New-York tribune., 1870-12-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,
"TUE BUSINESS OF CRITICISM

r. IN, Editor Of The Tribune.
sw win the writer on that subject allow himself
20 no criticisedf First of ALL what business have
certain writers to cnticse at all, ana VINO eiecteu
tbem iudges 70 pronounce praise or blanef | write
as a painter only. 1 have painted plctuie-my nrs'
effort after course of study-and am s9iiciteu 10
send il TO some exhibition. The remorseless critc'
who knows nothing of me or my beginnings pro-
uonccs the work an abortion aud wonders the Academy
shoud accept IT, Sc Years pass and Improvement i
evident 10 those who know and really able 10 emu
else but STILL there yet many better painters 30
good however, is the work considered by rlehuy u
mircr that he only gives $500 for It, but u tenPu
q, hbit IL at the Academy and the artist has no voice III
the matter II he had, ne might say, Don't 90 II you
will find your picture abused, and though ""'o ~,
at for six months and done almost all can 10 40 o
subiect and myself Justice you may be told, You nave
thrown your money away
.'The public are supposed to await Their verdict WIN
confidence"
That's the ronble they do and artists are ruined, OF
discouraged to say the least and without Wishing 10 DC
rude your paper has done more INJURY 10 df'Is'' 'nan
any other,
As rule. artists do not ty to contend against the
written and published criticism. They knOwit is useless
and that it is better to bear the mpertncnce quietly
So il s for fortunately the seycrest criticism VIII not
entirely mislead the general public
use the word mpertinence" with due respect to the
critics guilty Of t-fOr they know not what they no.
II they walked into goods store and remarked th
that piece OF goods marked $40 or 81 was too hsh at
rcther and wondered that should be exhibited AT ALL
they would not be surprised If they marched out
with the reply, 1t Is none Of your business :; nor
would il avail them 10 say, they knew well the value Oh
silks or cOttOns and were quite competent 10 ueclare
their value aud were chosen by important papers 10
criticisc anything the public dared to exhibit
NV $500 picture received that amount because It's Naue
III. mont An
my family expenses during that time might more thih
swallow up that sum
The critic with no malice toward me and no rldenes "a
70 the purchaser procaims the effort failure ana the
demand or acceptance OF $500 becomes an apparent
fraud
But this s the business Oi Cricism.' To crltiekc
painting well must not only have thorough khoWi-
edge of the art but OF the circumstances under which
that painting executed and under oH circumstances
the artist should be encouraged and the goOd point
rather than the bad bc pointed ont
whenever picture is poor that no promise is shown,
nothing should be sad-thc critic has no business TO add
modification 10 failure.
on their walls and because they wish tO NIL up va
cant space or please good fellow though poor pan'1l
il is their business, ana theirs alone the p1pc pu
supplied with the best they can collect II Is all thcy can
Look at the late cNbbiuonin Brooklyn Of hc Art As
socatIou. The attcnt ance was uncquded III point OF
numbers and uilty but the exhibitions was not "a
good promise ot American success AF!ls'S are uINci
from the profession by such severe criticism ANA grad
ualy find that more ana more foreign artists
vii he solicited send pictures TO MI mp blank spaces
intended for the display of tine progress OF American
art in American Academies of Design.
say prOgrcss-uOt perfcciOn-aud nothing more need
looked for Thee institutions are none OF them cater
ers Ur the public taste to win the pubhcs money but
simply the humble servants OF the public TO procure
them enjoyment. encouragement To exercise
and cultivate taste and parOnize IT, and when these ef-
forts by journalistic abuse and public dlsaprO-
baton, wonder that 80 little progress Is made Men
of mind and ambition viii seek other avenues for fame and
other sources OF amusement and Tong aS the business,
of criticism i, managed Is, when applied 10 painting
and painters nee never look for Michael Angelo or
! a Raphael in this country OF IN ans other. . .
saw nothing abOu the other arts or professions; that
ia their business. and have DOUBT you are quite cor
rect though they may have some cScusc all Know IS
that vou have great power in your hands, and know
of no naprr which 10 wisely or JudciOusIy'
have taken 10 and read il constantly for many many
| wears Iou don't expect 10 please cNcIybody, ana
should YOU employ in the future the same Ienor-clc>s
critics whoever tncy yourself c'not bc one oi
thcm shall still uphold your paper ~ the best h
Wi-e,t aud the most dign led Oi thcln all But a 'l
one oi you, Judges nor of yOr critics nn simply
am admrrr I know nothing of the critics you employ
personally or by reputation. | wish did. would be
the death OF tHcm could not succeed h hc"-
ing them how differently tney should write Oh arr ana
! Irfists 4 NON EXHIBITOR.