The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-10

al beauty of the building itself, and will
give us o gallery flfty-one feet long by
thirty-on feet wide and fifteen feet high,
lighted from the roof, easily accessible, and
every way admirably adapted to its pur
pose II Is the wish Of Mr. Park, and in
deed of all interested. that the gallery
should at all proper times be open to the
public as well as to the college communi-
ty.
We have also promises from gentlemen
of wealth and taste, that they will make |
contributions of paintings and others works
of art to be the nucleus of the collection.
We are well aware that for the present the
gallery must be a very moderate one in
point of size, but who can compute the
value to the University and the public, of
even a small gallery, provided the works
are of high order of merit. For two
things IRE to be borne in mind, first, that
the educating power of gallery is in no
degree dependent on size. There are So
called art-galcries containing hundreds of
pictures whose total value for purposes of
agriculture is not equal to that of one first
rate picture. Our enterprise will not,
therefore, be failure, il we succeed in
contributing to the University's resources
for culture only two or three masterpieces
of native or foreign art, provided there be
no second and third rate pieces admitted to
degrade the standard and confuse the effect.
And secondly, it is to be remembered that
collection for purposes of agriculture in
University ought to be founded on totally
different plan from that of a miscellaneous
art-gallery. The object here is not to
crafty the sightseeing and picture
gazing propensity which it is well
enough to encourage elsewhere, but to
gather such works of art as will illustrate
the just art-deas that liberal study aims to
inculcatc, 1t follows, therefore, that
many works of merit might have no ap-
propriate place in such collection, and
might be declined, if offered, without any
imputation upon either the merit of the
work or the kindness of the giver. To for
get this and to yield to the temptation to
fill the gallery with even meritorious works
foreign to the intent of the collection,
would be to sacrifice the unity of plan on
which the real success of the whole enter
prise depends.
Another reason why such gallery
should be kept up to the very highest
standard, even at the risk of its remaining
small for many years to come, is that ar
lists of the first rank might find it to be for
their own interest to contribute to its col
lection. There are few galleries in the
United States in which an Allston or a
Kensett does not run the risk of being de-
graded by being grouped with some anony-
nous daub. 1t is not, we venture to say,
at all presumptuous to hope that we may
gather small and choice collection in
painting AMI sculpture, in which it would
be an honor to the works of the best ar.
lists to have a place.
The trustees therefore solicit from all
persons interested in our enterprise-and
that should mean from all persons who
have at heart the interests of culture in
connection with the University of Yer
Observation-Disclosures in any of the follow.
ing classes, or funds for the purchase OF
the same:
, 1. Paintings-art copies-by either Amer
lean or foreign painters.
reliets, medallions, whether original OF
copied, made under the eye of the sculptor
3. Original drawings.
4. Casts from noted sculptures. These
are especially valuable in art studies and
are comparatively inexpensive.
.. Bronzcs, terra cottas, enamels, faienccs
ancient vases, works in metal and glass,
tapestries, etc, in which the artistic merit
is cons picuous.
6. Valuable engravings, wood-cuts, and
etchings
7. Photographs from originals of the
great masters in painting, and from the
best works in sculpture and architecture.
8. Works of art, biographies, dictionar-
les. criticisms, etc.
The names of the donors will be in
scribed on works of art presented to the
gallery and permanent record will be
kept OF all donations in money.
NJ. H. BUoKHAM,
Il. J. PHELPS,
&. G. BENEDICT, Trustees.
II. A. p. ToRRRY,
l.. G. WARE,