The New York herald., 1871-09-05
Art PATRONAGE.

There Is no subject more intimately con-
nected with the progress Of art in any country
than the question Of patronage, for on the
nature of the support given by the public will
in great measure depend the quality Of the
art produced. 1t Is an error to imagine that
art pursues its way independent of all lower
influences, soaring constantly into the regions
of higher thought. Unfortunately, artists are
very much like other people, only endowed
greater weaknesses. And no matter how
much their sense Of what is right may be out
ragged In catering for public taste, their opin-
ions must be subordinated to the two great
aims of modern life--to live and get rich. II
fame and wealth can be acquired by sacrificing
the future to the present, how many will have
strength to resist the temptation2 Whatever
may be an artists power, unless he can accom-
modate himself to the tastes and prejudices
of his time he must fail from q worldly point
of view.
There are few men with sufficient moral
strength to throw away living aud enjoyable
fame for shadowy uncertainty in the future.
When the mode of human life was simpler,
and men had few wants, it was, perhaps, pos
sible to devote ones self to the pursuit of
high art with certain independence of popu-
lar opinion; but to-day patronage can no
longer be dispensed with. Few men are pre-
pared to initiate Barrys sublime devotion, or,
as some have 1t, folly, and perish Of hunger
while struggling against the adverse decision
of corrupt public taste. Nowadays people
misc with their strongest convictions, and
accept what appears to be inevitable
The influence Of public opinion on art
during such an accommodating period cannot
fail to be marked, and we have men Of
undoubted power, like Firth, casting them
selves down and worshipping in the dust
the idol that brings gold to its votaries.
Here we have an excellent example of the
power Of patronage over art In tempting men
with really noble powers from the higher
paths to make them minister to the corrupted
taste Of the times. Year after year we see
paintings without aim or lesson come from
Mr.. Frith's easel to be received with acclama-
ton by the public, whose vanity is fattered
at seeing Its own shadow cast upon the canvas.
Wonderful as most of these paintings are from
the technical point Of view, there is little
thought behind them, and we have to regret
the waste of powers that might have produced
something worthy to live forever.
Patronage, to be useful to the higher interest
of art, must be dispensed with knowledge and
discrimination, so that artists shall be con-
vinced that their only hope of success shall in
future be In conscientious work. At present
we fear that not so much attention is paid by
a large class Of purchasers to the artists work
as to bis reputation, and this running after
fashionable artists is as much the result Of
ignorance AZ of TASTE Unable often to
distinguish good work from bad one, the
patron sees his only guide, and it is not bad
one, In an artists reputation. No doubt 1t is
wiser for man with money and without taste
to place himself in the hands Of a popular
artist, than to trust himself to the tender mer-
cies of picture dealers but we quarrel with
the custom on public grounds. Once an
artist feels that his name is sufficient to sell
his work, Independent of its intrinsic value,
the chances are that he will be tempted to
neglect the careful, conscientious execution
that made his reputation. There is another
and infinitely more injurious patronage ex-
tended to men of mediocre talent, or Of no
talent at all, by the influence of cliques and
coteries who take up certain unappreciated
fhot in IN ho tlo vcti of tho
malignant envy of his brother artists. Did
we not know how successful humbug
and impositions of all kinds are
with the simple, good-natured public,
we might be astonished at the wonderful
reputation enjoyed in small circles by men of
genius whom an ungrateful world ignores.
Some people seem to forget that we live In an
age where talent is commodity that the
public are only too willing TO pay for, and that
it is no longer possible for man to have real
genius and remain unknown in the domain Of
art sv m.ol
necessary to possess a large amount of tech
nical knowledge, combined with refinement Of
feeling and love or what is beautiful and true.
These conditions are so seldom found COM
bined, even in people Of the highest culture,
that it is no wonder the majority Of those who
buy art works do so with the vagoest ideas as
to what constitutes their real beauty and value.
If paintings and sculpture were only pur-
chased by people of aesthetic taste from pure
love of art, the number of our artists would be
very much diminished, and, we feel compelled
to add, their quality greatly improved. As
long as mediocre works find ready sale among
and vanity and little else, we shall continue to
be AFFLICTED by the presence of gaudy clap-trap
paintings intended for this class Of buyers.
1t is absolutely painful sometimes to and
ones self in the gallery of people without taste,
and to he Obliged by politeness to look solemn