New-York tribune., 1877-06-27
THE ACADEMY AND ART.
PROGRESS IN ART IMPEDED.

EXDIBTIONS-MR. DOLPHS ELkCIION AS AN
ASSOCIATE.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In his letter, published in THE TRIB-
USE OF the 10Th inst, oh" appears TO me to mistake
the question at issue He also, in his desire to have
justice done to Mr. Doph, does less than Justice to my
self Nevertheless it is for the sake OF the question at
ISSUE any personal reason, that ask you ior
portion OF your valuable space in which to reply 10 MS
letter.
The dispute between the Academy and the party OF
reform is essentially dispute about principles feison
brought into the discussion only as hustatohS' anu
while would not he possible to carry on the argument
without these personal alusions there is not on my
part at least any personal partsanshp IN the matter
Thus is not at all because Mr. Maynards Portrt vi
Secretary Evarts" rejected as not Deihg q .oou
likeness that complain. II is simply and SOLELY De-
cause O "pOrtrat OF somebody" by somebody was re
eced for not being good kenessand not alone Tor tnt
either but because took upon himself 10 ue
eide for himself that it not good likeness nave
said and repeat H. that If Mr. lie Clears "Portfalts
or Mr. ODonovan's "bust had been rejected on the
ground of their not being good bkenesses even il ho o
naa only but the whole body of academioans had de-
cided that they bad kenesses, the wrong uono W
these artists would been the same as the wrong
done to Mr. MAYNARD, and equally deserving rebuEe'
So with the sending back of Mr. ST. Gaudelss sketcn
in Plaster" the plea that there was not room Iof H.
II WAS not Mr. st. Gaudens for whom l TOOK up ihe
cudgels IT was the principle. There Is always roo W
the Academy there is everywhere, for good WORK. anu
II there is not ROOM room can always DC made hnere
there is a will there is way. We are to presume 't
Mr. St. Gaudens's work good since he was persoh-
ally requested by a member OF the Hanging Committee
TO send it, IL was sent in and returned on the express
plea that there was Yet II IS wei KNOWN ihi
there was plenty of rOom and even stand proVdeu or
it, so to speak, by Mature And. as If to make inns III
treatment more marked, bust by Mr. oDonoVan Oh
another member of the Hanging Committee was aken
out of the room usually given up to sculpture and placed
by itself in q good light in another ROOM MeanWhie'
buss, the works of various hands, were hud
died ANONYMOUSLY together at side Of the sculpture
room in such way that not possible for the spec
tator to do them justice. 1t was not that Mr. ST. Gau-
dens Mr. Hartley, Mr. Edmund Palmer, and others were
treated uniuStly, that Mr. O'Dorovan was unlusty
favored that complained. The essence of my complaint
was that arant injustice done to somebody, and
that gross fayortism shown 10 somebody else DO
not like Mr.. ODonovan's bust, but supposng he bad
been treated Mr 81. Gardens was ana MI ST. Gai-
dens favored as he was, hope should have objected
Iccltauy should have bound object for the prin-
cpie would have been the same
Mr.. DOLPIis Election
So again, with Ir Dolph "H" wants to know why
he is attacked; why he is brought conspicuousy to
the forcl Wcll does III" pretend to believe that Nh
Dolph brough; 10 The fore by me! Daes he suppose
would have occurred to to speak 0f nim or his
work il the Academy had not. sesly own bat effect
lively used him pull ts chcstuutsoU Of the nel H.
saws very naivcly that Mr. DOph doubtless feels that in
the Acadenys act there is -nlton Of his merit
And am told that Mr. Dolph says he deserves the dis
tinctou; he been working fifteen years T. get it,
he all he has bcen working for these fifteen years,
cannot help thinking that never before did artist
confess TO such trivial aim. And II hc is in condition
10 congratulate himself what he has gained, he hds
indeed thankfnl heart for small mercies Most people
who think artist, aims ought TO he something LigEor
Than petty distinctions Of tls sort something differ
cnt, At aug rate will smile at Mr. Dolph gratitude but
how much moro absurd doe. this gratitude appear when
IS know for il believed TO Dc tc cishat This dis
unction conferred not Tor any merit Mr. Dopn was
supposed 70 have, but simply iOr political eject to en-
phaszc in the strongest way possible to thcl. The Acad
cncians' determination not to recognize tn claims OF
those outsiders all demanding they should
ognize!
A serious fight ia going on between tie Conserve
tiycs in the Academy and oaside of IT, aud the L;hc
rails outside OF The Academy ana inside Of il. The
Conservatives want things iclt to stand rs they
They cpnfne the OF the institution 10 yearly cXhi
Biiion controlled entirely by few vino neither
heyc in progress nor desire IT, THIS rs, literally and
truly all that The so-caleI leading ia the Academy
set bcforc themselves the objects OF the institution,
though the charter does. indeed T. different iuLe
ard words n is fact that the rulers of tie iu.t.;u-
t0n DO not want She bother Of "Courses o. Lectures"
Of schools" of an art Library" oi Art Gallery.
In short, they want jus; iile Of Academy they
have and retain "a" NAME aud with IL their chartered
privileges. Toe "SohOol." a. il is called drses q
lingering existence, but II woaid not exist day if the
charter and Mr.. suydaln's hequest did not bind tho
Academy TO keep semblncc oi school" going.
Let any 70 into the sG-calied Library" OF the
Academy and look over to books II lIrago0 OF id,
odds and ends Let h pictures thatin its fifty
two ycais OF existence c Acadom my has collected The
whole would hardly fetch enough auction pay for
carting it 20 the auroI-rOOm In fact, might
for long w1ile detailing what the Academy has
DONE does not do that academy ought to do. But IFS
shortcomings acknowledged al sides There
longer any one poor enough to do 1t honor
PURPOSE or TIE REFoHMERs.
Now on the other hand. we have body Of mon most
OF them young, ALI the prime Of life, who f"d with
zeal for art, aud determined to d. something Acri
cans for art in America all Of them have studied
and studied hard often at much sacrifice and under dis
advantages. in the schools at MUNICH and Priathe
the world Returning hose, they naturally look to
the Academy for help in letting their countrymcn SEQ
what their studies have produced, ana they elpect to
fud the Academy offering, far /. can, the adj
yauagcs any rate advantages in the direction
that they enjoyed the academic abroad Bui, the
contrary, they find Themselves treated with contncy
ter claims modcstly enough asserted entirely ignored
and 81 Ear as they sec, Che Academy determined
refusing them any opportunity Of exering their eg
innate influence ia educating their own generation.
They do not believe they kept cut 81 the Acad-
emy for personal reasons IL is not dislike
10 themselves that shuts them out from membership Il
is a decproo,ed w-InHdcd. selfish hostility To The
system they represent al obstinate determination to
keen out the mon VINO. if admitted, would insist
radical changes in tne government Of the Acldemy.
would insist free lectures active, igOrous schools
on the OF all surplu, money aud Of much Beside
could o.. got from d." public generosity for Loan
Exhibitions, Tor tie purchase co. TWO good pictures
every year o. 20 to Tie building up of art gallery.
and Tor the sending Of pupils TO EJropc Tor study until
the time shall when can offer them equal ad-