New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-18
ON ART ARTISTS AND OTHER MATTERS.

ON ART, ARTISTS AND OTHER MATTERS.
IRON TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF me TRiBrNE
LONDON, January 20.
Mr. Ruskin's appointment to the Sadc PROBES
sorship Of Art at Oxford delights the public, Tor
the pubic has never sweTyed from ITS behel thai
Mr. Ruskin is the most capable and efficient as well
as brilliant of art-teacheTs There are aTtsts VINO
do not share this opinion, but they ale Tor the
moment rrudently silent. The chorus OF joy IN the
newspapers il uubIokcn by any diScoTdan note
Mr. Ruskin's consent to accept the post Isinter-
preted As meaning that his health Is restored or re-
stored 30 far as to enable linn to lecture. lie "a not
the man to take pr0lcssorsilip ana do nothing.
HIS friends feared at one time that ne would never
be himself again Body and mind were al
fected and the temporary mental all
ment from which he suffered, probably gave
rise 10 the curious notion expressed in one paper TINS
week that his later writings were inferior III form
and style to bis earlier. Some OF his earlier uXuri-
ance of dic,ion has perhaps been pruned away, but
his style has, Oh the whole, rather gained than lost
Read the "Anows of tie Chace.' They are fugl-
tive productions TO use ant quated phra-e-wcre
occasional let ors 10 ncWspapers-but they are
models of pure, clear, racy, idiomatic, condensed
and fluent English.
None of the newly elected associates Of the Royal
Academy is a man Of fIstrate ability or reputa-
tim MIR b. W Leader is one Of the artists OF the
so-called English school who bias devoted himself 20
lanGscope He deserves all credit for following the
bent of his own genius perhaps talent would be
more accurate word, a time wien 10 choose land
| scape was probably TO doom oneself TO seclusion
from the Academy, and therefore from the best shop
in England for the quick sale Of pictures. The Acad-
envy. however, hung Mr.. Leaders paintings Oh
| ITS walls. lie has been an exhi jltOr for perhaps
| quarter of century, and on the whole
the quality Of his painting has not been
such as TO make his non-electIon seem crying Ill
| Justice He was popular painter and he has done
| extremely clever things. but there is something
about his work which makes YOU think that he
! cares more for the public than for his art.
Mr. Brock has been made famous by the Belt case.
| A pupil OF Foley and chosen by him TO complete
some of the work left unfinished at his death, Mr.
Brock has position in his profession perhaps
| higher than that which the public has yet awarded
| him. Mr. Baron Huddeston malireatcd him. as he
| did every important witness for the defence. and
| the honor now bestowed on him by his fellow-ar-
| fists might seem meant as vndication
| But ! don't think it has occurred to
| anvbodv that Mr. Baron Huddeston's criticisms
would leave a permanent mark. Mr.. Brooks cleo
ton 10 the Academy has long been expected. The
| attack on HIM from the b nch may have gained him
! q few votes but he would have become an associate
without any help of that sort.
| There is, however, nobody among the rising
sculptors who yet gives promise OF reaching great
| emnence-nobody who seems likely to challenge
| Mr. BOehms present supremacy. Mr. Boehm IL now
| an r. A., though imperfect recognition, or perhaps
too cear-sighted perception Of hs merits kept him
| long outside the ranks of the Forty. The greater
part of the most important commissions Of recent
DAYS have gone to him, and still 90 TO
| him Among the most recent and considerable
are the Prince Louis Napoleon memorial
the recumbent statue Of Dean Stanley
the thoughtful and most characteristic Carl e first
executed IN marble for Lord ROBBERY, and now
permanently established in the library OF the castle
in Dalmenv Park with the replica IN bronze
erected as a memorial to the Chelsea Embankment
the statue OF Lord BeacOnshed and two busts OF
the Oueen one of which she gave 10 MI. henlrey
who had placed his villas at Bayeno and Monaco al
her Majestys disposal during her last two visits tc
the Continent Mr. Boehm has lately completed
the modelling of n colossal statue OF sir FRANCIS
Drake. for the Duke of Bedford a work heroic IN
| treatment as well az in size. The Eizabethan cos
tune presents some problems TO the sculptor who
is unwilling to sacrifice strict Of detail &c
dignity and harmony of outline. Mr.. Boehm has
contriyed to be faithful, and to introduce ac
cessories which add to his difficulties with
ont detractng from that impression OF
inability which such statue must
make upon the beholder if 1t is not to miss its aim
oltogetber The Drake is to be cast in bronze, and
cot nm Mt his birthplace in Deyonshire. Ii is a
Citing destination yet one must regret that work
| NJ this character could not be kept for London.
Tn sharp contrast TO the Drake stood side by side
with il in the studio the figure, also colossal, OF
Jobn Tvpdae. translator OF the Bible into English.