The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-15
THE FINK ARTS.
The Academy Of Fine Arts.

able locaton-Broad and Cherry streets
but they have as yet taken no steps towards
erecting a new building, or at least they have
done nothing towards exciting public interest
in the enterprise. The gentlemen composing
the Board Of Directors of the Academy of Fine
Arts are all engaged in other occupations,
which employ the major portion of their time,
and they either refuse or neglect to secure the
cooperation of persons outside of their own
body for the promotion of a scheme in which
all the citizens of Philadelphia are more or less
interested. The consequence of this manage
ment, or rather want of manage ment is that
the Academy is now as it ever has been, an
obstacle rather than aid to the cause
OF art culture In this city. 1t
stands in the way of the establishment of an art
school and art museum that will fulfil the
proper ends for which such au institution ought
to exist more than the Academy of Fine Arts
ever has done as yet It is possible that the
directors of the Academy may be able, in course
of time, to put up building such as the art in
terests of the city demand, and when it is COM
pleted fill it with works of permanent interest
and value They may also by their own uuaided
efforts, or with the assistance of limited circle
of stockholders aud subscribers be able to carry
on art schools that will educate properly sue
cessive generations of painters, sculptors, and
industrial designers, and perform all the other
functions of q lrst-class art school. The past
history of the Academy of Fine Arts, however,
does not inspire any very great expectations in
this directions; and experience, if it is of any
value as criterion of the future, proves
that il the new Academy is to be
what it should be, general Iublc
interest must be excited in it. The c.ose corpo-
ration plan upoa which the old institution was
conducted, by which the professional artists
were practically excluded from all share in its
management, was its greatest drawback. The
gentlemen who composed the successive boards
of directors were not artists, but were busiy
engaged In other pursuits, and looked upon the
Academy of Fine Arts more as an elegant play
thing to amuse their leisure moments than as
an important public institution that ought to
exert powerful influence upon the culture of
society. Now If ever, is the time to remedy the
defects of management which have impaired
the usefulness of the Academy of Fine Arts
in the past and it is particularly important that
those who profess to be interested in the matter
should act with decision and energy, as both ia
New York and Boston movements for the esta-
blishment OF extensive art museums aud art
schools have been started under remarkably
favorable auspices The collection of art works
owned by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine
iTlS 10 u utbJcI uuClCuS u RCcdt ART luSbltu-
tion than exists in America, and only lack of
energy and proper management eau prevent a
really valuable art school from being established
here.
As it is, the only art school we have that is
worthy of the name is the School of Design for
Women, and that is embarrassed by want of
sufficient income to enable it to do all that its
principal Professor, T. w. Bradwood, desires.
The claim of the School of Design to notice
does not consist alone In the fact that it carries
out the aim of its foundation in educating young
women for q profession by which they can earn
their living respectfully, but rather In the thor
ough educational course which every pupil is
obliged to pass through. Professor Braidwoods
theory is that art is branch of education, and
that an art school, to be worth anything must
be conducted upon regular system which will
firmly ground the pupil In the elementary prin-
cples which at the foundation of all the vari-
GUS branches of the fine arts. At the School of
Design the pupil is taught to draw as in another
school she would be taught to read, and is gradu-
ally led from the simplest elements to the most
difficult combinations eye, the hand, and
the intellectual and imaginative faculties all
being trained at the same time. The course of
instruction at the School of Design is principally
devoted to industrial art, but the principle is
OhO tAos 10 oPPAASoOiO W duS SShOOA VI dIts uO
matter how extended its aims may be, and that
the course of instruction at the School of De-
sign stops where it does is due to a lack of
means to carry it further rather than lack of
disposition.
The directors of this school have secured the
cooperation of the Board of Public Education,
Immediately for the purpose of obtaining some
pecuniary aid from the State, on condition that
it will educate, free Of charge, forty pupils from
all parts of the State. We are glad that this
step has been taken, for, by making the School
OF Design public institution in a more literal
sense than II is at present, its usefulness will
be greatly increased, and il the Board of Public
Education takes an interest in its welfare il cln
easily be made most important adjunct to the
common and High Schools.
1t is impossible that we shall ever in this
country enjoy the same facilities that the great
art schools of Europe do; but we can compen-
safe for our deficiencies and to some extent
improve upon the European schools by intro
ducing practical system of art education such
as cannot fail TO produce results of a most
gratifying character In order to do this, how
ever, the matter must be put before the public
in sueh a manner as TO secure general sympathy
and support This support the new Academy of
Fine Arts will not receive, except to a very
limited extent, unless the gentlemen who have
its management in hand will show some real
enterprise and interest in the Institution. If