The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-03
THE FINE ARTS.
The Park Museum Project.

number OF circumstances have contributed to
excite considerable public interest in the project for
an art gallery and museum in the park and some Of
our contemporaries have made rather enthusiastic
utterances on the subject, without perhaps giving
due weight to all the disadvantages OF locating such
institution at point remote from the heart OF
the city. AS the scheme for adding to the attrac-
tons Of the park by the establishment Of a great
public art gallery there has many engaging features,
1t is likely to captivate the popular mind, and 1t will
probably be comparatively easy TO execute; but as
there some serious II not fatal objections 10 it,
the subject should be discussed from all points OF
view and its merits and demerts fairly presented.
We propose therefore, to state briefly possible
what the advantages and disadvantages OF an art
museum building in the park will be. The i'm
portance OF having an art institution of some
kind in this city is admitted by all intelligent persons
that have given the matter any consideration, and it
was hoped when the Academy OF Fine Arts removed
from its old building on Chestnut street. below
Eleventh. that it was about to enter upon new and
enlarged career OF usefulness. These hopes have
been doomed to disappointment, and the last state
Of the Academy appears to be worse than the first,
and its affairs in such a hopeless mudde that
the difficulties In the way Of fresh start sum-
cient to discourage the best friends OF the nstitu-
ton. Now, however, comes the proposition to start
an entirely new institution in the park and it is pre-
sented In such shape that 1t is almost certain to
obtain large amount OF public favor If It is urged
with any degree OF enthusiasm and as the Academy
does not seem to care TO make any decided effort
to obtain the effective support OF the public, the
public may start an art institution of it's own
without regard to the Academy. An
abundance Of ground for future as well as for pre-
sent purposes can be obtained for nothing in the
park, and all the money that can be raised either by
private subscription or appropriations from the pub
lie treasury will therefore go to che erection OF
building and the purchase OF works OF art 10 place
In it, comparatively mex pensive and, at the same
time, elegant building which viii be perfectly
adapted for exhibiting pictures, statues and other
art works to the best advantage win be fine addl-
tiOn to the park, especially If 1t is surrounded by
terraces, decorated with statues, fountains and
vases, and all It's external accessories indicating
its artistic character. Such building would be
tors who frequent the park during the warm season
ana II a really worthy collection ia obtained, it
viii do much to advance art culture and to educate
the taste OF the general public All the
ground and vastly more than Is neoes-
sary, being obtainable in the park for
nothing an exceedingly important item OF expense
is done away with at once, and such building as it
would be practically impossible to erect in the heart
OF the city can be put up at a moderate cost, and
upon plan that viii perfectly fulfil the best ideal OF
public art gallery. These points In favor OF the
Park Museum project are OF great importance, but
the fact that during six in the year the park
Is scarcely visited at ALL and that practically the
galleries Will be inaccessible 70 a vast majority OF
the people OF the city, is very serious objection
that sheuld not be ligAny considered. at any time