New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-11
THE SPANISH IDEALS FOUNDED.
THE CAsTILIANS OBJECT TO THE MONUMENT TO
vELAsoUEZ's MEMORY TO BE ERECTED IN
THE LOUVRE GARDENs-THE MODEL
REPRESENTS TIE PAINTER
on HORSEBACK

ii4i- IhAN4r-h
on HORSEBACK.
In the garden Of the Louvre at Paris monument
to the memory Of the great Spanish painter velas
auez is soon to be erected. The model OF the scup-
tor. NJ Fremiet represents the famous spanard on
horseback with cavalry boots. felt hat tipped
with plume and a military cape coat From the
painters side hangs a sword while In his hand Is
the pencil About his head winds wreath OF
laurel. The plan however, to present Velasquez to
Parisians and the world as quasi-cavalry general
has excited the Indignation OF Spaniards
Accustomed the systematic disregard with
which fore igners look upon Spain" says "El
impartial" Of Madrid once the centre OF Euro
pean culture we cannot help being proud when for
elgners appreciate properly the great men Of our
glorious past. But almost always. especially when
the French wish TO pay homage to our heroes.
there follows this passing feeling OF pride feel
ing OF shame that great ones are treated with
such lishtness that they made ridiculous carl
catures. As II our history were not worth more
than a superficial side view taken by compers OF
melodramas in old chronicles for suggestions for
their work.
"Velasquez on horseback with cavalry boots and
the military coat of Don Undo of the time OF
Philip ". the sword girdled after the manner OF
n conqueror; the head broad hat a la Rubens;
In the hand painters brush borne az though a
isherman's hook-such a combination with us could
only be the product Of crazy brain. and Will make
IL
chronisms 1t will he proof of the boundless
ignorance of the sculptor. whose good Will we alone
can appreciate. With gratitude recognize this
good WILL but we cannot condemn too severely the
nexcusable thoughtlessness with which the noble
figure OF Veasquez Is tramped in the dust by
those who wish to show their appreciation Of his
genius The Spanish artists of the seventeenth CEN
fury have a closer intellectual relationship to the
teachers OF the humamora' Of Salamanca and
Alcala than to the authors who. like Caderon and
others, knew how to handle the sword as well as
the pen Those men, who ceived their inspira
| tons from the highest ideals of their time consd-
cred their art a holy prestly office. They lived
priests in the service OF eternal beauty far
from the noise politics. and the simple Castillan
dress in which Muro Coello Carreno de Miranda
and VelasQuez familiar to Us is in keeping with
their manner Of life.
They different from the artists Of the
Renaissance. who accepted the noisy applause Of
the world and lived In the stress and storm OF court
life NelasQuoz who unfortunately. still has 70
worthy monument in his fathcrland. although court
painter Of Philip ". cOurtier. He was
the last representative Of the traditional Castilian
simplicity. Despite the retirement in which he
lived he charmed the Court with the natural ele
game OF his manners II may be that for French
ideas Nelasquez foot In the simple Castilian
costume dgnified and self-conscious We see him
In minds eye wandering through the streets
Of Madrid In the seventeenth century Is an iinpos
great painter as he lives n the hearts OF