New-York tribune., 1877-03-10
ART And ART CRITICS.
THR CAUSE OF AMERICAN ARTISTS DEFENDED
CRITICISMS BASED ON IGNORANCE AND WHICH
ARR UKKIND-THE NEED or CHANGE.


CRITICISMS BASED ON IGNORANCE AND WHICH
ARR UNKIND-THE NEED or CHANGE
| TO the Editor Of The tribune.
SIR: An eminent foreigner and critic, in pass
ing through department allotted TO native artists
al the late International Exhibition, has said:
Your American art, when brought iace TO iacG wtn
of other countries exDits less OF the IhioIofy
commonly ascrbed it than should have been led TO
expect Nevertheless particular aeiect Is sicieny @ M
best pictures here been distributed among those OF the
different European States they would have taken tbeiI
place readily and without remark. cay to myself as
pass from picture another: This studied III
Munich that III PARIS; one has adopted the eminent
ality Of the English school, another the conyenonaity
of Disseldorf in this one we have repesclanfe Oh
the Spanish style in that OF the classical laa Here
standards; you copy and do excrclscs
What he said OF such criticism save that 1t Is true
and that the defect is nnayOidablei Art In cur couurV
is its infancy and what hte it has must Dc drawn rom
the breasts the mother lands But to he born at ali II
must have life OF its own. Ii must assiibate what IL
receives and reproduce 1t In living individuality pccu-
liar to itself The life Of American art Is not III these
echoes OF European artists, but such life as has IL III
What may be called, IN every sense OF the word the
precious few American art productions which are his-
tinctvey American in character and at the same time
mertolious in executOnin other words, good pictures
which yet have something in their conception character
and treatment which it would be impossible for any but
American to render truthfuiy. Perhaps' as
an example, / might be permitted to adduce
Prisoners the Front" by Wnsow Homer 1t has,
au sorry think become the fashion OF laeor perhaps
it been out OF fabOn-am0nS us to regard at
as simply and wholly decorative in character; to look
upon pictures a costly substitute for wall paper En-
brodcrcs tlics and Japanese fans are their rivals ana
the best to which they be put Il 10 acceltatee
vacant panel serve at most as nm adjunct to archl
tectura decoration In tns view Of the case drawing IL
of little value the subject Is not considered and vague
suggestion Of harmonious, even BIZARRE combination
OF and color ia all that il required one OF the last
numbers OF Punch contains matter for serious eonsdera
tion in the summing up protest Of common sense against
this form OF vicious aGecta,ion:
IncGqble Touth--"The pictyuah is beautiful"
Common Sense" But Tia" subject is rcpulsi;c."
Jneg!Gie Youth" Subject of NO moment in art"
COLiu0n Sense" Bat yoall own that there is TO thing
like nature in it, the drawing s atrOcOus, and the color
fns6a5ie youts-"I am collah blind; do not under
stand drawing ard don't FOR nauah the picJ1ah
is beautiful"
Common Sense Indignantly" But hang it, man,
ylcI. 10 YOU tnd the beauty there u
IAe6GJle iouih-" In the pictyuach"
TUia defeat Of Common Sense.
This Is surely OF the serpents which II our AIT
prove not q young c culcs viii stie It, IL gives rise 10
a peculiar school OF half4azcd painters, who, finding
nothing, answering - thrIf oVnceplohS eh-
deavor express them by what Tane calls "slop and
slobbcr" Unfortunately some OF the so-caed critics
who by a carefully prestige, smart style,
aud unlimited s,fcondence, have come to be taken on
writer's upon art are affected by maua Tor this
schoolperhaps the principal oi the Ole writingDook
COPY which reads What eyOnd the COMPREHENSION VI
man excites his admiration
| have within my own experience seen journalists
without the slightest pretensons to correct taste or
any special knowledge the sui lect, ami who from
their very position journalists had the ear OF the pub
lie cleo; tensc nabe judges Of art. and cut and
slash in every direction and then, Ike apes who have
been let among valuable articles OF yel sit sur
rounded by ruin and chatter and grin and pride them
selves on their prowess u accomplishing such desTuc-
tion The result "a far true and legitimate art Is
concerned is dcplOroblc Every accepted criterion OF
success destroyed the pubic and tie artist are ake
utterly c0nfoni ID and uncertain as to what may be
acceJed az sapards of excellence. No appeal Is lef
but peiuant caprciousness is substituted for careful
and conscientious discrimination, arrogance for know
edge and the critics own unconsdcrcd Judgment
against that oldest and best professional artists
have known serious and earnest worker an artist
whose life has been spent in the study OF his roesson
thorough artist, so judged by the most eminent OF his
brethren home and abroad scken at the wanton sting
Of of these wasps and return to his work in weary
dsccuragcmcnt well knowing how little labor and study
and knowledge avail with public instructed by such
prcceptors ASK these simple questions III the rli-
mepts OF Tie profession and they cannct answer; ask
them for diploma in the way OF an admission to HE
class or n testimonial of their knowledge and ability
from any recognized art professor in Europe Amer
,ca and they have none. Some practical and theO-
retical knowledge of the subject is required
in the arbitrators OF merit in every pursuit
except that OF art. critic who should
attempt to review poem without pretty thorough
know ledge of grammar and composition would not be
tolerated. but Il critic who does not understand the
grammar II ar-ah. that Is different Let him leave his
last lis pots pans, and ppkns his items police re-
nors and what not and become. forsoOth, critic the
triumph Of e!npricism knowledge and ability is
swee his heart he loves to pull the wings of The silly
buttorlies-why shouldn't hef l speak in the name OF
every artist OF recognized merit In Newfork, and were
Il necessary could append their signatures to tins art
Gle In support Of what say. Am required to subsan
tiae my criticism OF criticsi have only TO refer youto
the pages Of Of most popular magazines, wheret
Is stated In many words that Mr. La Farge Is the oEy
man in the United states who can draw the human
figure! and that, OF all men, william Blake the only
Englshman. Comment IL useless. Your own good
common sense will supply 1t.
Journalist Is detailed 10 visit gallery; generally an
educated man. but grossly ignorant of art He looks at
picture Ii suggests to him. according to the MOOD III
which he happens TO be at the moment not the picture
which the painted but another may he good
or it may be bad one; but 1t Is one the artist himself
would the last recognize The standpoint assumed
By the artist his object in painting the picture Is IL
nored necessarily all considerations regarding
the elementary rules OF art and the condemnation or
commentator OF the production is wholly matter OF
chance Il II time, that the senseess severyof
popular criticism on American art was somewhat
abated Surely the infant Ia AS yet too young TO need
such castigations even justice nefseI appes
the rod. =,
The fact H. need kinder and more genial as well
az careful criticism Our artists are not pam
need set OF peteuders who for their services
more than Leir due OF reputation substan al rec0g
milton. ANY who knows them personally VIII bear
me witness that class they earnest haI-WO
ing lrcnuneraed class OF men who are yet dong our
country substantial and lasting beneht thn u
either generally understood or acknowledged;
The professional reputation they have attained
in the face OF prejudice and difficulties not
easily overestimaed is only OF the utmost value
TO Themselves but is OF value 10 every American ana
should not suffer except good aud carefully considered
grounds Nor should success fail TO meet "a full and
hearty q recognition failure does OF condemnation
Nnr shnld nicfnre which faults be ndiscrmi-