The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
ABOUT ART FRAUDS.

me following article was published In Ia
Nd<tone, an important Italian paper. IL is from
the pen OF Professor Cavaliucc- who for many
years occupied the position OF Inspector OF the
Forentine Academy OF Fine Arts. lie is q high art
authority, and IS well known as an art critic by
the nom de plume OF Pier D'Ambra The article
was brought out by the charges made by Mr.. Healy
against several American sculptors:-
MR.. STEPHEN WESTON HEALY AND THE sELF-sTYI ED
AMERICAN SCrLPr0Rs.
A question peculiarly American is now vene-
ment y debated in the field oil sculpturaI art This
question. commenced by the publ cation OF book
by Senor Togna, entitled. "Memorie di un Car
riere has been continued BY senator Boutwell,, by
Signor Norton and by signor Weston Heay.
we nave seen the articles published By the last
named gentleman in the World OF New YORK and
IL seems TO US That the writer OF them merits
CIVIC crown Tor the courage shown IN unmaskipg
anu stismatiZiag fraud peacefully exercised, IN
art and OF the true American artists. The fraud,
noted ttDpts et tonsortous, consists in this, that
celtaih seii-styied American artists send 10 their
country, signed with their own names, works
tnat are Imagined modelled AMI carved by IN
digent Italian artists and IN this manner easily
themselves through the large gains produced by
TINS contempuDe commerce and by the confidence
reposed IN them by their fellow countrymen.
This dishonest speculation, whicn has aroused
the generous Indignation OF the writer's, aud OF
the New YORK journal aforementioned, mas been
pfactlsed Tor many years; and II 1t IS only recently
That 1t has been brought TO tie puolc knowledge
by means OF the press this Is due to the
VINO. owing 10 sentiments OF hospitality.
always maintained silence concerning fact TO
them Well known, Notwithstanding that from
the fact Itself, and from the silence maintained,
there resulted TO them materially a damage
s u extingulshed income That such wound
mas been cauterized without mercy is al excellent
tning, and II excellent also that lron whence
came the eyll should proceed also the remedy. RI
less thah halI OF what mas been written BY Signor
Healy IN the World had been written BY Italians
III Italian journals. II Is certain that America
would have rejected the accusation as a calumny,
and that TO US would have resulted damage and
rldlcuie. On the contrary, however, the words OF
Signor Heay, with when Qnsplred by true love
OF art and bl nigh sentiments OF national nonor,
he has unveiled the mysteries OF a ring that de-
frauds America OF money and corrnpts her artistic
taste, nave realized the desired effect; that IS,
they nave been heard, repeated, commented
upon, and, what's most important or all, believed.
Now, even though, which we do not believe,
they should prove insufficient to obtain the radl-
Cal extirpati0n OF the evil, they VIII always remain
se nHnie ps1ess q nv ana loyal mind
scious OF the facts but not stained by that pitch,
desire themselves to AVOID every connivance VITA
The reproduction In ertenSo or the heads OF the
accusations formulated In the various articles pub
llshed by SIgnor Healy would occupy too much
space, nor would the recapitulatioD OF them he
productive OF great uttity inasmueh as the prlncl-
pal Journals OF Florence have already translated
and reproduced large portions OF the articles OF the
Word, recognizing their justice, opportuneness
and truth. ..
OF Sign0r Healy, who has the advantage over the
other OF being That which in legal terms Is called
scprdtuoyo, we shall see what measures the
American government will adopt to prevent the
renewal Of similar frauds. encouraged by . pro-
tecucnist law which amerces the genius OF Tor
eigners and franks that OF fellow countrymen, in
oruer that The latter may aggrandize himself with
slight effort In another nation. lt would be trivial
10 demonstrate the error OF conhding the develop
ment OF the national art and the care OF Its I'm.
provement to the administration Oh taxes or OF
CUSTOMS since this OF Itself appears clear and EVIL
dent. NNHH1I yNU Ts esne F@
1t is OF little moment to u.s. morally materially,
1t becomes another question: that to the great art
OF the Old World slOuid be closed the field or the
New; but 1. should be OF the utmost Importance to
America that those who, exiies from their native
soil, endure severe LABOR, hardships and poverty
In order to render them elves worthy OF the name
OF artists among artistic peoples, virtuous)y en-
ploying all the forces OF their genius to render
lllustr0us their own name and that Of their coun-
try, that these should not encounter an impede
ment to the noble work in the easy competition
made against them by sei-styled c0mpatrlot
artists, who in art seek not glory but interest;
not the satisfaction OF the SOUL but mode OF salts
Tying the greed Tor easy and immeoiate gains,
which gains they procure by insulting, beneath
the snauOw Of a customs law, the dignity Of their
brothers and the poverty OF strangers.
PIER D'AMBRA.