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

ployOd for quite different purposes. The
committee, In another part Of lts report,
saysi What our artists want is recognition
By their government, encouragement, pro
tecuon, employment, when II can be prop
erly Afforded, aud then they will produce re-
suits worthy OF the age and the land In
which they live. But the history Of art In
all Countries proves that without national
AID art never has reached its highest dsysl-
then, feel the sustaining hand Of their gov.
eminent, exerted through the intelligent
management OF an art commission appolnted
under resolution. OF Congress, and whose
functions shall be confined 20 the selection
Of designs for the Embellishments OF the Cap
hol and other public buildings and grounds
at this national metropolis, and this CON.
mittee entertain no doubt that the result VIII
ylndlcate the ability Of Americai artists 70
compete with any known 10 the world. But
90 long a. By the employment OF foreign
artists and foreign Workmen upon any de-
partment Of the public buildlngs, whether
mechanical, architectural, or ornamental
the native artist feels that some power al
Iorces him from public sympathy, aud that
his profession and his proficiency In Il are
unappreciated By his country, we shall be
deprived OF the beautiful influence Of his
genlua." ..I.. ~. 1854.
In referring 10 what ought 10 have been
done By American artists in decorating the
Capitol, the committee says; "rhe commit
tee regret to be compelled 10 abuse the de-
hciency In this particular, so far as the deco
ratlye work OF the extension Of the Capitol
has progressed. An eagle and the national
nag may Be discovered occasionally amidst
the confusion Of scroll work and mythology
cal figures presented TO the eyeI but tho
presence OF conventional gods and goddcasos,
with meaningless scrolls and arabesquea,
albeit they may be wrapped In the red,
white and blue will never suggest 70 the .
American, a. he wRnders among the balls
and committeeman, any Idea TO touch his
heart or inspire his patriotism"
The committees report, on the whole,
was good onei and II II did not enter into
details, at least made valuable suggestions,
pointed 10 the true source OF the evil, and
showed how an effective remedy could be
applied. But those having charge OF the
| work on the Capitol treated II with singular
indifference. Indeed they regarded Il as In.
terfering with their preroghtITns, and went
on wasting money and dlsnguring the ln-
terror Of what was acknowledged 70 be ono
Of the finest bulldlngs In the world.
| Foreign artists were still preferred and
| foreign decorators employed. The Aarne III
advised and expensive system or decoration
wa1 kept up, In which neither the history OF
tho country nor the spirit Of liz Institutions
bad any part. II seemed also TO be the Iule
| that one great failure made by = foreign
artist was hls beat recommendation for So
curing another order. II may DO generous
10 do this, but II certainly docs not display
good Judgment, aud even the generosity may
be questioned when Il IL made attic expense
Of the people.
The most strange thing OF all In the deco.
ration Of the Capltol-and y would seem
Incredible anywhere elso-ls the fact that 70
Al. la a "A
that which now dlsngures one OF the panels
Of the House Of Representatives, represent
Ing Washington receiving the commission
ers, and which ls standing libel on the
/ good taste Of members, was given the order
70 paint picture 10 all one Of the most
prominent and important places In the Cap
| itol, and which OF all others should have
been given 10 4 native artist. In only one
Instance have we seen the apology advanced
that we had not an American artist 10 whom
i We dare trust the order. The best answer 10
| this Il that n we had not, Il would At least
have been better 10 have let the place remain
vacant until Wo had. In short, We could NOS
we'll have got anything worse than We did
for our money.
history and allegory set Oh In gaudy eolors
and unlntelllgIble figures, aud go confused
as 20 completely bewllder those not Versed
10 It's mysteries, which fllt what IL called
the eve OF the dome. The conception and
the execution are equally bad. The stranger
from abroad very naturally asks how IL was
that with 80 much acknowledged talent
among American artists - men who have
shown no lack Of inventive genius elther--a
| foreigner should have been called In and In
trusted with the painting Of picture which
should have something In Il 70 conform 10
/ the national character Of the building, but
which has not anything. Native artists are,