The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-06
ART MATTERS.


on tine 9th OF January. The site selected for
the erection OF this monument TO the great humani-
tartan and philosopher Is In the angle formed by
Park row and Nassau street, 1t is not creditabe to
the citizens OF New York that the care Of oom-
memorating the virtues and services OF so dstin- |
guished an American as Benjamin Franklin should |
have been lett TO private citizen, who, desiring |
TO mark his sense Of the numerous And |
distinguished services rendered 70 him during |
hts long career BY the gentlemen Of tho press,
thought that the most graceful way to do 80 would
be to erect statue to one OF the greatest members
Of the profession. And the result Of that resolu-
ton Is the work which IL becomes our duty TO crit-
else. Were we to consult only our feelings
OF gratitude for the generosity OF the Citizen
who, at great expense, presents the Franklin
statue to the city we should. perhaps write . few
lines commencing his public SPIRIT passing lightly
over the merits OF the work, In gentleness to the
feelings OF the giver. But other considerations
make 1t imperative tnat all works OF art, whether
purchased BY the city government or erected By
private generosity, shall be treateo strictly upon
their merits as
WORKS or ART.
3 The influence Of public monuments In forming
the arr taste Of people Is greater than may OF rst
sight appear, because the majority Of people have
no idea Of what constitutes beauty or merit In
works Of art and especially in sculpture Therefore,
when they see WORKS set up among them with the
authority which their selection by those who
are supposed to know something abont o subject
so caria,e to the general public art they at
assume that the examples set before them ale the
highest development Of art genius. For your
commonplace man Of the world s generally logical
in his views about matters In which he takes
but curious interest," and where his rea-
son is unswayed by prejudice. He therefore
argues In this wise:-"Here Is statue erected at
great expense to do honor TO great man, and no
doubt the people who thought enough about HIM
to erect the statue went to The very best ARTIST and
this is the result" Nothing more logical, more
opposed TO the usual practice In such cases, and
hence the necessity for the watchfulness Of the
press. Already many OF our public places are dis.
figured BY the presence OF
tf--,5 ~ HIDEOUS OBJECTS.
which under the pretence OF concentrating the
virtues OF our glorious dead exercise a baneful
influence on the destiny OF the republic py warning
their fellow cllizens might expose them Gould
Lincoln have seen the statues which grateful
mas ss rSea .. s we are
OF ambition and resolved TO spend his days In
happy ooscurity splitting rails. Little. poor, easy
becoming huge bug.a-b00 to brighten all the dell.
cately organized children who inadvertently should
wander near his stndiao,urn. Shades Of the I'M
mortal dead now you must frown down from
olympus on the
LIBEILoUs LuAPs OF DULL METAL
which thoughtless ana tasteless friends have
erected to your memory How the sages OF the
on o wh SoM s
friends erected t0mos and statues that Will Hive as
monuments Of beauty and grace and inspiration as
statues q : COLOSSAL work about twelve feet ln
pss.od aoia,ns SsSa a. ps
easily on the right foot and the right aand q
extended ~ a r.. though n the grsss man were
not much OF grace In the position yet Of force,
snS me si 70 mad r. FS
ssSS nas 4: .;. :SssS iss:s !! q .Ssss
that ne v to GIVE y; S
secure approval was to impars highly nnis6ed sur
the w w lie, skill Of the ars has been exhausted
The result Is scarcely satisfactory Cor though the
ling is hard and unsatisfactory. quiet and
thoughtful expression has been given to the face Of
THE LINES ARE BOLD AND FIRM
ana not unworthy OF Franklin. The authority for
ed sood pS
TO the proper proportions OF the ngure. which ID
saS a sa ss ug ss. o as n Sss Roc sSS
re, m ,S sc envy the development Of arms
work OF all claim TO be regarded as high art 1t Is
inoomprehenstbe TO US how any man who knows
fan to see the manifest disproportion whloh exists
between the parts. but were It's 4 7T -.
y would sim be weak and inadequate representa-
ton Of the great man VINO compelled electricity
with an agent the most potent In the progress Of
knowledge, and the diffusion OF enlightenment.
u.s. and 4 the statue suggests anything OF the man
It IL his dogmaiism. tempered BY benevoence.
fnu n n n IL 4
1 % & q rs na
THB LIFELsss ToRH OF NAM
with portrait mask OF more or less correctness.
and transfer them to marble or bronze, rs not con-
fncd TO tho American artists, though truth COM
expressed BY line can 6e made as powerful as
nizaOle to me vulgar eye. and the failure to convey
force dignity and the majesty OF mind
s %sn d sns artist ss q eoSs
nixe these qualities II We cannot h&ve statnes
,os ssr y "
recail at least the features Of our distinguished men,
with the genius TO conceive and the skill to execute
WORKS OF HroH AIT.
statues 10 be erected because they hsppen to cost
no money IL calculated 70 encourage foolish people
are unable 70 Judge, and which posterity win
certainly hide away In museums. Although the
costume OF Franklin1s period affords plenty OF
Tor picturesque and affective treatment, as may be
seen IN Foleys statute OF Goldsmith, the artist has
not been equal TO the OCCASION, and mas failed IN his
attempt 10 produce the texture OF cloth In Frank
Inns coat while ~
IT. the ARRANGEMENT OF THE DRAPERY
II 80 stiff and hard as to resemble more nearly
leather than cotn. There 10 not the slightest IN
dication OF form revealed under the clothes, IL
there one sweeping or graceful line IN the compost
tion. The back line Of the figure is absolutely
without form, and the treatment or the drapery Is
30 bad that we scarcely know how appropriately TO
Characterize L. me statue Is the work Of Mr..
Plnsaman.
''PARRAGUT IN MOBILE BAY.n
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD