New-York tribune., 1876-06-05
BRITISH ART.
TIE ROYAL, ACADEMY OF ART.


IHE ACADEMY's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
IxTRRPEhHvCH Observation-Disclosures FAVoRiTisM
or THE AssoCIATEs--TnE FORTUNES or nc
TUrE-GREAr PRICES FOR CELgBRATED PAINT
INGs.
LONDON, May 1O.-An attempt was made last
night to induce the House of Commons To overhaul
the Royal Academy of Art. IL was unsuccessful Dut
the speech of Sir Charles Dixie and the debate which
followed it can hardly bo without some influence on
the Academcians themselves, deaf az they are 10 to
voics of public opinion Complaints against the
management of the Academy have long been heard.
The insee OF some If them is not denied but some OF
tho advocates of the Academy in the House took tho
ground that i: was exempt from Parliamentary Jurs-
dction while Others not denying the right of Par
lament TO CONTROL urged that it was better reforms
should come from within. In the end Sir Charles
Diikes notion, having done part Of its work by pro-
v0knne full discussion, was withdrawn.
II is certain however, that criticisms on the Acad-
emy will not be slenced till some of the abuses cIIt
cised have been removed. sir Charles Dilkes
speech. which contains "a pretty complete onunora
ton of them, viii remain on record, and protests
will continue To bo heard. The Academy is a close
corporation, peTpetuating itself 10y seii-eiection
Receiving no grant fiom the Government, 1t claims
notwithstanding the splendid gift of the Burlington
House site, immunity from government supervslon
II does little toward the promotion of tho ART 0i
dCsiga. 1t is not "a representative OF English ART
Architecture and sculpture get no encouragement
from the Academy. Its idea of art Is painting, ana
its idea of painting is figure panting-and 10 sinall
nart of its figure painting is purtrait painting.
Landscape is steadiiy discouraged OF the sixty
Academicians and Associates not six are landscape
-. r..afo - aplt
gland of late years have been the formation Of
Schools of Design and of tho National Gallery.
The Academy had nothing to do with either lis
management of the yearly exhibition creates yearly
scandals AcaGelricians have right to send in
eiaht pictures each. all Of which must be hung, aud
four of which must be hung on the line. Year after
year the walls of Burliurton House are covered
with huge canyascs, portraits of men aud portraits
OF women and portraits horses and even portratsoi OF
dos the work of Acadcmc.ans. some of whom have
long passed their period Of good work. and some of
whom have never reached it. Tho legitimate func-
tiOns OF the Academy are degraded it has become
shop for the d4play and s2lc of the particular KIND
of painted wares produced by the H. AS IN Ire
greatest quantity aud for the richest patrons Meii-
orious pictures by outsiders are yearly excluded by
scores and by hundreds. TO make room for these por
traits and for what ars called "historical" PIE
lures. IHr ipNliil Nhi'H t'A''i'' H'' 'NJ"'''
pictures is composed exclusively of Aca-
deiuicians. The efforts to increase the mum
Der Of Associates ha5 been bitterly and,
til lately successfully opposed. There were but
20 since it i. cline known Tat the matter was To
be discussed IN Parliament .n' Academy had lIudg-
ircly chosen four mcrc Tho average age of tho
new Assocatc- is 81. That is the kind ot recocni-
ton ihs institution gives TO struggling merit ~ its
youth. i, withhold, recognition TIL recognition can
no longer be helpful. \ Royal Commission inquired
intosOae o. these abuses ID ycasaeo. Ihat Comnna-
sion nnaniror. !v recommended tlat Royal charter
should 10 rrau.cd to Che Acalcmy, with yiaitorial
power 10 The Crown; that q very larro Increase in
tho number cf hssCciat,s should be made; that tho
Ugh, o.. each Academioian to hang ceHt pictures
should bc cut down and that the exhibition should
bc free 10 thc public one day n each week. Not one
OF tbcsc !. .oonmcudatou, has been earned ont.
That is pretty formidable indictment, certainly.
Most Of is couuta may be found III Sir Charles
Dike's speech Lui layo stated some of them mITo
Iiuu.iy ilau hc did, and perhaps added some which
have LONG been IN ia, habit OF hearing. Many Of
thcm are legitimate grievances and undcuIbln
abuses Ga. what say the advocates o. the Academy
I'm ID. House? Dir. BalHe Corhmue is 'he irauErst
OF 10 , and he declares in 50 many words iha, tAo
RoyA Academy is net bound - carry ont amy re-
forms at all That is English rofy-.ngii5h. to tbc
backbone. Other defenders OF the institution speak
IN a more iudirious tone; Nj Gladstone among
them but it al comes To pretty much the same
Thing. Let it alone. Mr. Gladstone does not doah
that Parliament has The night TO interfere lie does
not doubt that reform, are required. Bat ho
doubts whe,lor Parliamentary Interference would,
on The whole. to beneficial.
Saturday of C.uis,ios was one of those memorable
days to the art world which come Two three times
q sal. that pf
tic Wynn-Hllis collection Of modern pictures, yet t
would no. have ranked with the II latest but for the
price brought hy. % siuglo picture. In general spien
dor it was much inferior 10 The Gii.ott ManleY Hall,
and Br.dal sales. Bui a single Gal,borougb, the
famous portrait OF Goo.giaul, Duchoss Of Devon
shire, was sold for suu OF money which
5iT. Woods tlc actionecr. declared 10 be the
greatest sum that bad ever beon given in those
roo ms for picture. That is equivalent - saying
th, greatest sum picture has ever fetched by auc-
ton i'm Eneiard. The portrait is spoken oi M rap
mrous terms by those who have seen it-a pleasure
which missed. The history, as told by Slr. Woods,
is curious ii was exhibited in the Royal Academy
in 1893. Nothing more seems To be known OI II iI!i
IL is found ~ the possession OF Mrs MaGcnnis, OF
whom il was bought many years ago by picture
re,torer named BENTLEY, fof 800 Mr.. Wynn Ellis
bought it Of Bsuley for $325. IN 1883 it was
iuIl-length When il came into MIR. Eilips posses
s'an il had bacn cHt 0il a little below the knees.
Who did this is not huown-siill less why IL
-, DONE 50 far on the theory that the pOr-
trait is really the portrait Of the Duchess of
Devoushro painted by Gaiusb1rough. but there
are slcptcs who doubt this, or even deny il alto
gcther from botn internal and historical evidence.
Leslie in his io Of Reynolds says tho GainsborougL
Duchess is tho one now ut AlthOrp. Earl Spenccr's
place. On the Other hand, two engIayingS OF 1t
were exhibited at the sale, one with the NAME taken