The New York herald., 1871-09-25
The international Exhibition
i'm London.
lis Refining Influences, lndustpial Stimulus
and Worldwide Lessons.
WHAT CUR ARTISTS ARE DOING,
NATIONAL INDUSsRlAL EXHIBITION.
American Art. m the Institute Fair

America from wha ts TO be seen in the American
Institute Fair he veuld return ms own country
with very false lO:ions an important subject.
Ii can scarcely be pretended that any branch OF
Amercan ndusry Is fully represented in the depart
ments,of the nsgitute but instance rs the
representation 80 poor as ia the DOMAIN OF art we
do net uiderase to assign any cause for the appa-
rent want OF interest in the important matter OF art
displayed b. the managers OF the fair; for we as
snne tnat fRe fault lies in great part with them.
Were proper gallery accommodation provided for
THE E,HBITIoS OF PAINTING AND SCULPTURE
we have DO doubt tnat the artists would be de-
lighted 10 exhibit their works ior the amusement
md Instruction OF the pubic But with the space
present devoted to ne art it not to he expected
zbat ahysning approaching TO an exhibition OF
- aiming Of sculpture would he attempted. No
boubt promoters OF the Institute look upon the
sbpe arts beng more ornamental than useful and
Save designed the Fair more as purely industrial
show than position OF the manifold forms or ma
nona skill. But, 1t may be safely asked are not
painting and sculpture Of much national I'M.
purtanoe as chdren's toys and matters OF that kind
wDIcD occupy not little space in the FarY We are
OF opinion that, even from q mercantile point OF
view they are of much more Importance and we
are Just as badly IN need OF the development OF
NATIVE SKILL
in these higher branches OF industry as we can be
IN the merely mechaDCa pursuits
It's Impossible TO waGder through the spacious
build ng where the exhibition Is held and not be
sirack with how much 1t represents the American
character II the examples OF high art be absent
We al least hnd some compensation IN the pre- sence
OF what is useful. Whatever can contribute to aid
man m his rude struggle with Nature here is found
IN extraordinary Development Great machines are
N motion, and we listen to
THE MUSIC OF THE WHEELS
rs they sing their ceaseless whirrng song, and we
can almost imagine we recognize the burden pro.
claiming the triumph or inventive genius over the
opposing forces of inertia with which Nature would
bar the path 70 progress. Mighty pumps are busy
throwing out countless gallons OF water at rate
equal to the now Of a small river. Wonderful saws
are cutting The daintiest shapes IN wood with the
deiicacy and accuracy that lazy might display
ID making iancy Shapes In paper: or some
PONDEROUs-JAwED INVENTION,
AXE one OF those monsters OF ancient fable crushes
the nara quartz with grating noise and with as
much ease as though the Jumps OF rock had been
peas. Seemingly endless Inventions have been pat
snted for hemming, sewing and stitching, ami, In
fact, every one OF the genter and daily useful arts
OF life seem to have received aid from the
INVENTIVE GENIUS OF TIE NATION
Whatever could contribute 10 the ease OF life or
che Increase Of material wealth engaged the at
tentOn OF an eminenty practical people, the exclu-
eion OF merely aesthetic pursuits. Hitherto our
yOung nation has not had the leisure necessary to
Che development OF deep art feeling But the love
OF the beautiful finds expression slowly and GER |
tainly as the accumulated gains Of ages of rude in
dustry leave time and opportunity to the fortunate
20 cultivate whatever there may OF aesthetic in their
nature. Indications Of progress In the less preten
tIOus but useful branches OF
ART WORKMANSHIP
moi wanting. Inlaid furniture mirrors and |
ornaments exhibit some taste anu Skill bat are far
from being in satisfactory state. These Industries
are 80 closely allied to pure art that 1t Is aim i'm
possible that they should reach, unaided, their |
highest Developments 1t is, therefore, not astonsh-
tng that certain crudeness Is visible In most OF |
Ahese works and that want OF tone Is especially |
SGouceabe where coors are used disposition 10 |
Ahe lavish use Of gold ornament displaying some of
ahe tendencies Of barDaric art The want OF appre-
Cation OF the right use OF color is evidenced in the
arrangement OF the exhibition ITSELF which, viewed |
from The art gallery, presents |
A SCENE OF GAUpY MAGNIrIcENcE.
Entering The art gallery from the large hall we |
hrd ourselves confronted by a number OF photo |
graphs which remind strongly OF the shop fronts |
Of some popular artist OF portraiture There seems
dlnary photographs should occupy much space in
thing 10 DO With H. Some absolutely
WORTHLESS PAINTINGS
constitute most unworthy representation Of Ameri-
well known painters has contributed, and Indeed, we
Soa mot be g9as too m 10 ha not
better IN the sculpture department. TO which rogers,
the sataeie sculptor ana MISS WINNIE Ream have
ROGERS WORKS
v almos, complete, and, though there is visible
good deal OF inequality both in the conception and
execution OF his groups. the general impression is
Of ,e Saona @ at ing mos aae graRG
period OF our history the little groups which Mr..
MSss hs mas te eeeS az v he
iarse n ana as e men and are strongly
81 al p N he noqitl Of
the groups, tnd this added TO the truthfulness Of
WINS OUR ADMIRATION
at sight. What lends still greater importance to !
these realistic compositions Is their freshness They
1ndgg%aiity OF design than most modern work. Mr.
.nIs,as Sas also overcome one Of the great DIM
Sun.,es na VI modern sculpture in his treatment OF
ooeTn IN al cos.mr He has shown that 1t is possible
thing OF '' "AN A~' s''" e''N0'
DIGNITY TO TIE RAsGEpNEss
Oi some OF his SUBJECTS We confess however that |
we don't much admire the in,roduciioa of RAGS. by
Boy Is saved from orensveness By the woneeEnI
arrangements OF color, which clothes the subject in
mo sculpture must be al the cost Of broken and
Jagged lines For then there is nothing to soften
THE POETRY DIRT
which is mixed up in our minds with the notion OF
value Of sucn works as Taking the Oath" "The |
Returned Volunteer "one More Shot, Mail |
work and the Returned Volunteer would Of |
themselves be SUFFICIENT 10 stamp Mr. Rogers as an |
artist OF considerable power and unusual fertility OF
invention. Not alone has he succeeded In throwing |
great dramatic expression into The persoDages OF
the groups, but he has displayed ability TO arrange
Of no mean order. OF his larger work '1he Angels
Mhspel we cannot speak 50 highly. AS well a.
W. Voulu sec H. III tue absulx position Ia which 1t
hss Deen placed, " appcaIs~to us wanting in force
an" eApressloh IN tact IL Is altogether
POOR CONCEPTION.
AIHsts VIZ, wuo nave gained fame IN miniature work |
seiy seidom emerge successfully from the path in
winch tbey nave been trained. The auali1cs y tions |
Tor miniature work dlder SO materially from, tbose
required IN large compositions that the artist ao-
rustoDled 10 small work finds himself at sea ami
unsole 10 preserve due proportion m The larger
scac. Winnie Ream has placed on view her
"Niram,n An Ideal Bust OF America, ana Inc hnst |
of the Lincoln statue, with two smaller Ideaized
portrait buss. These works are in marble and are
IN direct contrast 10 the miniature groups OF Mr.
HA.rn As ~ a al In o.