New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-11
ART COLLECTIONS.
co,,,rued from First Page.

and
-itb the italian and German and spreading into the
x-onch Flemish Dutch, Spanish, and English phases
INIT, Il reaches our time, taking IN Sweden, kusss
extterland and America the whole current covering
Che second third and fourth artperiods, which last mas
NOT reached it's ultimate development Ofhe first PERIOD
there exists but easel specimen, the creek painting
An encaustc known the Muse OF Cortona' IroOaoiS
some mural pictures like those dsnterreu az ropc'i
might be obtained, but these impeneotly represent
either Grecian or Eruscan painting in It's superior phase
although desirable as showing the classical Styles OF
decoration There would be no difficulty In md
ing examines OF Byzantine and Italian painting pres
yous to Cmabue 10 show the connecting Inks between
the degenerate classical and crude renassant arr ana
how eucaustc passed into tempera fresco into OIL and
Tho devclonement OF watercolor Mutilaed sculpture
which should always remain unrestored affords the only
ADEQUATE means left Of judging Of the fine art OF the
frs period whether Grecan, Etruscan or Roman; Tor
there Is abundance Of it above ground, and douotess
more below awaiting resurrection at the excaVaSors
shovel Egyptian, PhGnician, and Nineyite sculpture
forms suitable introduction 10 the classical Nhea gen
uine works cannot be procured casts can be admitted
because unlike copies OF paintings being exact snd me
ehanical reproductions Of the originals in everytmngeA
cept their material they will not misead elhef TIC anna
teur or artist, although the absence OF the sen''onV
which attaches itself to the antique object s depressing
TO their legitimato'efect.
The minor arts are Of scarcely loss importance boh ior
their aesthetic qualities and the insight they admit into
tbe interior life OF people. They are not so easily
classed into intellectual periods as the preceung DC
cause less open other motives than simple uesHe io
the beautiful Whatever is most loved is certain ~ hN
expression them and all the more notably II inc I"Oe
does not aspire the highest forms OF art mus nap
ps with the oriental races, especiayh deharred by
their gions from sculpture Indeed painting ana
sculpure IN no age have been developed IN Asia s IN
Europe except in the wake Of Greek and Roman coe-
nists But the Arabs Persians Hindoos' Chinese ana
japanese attained the highest excellence in their re-
ppective minor arts. No museum would be complete
that ed TO share the specific supremacy Of these gifted
decorative design the value Of ornament as an
aesthetic principle and their browning merit OF color
Fine workmanship is distnctvey theirs as exquisite
taste They are capable Of teaching Europe much that
ind pensabe TO know 1t would not altogether lose its
appreciation OF the beautiful in the lesser matters Of life
For centuries Europe has vanly sought 70 rival the
finest porcelanS bronzes metalwOrk arms, enames and
iacquer-no speak the strictly industrial arts
20 fabric aud use but in quality andfunouons scarcely
les, aesthetic Of carpets, shawls, and cotumes-of the
Asatcs who also fabrcac many other articles OF equal
beauty but peculiar to their habits and tastes In
Japan especially we find a hundred objects made to
crafty the national passion for the beautiful 70 one sim
ply useful OF convenient article its sense Of beauty and
love % nature being kcener than any other peoples One
OF the chief duties Of is to point ont our own
deficiencies the finer elements OF civilization II We
can impart useful knowledge 10 the Asiaes. they can
contribute TO our santy aesthetic Of enjoying ex
istence.
That which is true as regards them is relatively true
OF all those races which have preceded MS in the march
of civilization. There is world Of delight open to
US AZ We go to their aesthetic level in the ceramicware,
bronzes glass gems and ewery Of the ancients partc
ularly the terracottas whose cheap flexible and dura
Die material suited for the reproduction Of the finest
and beautiful plastic art TO adOrn the interiors OF
buildings, and il equally adapted to color OF gliding
Protected by the glazing invented by Luca della RObbia
tbp atrp In
shove arts Europe has refrigerated Before Christ glass
was manipulated into shapes and coOrs that caused 1t to
rival the finest ntagOs and wrought precious stones OF
the best classical and renassan times working from the
delightful substance wOndrOus beauty and variety Later
Venetian glass shows different attempt; its guse il
sparkling rrdcscent ghness, the foaming laughter of
gods polished and cut dissolvng into opaleseen'
ether connecting link between the most refined ma
teTality and the latent spirituality OF things Byzan
fine ena1nes I'm their barbarc spendor Of attire and
archie forms Limoges, in their paTadiAcal sheen ond
classical designs; Palissy's delicate reproductions in
oolored glazed clay Of natural objects and exquisite In
yeptions Of his own fancy the tprisnatic suster,
ruby and gold reflections Of Maestro Georgia
last secret, whose ware sells for its weight IN
the precious metal; the magnificent majolica OF
tie Dukes OF UrbnO; the eweled immortaltes OF Ben
veuuo Ceui and his compeers spiritual forms Of Lucs
della R0bba OF Flanders; tapestries OF Italy
and France: TeutOnc carvings and quantness in metals
and pottery euce the soul into moments forgetfu-
ncss Gifts temporary Imprisonment In human clay In
short everything down TO own time consecrated 70
tie service OF the spirit in and by him invented sug
costing something above and beyond the flesh. All this
comes under the definition OF deghtsomeness in art.
and I'm Its order Of creation and should be garnered
into the American Museum as the nest egg OF the
nations aesthetic culture But nothing in e1eesS, as in
the Louvre where seen hundreds Of valuable uten
fils Of antiquity and commonplace paintings Of later
time especially Of the French school, serving only TO
a. 49, ,.-g,N rToTU,u
examples Of any class Of objects more effective than
myriad. while the common and vulgar should be rig
MUSEUM BUILDING.
without some knowledge Of the objects FOR which
museum is to be designed, the architect works at
random and is liable 10 make grave mistakes in the dis
trbution If the Interior well in lighting and deco
rating the edidce. Museums ef art being Of recent
origin, their architecture aud arrangement still mat
teTs OF experiment In Imperial Rome the temples
used 20 accommodate works Of art the churches in
Pspal, and in all times theIpaaces Of Princes II has
been left 10 our epoch 10 construct proper
forming part OF system Of popular instruction Hence in
the prevailing ncertude their organization and
structure old student Of art may be permitted TO
offer a few general suggestOnsSwhch light prove OF
use 10 the public at large if they present nothing
the professional builder and artist Not only should
museum building be absolutely fire and weather proof
but so constructed heated and ventilated az to main.
tain at all seasons as nearly possible equal TEN
perature neither too dry too moist. Granite
blcs when subjected TO great heat, and iron beams
expand and act as lever TO throw down walls. On
account OF their oils and other materials paintings
very infammable and liable 70 sudden and violent
bustion II once attacked by fire. They also, do many
objects art when exposed 10 humidity rapid
alterations cold and heat dust or noxiOus vspOrs
particularly gas The clearness OF the American atmos
phere Is favorable 20 lighting but its extreme dyness at
times Injuries delicate surfaces Worse than the climate
are The Lotar furnaces IN common heaters These
will split in comparatively short period panel paintings
and cause even oil TO crack and shrink, II not &C
tuay TO drop from the canvas. Indeed furnaces and
Che fumes Of gas destructive TO the inorganic life
OF fine art as they % organc human LIE consuming