New-York tribune., 1873-03-04
AMERICAN ART 1T HLENNA.

AMERICAN Art At VIENNA.
IL now appears that the United States Will
not be represented at the Exhibition In Vienna
this year. so far as the Department of Art Is
concerned The causes of this failure are varl-
GUS, and we may prepare for series OF some
what lively recriminationS between the parties
in interest. But 1t would seem that the true
obstacle lay in the nature of the case. There
have been two or three false starts made, but
| it is questionable if even under perfect man
| agement the attempt would have resulted
more successfully The Committee first ap-
pointed by Gen. Van Buren to take charge of
the contributions consisted exclusively OF gen
| tlemen well known as amateurs of art and
liberal purchasers of pictures. Most of them
were men of the highest character, and
generally of eminent fitness for the position.
| But it would certainly have been better to
compose the Committee partly of amateurs and
partly of artists, which would have enlisted a
much more universal and varied activity in
the work of collecting and transmitting to
Vienna such specimens of American Art as
would have done us credit and formed sub
stantial addition to the artistic attractions OF
the Exhibition. But the omission of all art
lists from the Committee naturally reused
good deal of unpleasant criticism, and the con-
sequence was that the gentlemen appointed,
feeling themselves placed in a falsepOsltion
| in relation to the artists and the public, and
| pOssibly not unwilling to be freed from a
thankless Office rendered their resignation,
| and the amented death of Mr.. George p. Put
| nam, their Chairman, which happened about
| that time, deprived Gen. Van Buren of the
| assistance which might have been derived
from his intelligent and unprejudlced advice.
| After the resignation of the original Com
mittee the management of the whole matter
was rendered. by what will appear to many q
similar error of judgment, to the Academy of
Design, and the Council of this institution,
after some natural objections at the lateness
of the day, accepted the charge. They first
asked for more space than had been allotted
us, and 200 square meters were added to the
already considerable area which was waiting
for our pictures After this was accomplished,
it became evident that the entire enterprise
was regarded with discOuraging degree of
languOr and Indifference on the part of
prominent collectors and leading art
lists. The profit which would come
of an exhibition of their pictures
this Summer in Vienna was prOblematical at
best, and the risk of damage during the long
sea and land journey there and back was very
considerable 1t was not to be wondered at,
therefore, that the owners Of valuable and
costly pictures should hesitate at exposing
them to these hazards, and that unknown
artists and injudicious collectors should crowd
their possessions with embarrassing liberalty
| A. Tha fan ia hot
few works of the first rank were offered and
that one interior city requested all the space
at the disposal of the American Commissioner
for its struggling art and the fortuitous col
lections of its millionaires. 1t soon became
evident that the show which could be
made in the time allotted would not
be creditable, and it was this con-
victon, rather than any incidental differ
ence of opinion about details, which induced
the Council of the Academy of Design to send
in theiI resignation on the 25tA Qf February
| last, and to decline to take further action In
the case. There was, it is true, dissidence
of rather trivial consequence in regard to the
salary of q commissioner who was to accom-
pany the contributions to Vienna and to take
charge of them there. The Council proposed
that he should be paid $4,000, and Gen. Van
Buren, declined on the ground that the appro-
priation did not warrant any such disburse-
ment. This, we say. was not a matter of i'm
pOrtance, as the money could have been raised
by subscription in ten minutes on any Saturday
evening at the Century Club. The ROOT of the
whole matter is, that there is not enough interest
felt in the Exhibition to induce our promi-
nent amateurs and artists to send their pic
lures to Vienna, of their own accord, and the
misunderstanding about the appointment of
a Committee have prevented that energetic
and Jealous canvassing which would have
counteracted this general apathy. The result
of it all is that Gen. Van Buren, has on his
hands about dozen objects of art, which he
might as well return to their owners. An i'm
perfect representation of American art would
be much worse than none at ALL