else must. In the year 1877 Congres
made another step forward In tho way o
encouraging American art. A bill was In
tTodneed and passed authorizing the Llbrar.
Committee 10 contract with VIM. II. Powell
for an historical painting In place Of the on
contracted for with said Inman, and on tn
same terms. And as the said Inman haI
drawn $1,000 Of the $4,000, there was
balance Of 81, 600 len. Congress, therefore
voted Mr.. Powell an appropriation OF 81, 00C
and authorized him To receive the ", 90
that would have been duo Mr.. InmRn
making $4,000. That was the way we e
MIR. POwrlIs picture Of 'De Soto Discover
lug the Mlsslissppl." =. I'D