Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-18

prOvcmcnt made by American sculptorH IRON
time 10 time L nowhere more prominent.
That we should have made mistakes nj first
was only natural. Similar mistakes were
made In England, eyen nj later day. Most
Of ours, however were the result Of doubt
Of the skin and experience Of our own artists,
aud too Implicit confidence that We must
look abroad for anything good IN art. Some
Of those marble arc very offensive 20 our tnste,
40 coarse, aud even vulgar In design, Ne 10 be
regarded With regret.
And hero again we have the fact forcibly
presented 10 us that foreign artisis, however
anxious they may be 10 excel In their art
rarely comprehend the spirit Of our lnstliu-
tiOns or properly appreciate the tastes Of our
people. This Is seen In the prominence given
to the grutcsque and uncOuth presented In the
designs NJ some Of these marbles, Instead Of
keeping them more In harmony with the arch
itcclural unity Of the building.
We have now the most encouraging signs OF
Improvement, and feel satisfied that more
correct tnstc prcduminatcs; and TO none are we
more indebted for this than TO American ar
lists themselves, The works Of Crawford,
Powers, ROdgcn, and Stone arc an encourage
Ing feature Of what sculpture has done TO re-
doom the Capitol from the bad effects Of what
hud boon done by others, and Of which. II they
do not MAKE us entirely overlook these
wrotohcd failures, mako us feel more chari-
tably toward them.
Tho difficulty Of getting ut the facts con-
ucctcd with some OF those marbles We have
found 10 be very great owing TO the orders
being given for them and the work paid for
by different departments. In some instances
the President was authorized TO make the
contract for work and pay the nrtlst; In
Others the War Department assumed the att
thority and paid, or rather advanced, the
artist money without any reference TO Con-
gross. Again, Congress assumed control over
all art matters, and made contracts and nogu-
tiatcd with artists through the Library Com
mittcc. The State Department too, had had
something to do with art; and the Interior
Department has more than once had the mat
ter In It's keeping. There arc instances, also,
where ono department made the contract for
q work Of art and another paid for IT, II can
bc yery easily seen how much this singular
complication must have increased the diff
Guilty Of getting at the facts rs TO what was
paid who the parties were, and under what
circumstances their work was performed. II
was also important to know whether some Of
these works were executed from designs by
the sgulptors themselves or were u mere de-
velopuGnt ~ the ideas Of some one olse. But
no record evidence on which tho slightest rcli-
nnco eau be placed Il 10 be found. As an cx-
ample ~ this we may hero mention that VIC
have made dillgcnt search In all the depart
mcnts for some rccori evidence Of how much
was paid 10 Cusici CappcllunO and Gcyclet
for those wrcichcd caTlcaturoB which 80 dis
1guTv the rotunda aud puzzle the wits Of
strangers to tell what tliCy moan, but without
success.
II would have been interesting to know
under what circumstances they were deslgned
and executed, and whether these artists or
some one else was responsible for them. A
number Of persons have theories respecting
them as absurd as they are unreliable, Agcn-
tloman who has been many years about the
Capitol, and whose friends regard him as
profound authority In art matters, asserts that
these grotosguO works are from designs by
jefferson. lie adds also that they arc nothing
more than an expression Of the dislike he was
known TO entertain for certain persons and
things. jefferson never liked the Pilgrims he
says; and rs for Penn, he was by no means an
ndmlrcr OF his character, regarding him us
q Spectator In treaties with the Indians, and
who had after all a nican way OF Away get
ting do best Of uie bargain. He alsn assures
Us thattho unsteady colidltOn In (which Geve-
lot has made his somewhat dllnpldated specl-
men Of the tribe appear as he lands frunI the
boat and locks dOubtingly at the car Of corn
presented by the Indian was intended as o
keen bit OF satire aimed Mt New England.
We can, perhaps, understand Jciicrson's idea
Of representing Penn ~ u quiet well-fod and
wcll.dhposed Old gentleman with an eye to
business, hut why should he desire 10 punish
bravo Daniel Boone by Illustrating hun In oil
the hldeOusnoss art was capable Of Investing
him WITH
OF course there Is not word OF truth In the
above. jefferson had good deal Of natural
sympathy for art, and cultivated taste for Il
while In ParisI snd however etrung his likes
aud dlalikcs for persons and things, he GER
talnly was not the man TO have nude art per-
form 80 dlsagrccahle a part rs Il u made to do
ln ,thcsc rclievoA We must not forget tomen-
rlOn also that both Mr.. jefferson and John q.
Adams had taste for drawing, were friends
and patrons OF art, and have left us fair spe-
clmcns Of their in tho Capitol They nlso adj
Nocatcd liberal encouragement of art by the
Government approaching fully how much Il
improved the mechanical labor Of the country
as ESt,l a., al !, oin "a mas iss.. ~
~ provide means whereby Congress could
sec vt n glance what Il had cost 10 decorate
the Capitol, what encouragement the Govern
mcni ths given TO art from time 10 time what
each work cost when and by whom Il was
executed, and whether by an American or
foreigner. A comparison OF what has been
done can then be made, and n correct judr-
mcnt formed as 10 what ought 10 be done In
the future. We are indebted 10 Mr.. Clark.
the present architect of the Capital, for MANY
valuable facts relating 10 the brunzcs and
marbles OF more recent date; also for a val
Si,1|1ailaTt ipst pladn 10 CongrrSAinyesrDnse
- - ,drcd by Mr.. Hubbard, Of
NAls'ltcuJnL calling for information On The
subject Of art and decoration.
TnE MARBLES, REiIrvos, AND BRoNzes.
l. In treating of these marbles and rulleyDs
we come first 10 what has bcon done In the
rUtunda. Here we have those grotesque ox-
aggcrntlons Of Cuslei, Capcllano, and Gcvc-
lot-thc two hnt italian, and the other a
French nrtlst-works which few persons en-
tering the rotunda can tell what they were In
tended 10 Illustrate. They certainly add moth
Ing TO history, and are simply libel on our
taste as people: Art Is here made to do
what II can 10 make human nature hideous.
Such works do not appeal TO tho finer and
more clcynting sensibilities Of our nature, and
hence the bost Interests OF art arc not promo
ted by them. No doubt these foreign artists
were misled 10 regard 10 our national tastes,
Indeed, II Is difficult 10 suppress the thought
that those artists fancled they were designing
and executing for a people very similar IN
tastes to The Egyptians aud Assyrlans that
they regarded our taste Us Of sadly print
tive order, and that we were people soon 10
pass away, aud to be remembered only as a
rude race who had chisolled It's history In en-
crgctlc but crude relief for the study and
wonder Of those who come after us. Thcsc
works were executed ~ 1850; but although
we have made diligent search In nearly every
department of the GVyernmont We have not
been able IN ascertain by record proof what
was paid for them. N. Geyolot's name Il men
toned In the general appropriation bill for
1897 receiving $3.50, balance of cOmpensn-
ton. II Is stated, on pretty good authority
that the vouchers on which these artists were
paid were destroyed by iiro in the Capitol. II
Is also stated on pretty good authority, that
SO, 800 each was the price paid. Cost, t14,O
I'd. The deliberately designed wreath Just
over the works described above aud intersoeted
with heads Of Sir Waiter Raleigh, In Sallo,
and Cabot, names very appropriately en-
shrined here, were 10y Cappello aud Cusici.
We have rs yet searched IN vain for record
proof Of what this work cost.
Sd. Tho next object Of art which attracts
attention Is the stately figure Of Liberty" in
plaster, In the old hall Of Representatives, and
over where the Speakers desk used TO stand
The design Is bold and strong, and the exc
cution exceedingly delicate In short, the
whole work Is proof that Cuslci the artist,
could do something really good when confined
Within the limits o. work he had been acctis-
toned 10. The eagle, just beneath the female
figure, IL chselled In stono by mn Italian artist
OF the name Of Nulpertl. II Is an exceedingly
fine piece Of worn, and was copied from ma
ture, tho artist having procured one Of the
finest specimens of tho bird ever seen ID the
country for q model This Is the only speoi-
Ii. 4. ~