Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-02
Proyincialism in Art.

The Pilgrim Fathers, where are
they 9"is the query Mrs. Hemsns put
to the world . long time ago. That
they still exist somewhere in the Mod
ern Athens, is the fond belief Of few
mystical enthusiasts. That they have
been peaking and piniDg. for. many
generations, until their stalwart shapes
have become the thinnest of spectral
shadows, is the conviction OF much
larger number OF people. Our neigh
Dor, the Ereniag Post, states fact which
lends some confirmation to the latter be-
lief. For surely no shadow of q Pill
grim that had not dwindled to the d.
mansions. OF o moral atomy, or reached
the faint, far edge of that "fourth con-
dition," which Professor Crooks has
just discovered, could perpetrate any
thing quite so petty as the act alleged.
The statement is substantially this 1T
was proposed some time since to erect
statue in Boston to Charles Sumner.
Anassociation was formed and q COM
mittee appointed to carry the project
into execution. The committee invited
artists to send in models or designs for
examination, the best to receive the
commission for the statue. The names
OF the competing artists were to be
sent in sealed envelopes, none of them
to be revealed until it was necessary
that the committee should know on
whose work their appreciation had
fallen. In due time the models and
propositions for the statue were all re-
ceived. The committee, representatives
Of SO much knowledge, taste and tone,
came together, and brought their con-
centrated culture to bear upon the con-
tributions. They made proper deliber-
alton, careful examination. critical dis
cussion, artistic discrimination, and,
finally, solemn decision. The commit
tee were Of one mind; there was one
work that had all excellence; that they
unanimously declared was pre-emi-
nently worthy of being reproduced in
marble as perpetual memorial OF the
man they revered. They turned to the
envelopes, and that one corresponding
to the work they had chosen was opened.
The name revealed was Miss Whitney.
1t is from her model, accordingly, that
some public place in Boston. oh, mol
However solemn the committee may
have been with the weight of response
bility in making their choice. they were
still more solemn when the opened en-
velope revealed to what result all their
treasured knowledge of art had led.
Miss Whitney. Why, that must be q
woman! 1t was shocking revelation to
the committee. It would be a shock
ing reality to Boston. The statue of
man to be sculptured by womanl The
indelicacy Of it The subversion of all
sense of propriety. Think Of q woman
bringing her mind to bear on pair OF
masculine trousers; and. then, too, as
in this case, suchEprolonged trousersi
Here were involved ethics, aesthetics,
all the illnesses and attributes, divine.
human, and eternal; in short, Boston.
Unhappily the communication OF Miss
Whitney's work could not be withdrawn;
but the implied promise, in the condi-i
ton of the sealed envelope could. Miss
Whitney, the committee decided. could
not be the sculptor Of the statue Of
Charles sumner. What marble would
not blush at being fashioned into the
shape OF masculine trousers under eyes
and by hands belonging to woman ?
Not marble only--would not even the
granite of Bunker Hill monument blush
as it looked down on the spectacle;
blush for shame, turn scarlet, crimson,
from its base to the apex Might it not
remain thus, permanently red, red for
all coming time, standing above the
city like a gigantic "prurient prude,"
with uplifted finger OF shame, signing
over the last struggle of expiring mod
esty in. Boston. Home Journal.