The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-08-01


crrrEs-ruE EDUCATIONAL IDEA AND
TINE PossIBILITY or CARRYING 1T TOO
FAR
u FTER Sept Detroit WIN always have
an art museum. There viii always
be place where good pictures may be
seen, and II Is TO be hoped not much later
there viii also be place where the artistic
talents latent in the youth OF Michigan
may begin their development.
Western visitors 10 Boston are pretty
sure 70 find their way first TO Bunker
Hin monument and next 10 the art
museum. The people Of Massachusetts, 90
only to the museum. When the people OF
Boston In 1875 decided that the time had
come for them TO build home for the
public art treasures, the city gave n site on
the then new lands at the Back Bay.
Since that time Richardson, the great
architect, built Trinity church, his grand
est work. near the museum. The new Old
South church is not far away, and near by
the ant society's odd little building has
nestled itself under the protecting caves
OF some Of It's bigger neighbors; so that
the surroundings OF the art museum are
quite In keeping.
The Boston building will soon represent
an outlay OF $40, 900, and while the doc
tors OF art disagree as 90 the merits
OF the building, there can be no question
as TO the worth Of the treasures Il con-
tains. There are the Stuart portraits of
George and Martha Washington. not only
the best likenesses extant OF their famous
originals, but also the best work of
Americas foremost portrait painter
There are also paintings by Allston, West
and Trumbull; the fine Gray collection OF
engravings belonging 10 Harvard uni
yersityi very complete collection OF
Egyptian antiquities; the Charles Sumner
collection OF paintings and engavings,
and the Lawrence collection OF old wood
carving, tapestries and the like. Tho
casts from antique statuary form an un-
usually fine means Of study.
One can be sure Of seeing NJ all times q
collection Of modern pictures OF real in
terest, aud generally there are on exhibi-
ton one or more pictures OF note. The
gallery Is open free on Saturdays aud sun
day afternoons, aud at other times a
moderate fee Is charged.
The school, which occupies the base
ment Of the museum building, gives In
struction IN drawing and painting Tho
school, while not under the direct control
OF the museum trustees, enjoys the benefit
OF the library and works OF art belong
ing TO the larger institution, and
the connection between the two Ia a vital
one. About one hundred pupils receive
instruction and the results are 80 gratlfy-
ing that the next step viii be TO raise
fund for the establishment OF an institute
OF fine arts.
Rambling about 81. Louis one day last
June, came across an unpretentious
stone building, whose open doors offered
an inviting retreat from the hot street.
On the fret floor ! recognized some old
friends In new clothes. In Boston the
sorrowing Niobe has clean face and
Apollo's outstretchcd arm Is as white "A
the foam OF the sea from which Venus
rises. But In st. Louis the coal smoke
and dust have played queer tricks with the
Greeks. Had Perlcles' tricrcmes been
propelled by coal-generated steam, Phidias
had never delighted tho world with HIS
statuary, and until some method Is found
whereby casts may be kept clean only
students OF form will find pleasure in
gazing at these reproductions Of tho
worlds masterpieces.
On the floor above, however, there is n
collection OF modern pictures which sug-
gests what Detroit can do. There IA
decided variety ia the subjects;
but the level Of merit Is an even one.
None OF the pictures were poor aud
some we're very good. Especially inter-
esting was a collection OF some two hum
dred original drawings from the Cen
tury Company Of New York There were
the originals IN oil, water colors, pencil
and other media, Of the Century aud 81,
Nicholas pictures. What could be q
greater incentive or moro competent In
structor for ambitious young artists than
this same collection Of picturesS
81 Louis had an art school for about
FIVE years before Mr.. Wayman Crows
liberality built the museum, and during
that time about one thousand eight hun
dred persons received instruction. Tins
II happened tnat ~. Louis lad an Instruct
ed public 10 fall back upon These art
biuOfnl1 ANuHb HihNto III tut rIONc manu-
factories and other places where artistic
training Is a benefit, and their influence on
public taste ia said 70 have bcen decided.
The visitor 10 the museum Ia struck by
tho fact that 40 many OF the paintings are
prize pictures In American competitions or
the salon and that they have been bought
by subscription. The only conclusion
under the circumstances Ia that tho
museum must have a large and devoted
circle Of admirers and friends.
Mr.. Hslscy O. Ives, the director OF both
school and museum, is known 20 many
persons In Michigan, and II IL pretty gen
orally agreed that he has done a remark
able work at 81. Louis.
The Chicago ART museum has n fine sito
on Michigan avenue, where its front win
dows, overlooking the boulevard, park
and the railroad tracks, give fine view of
the lake beyond Early In 1870 Mr.. Mar
shall Field, Congressman Adams and
others started tho museum project and the
museum building was finished only Iast
autumn. The hnIlding Itself cost $780,
600 and the entire property is worth nearly
double that sum.
The art school, which has been main.
tained from the beginning, has an attend
snce OF about three hundred students.
who are taken through various courses.
finishing with . life class. During june
there Was an Art loan exhibition and, also.