New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-16
OUR ACADEMY IN ROME.
THE FIRST ANNUAL EXHIBITION 'r
WORK BY IT'S STUDENTS


by virtue of its intrinsic merits, II Is sun ,,o
impressive in what 1t represents. In the i''os
tration il gives of what the American -.
envy In Rome aims to roster ai"o"s VIZ -,
students who go from here to Europe WIZ" A.,
to developing their talents the dra"'"sa " ,ohn
Harold Magonigle Mr.. W. $. Aldrich' MI 'o,
r pope and Mr.. Percy Ash which a"o'
walls stand for individual capacity, ana as SUI"
they must first be considered but they o'"'
official stamp Of the only artistic ihs.''"''o' ,ns
has been established in Europe 10 give
there the assistance and the standing ,nes ,et u'n
In their totally they speak for H'o'e'"'" ,
promises to rank with the leading FORCES VI a..
.a,,on an the Continent. 1t is as yet IN It's
EARLIEST stages but already it has accomp's"'"
much and It is destined to accomplish ''oie,
Tn. character of the American Academy at rome
has been touched upon in The tribune ue'o'.'
II NAV profitaby be traversed again. INC =,
t,op IL the fruit OF an enthusiasm among ce''"
.uliahtened artists and connoisseurS io' ''0 "
s,,r,,on which Is expressed in the one "o'u
.Pome" When the scheme was first broacheu
was the peculiar property or group Vi 's
minded architects. who foresaw mat '"' S'e
men I'm their profession could be brought " "o
ING more ennobllng and fructifying than an ac-
abundance with the art and other hufha"'@''e "
suences OF the Eternal City. Later the painters
and scuptors impressed by the ''e"' -,
were glad to associate themselves VII" wv
,ects Students in archaeology and classical SUD-
led
prise and to-day the Academy embraces repre-
ssntat,ves Of all these interests providing space
for students of architecture, painting, sculpture
and archaeology In the villa dell Aurora. whcn
now us permanent home That beautiful building
was not formally occupied 10y the Academy u"'h
octoher 1895 For a year previously the stuneh'S
had been using temporary quarters In the faia"~o
TorlonIa When Mr. Austin W. Lord took ch''se
of those first rather primitive ACCOMMODATIONS anu
began the work OF the Academy, WIN 7"
group OF students, superficial observer "o"
have said remembering the superb foundatio" "a
the French Government at Rome, tlat >"''''"
was beginning In terribly small way anu eve"
later I'm the villa deli Aurora Itself. there was
for some time little evidence that TINS Nation i''
placed Itself upon a footing compaiapie u t"a' u
the French. the Germans or the spahiar"s' pu' "
AMY needed time for the Academy to get Itself
we'll established Mr.. Lord has but recently re-
turned from his sojourn In Rome leaving Inc VIA
far advanced I'm it, progress toward the condition
In which /, should be kept and We see from the
,ira wings shown at the Fine Arts Buildins ana
the names enumerated In the catalogue that 'he
first fruits of the Academy are worthy Of It's high
aims.
Briefly stated. the resources and the aims Of the
Institution are az follows: out OF it's central fund
there IL provided every year prize IN architecture
for which the graduates OF the architectural scHooa
of America and members Of the Ecoe DIES BeauN
Arts in Paris who can show credentials Signiiylhs
advanced standing are IRE" 10 compete lH'9 pa
runs for three years and gives the winner si.e0
year his headquarters being fixed for him at the
Villa DELI Aurora but the Academy giving him per
mission to pursue his studies from tim" TO time ~
Greece and such regions of the Italian PENN
sula a. may excite his interest. The scuptors
have thus far been provided for through be1uest
OF the late william II. Rnehart. OF Baltimore
which. after having passed through the hands OF
several executors trustees. has at last been adj
Wall
amounts to $1,000 From the income two scholar
ships have been established which run for -FOUR
years each and supply the beneficiary with an IN
come OF s.ooo year In the department OF pc'o-
rial art the Jacob Ii. Lazarus Scholarship for the
Study Of Mural Painting runs for three years ana
the winner has an annual income OF Si"9 In the
present exhibition included the excellent
sketches by which NJ. George W. Brock has Just
won his way to Rome 1t may be added that while
tn. lates; prospectus OF the Academy makes no
reference TO the department Of classical studies IL
IL understood that that department Is regularly
represented at the villa dell Aurora. Finally 1t Is
expected that a scholarship I'm music VIII soon De
founded.
The fortunate artists who have achieved the
r,,.s Indicated above are expected TO find lodgings
OF their own In Rome but they find In the villa
del' Aurora studios. a library and common meet
ing ground There IL a director who mas h''her'"
been especially In charge OF the architectural ue-
I but he Is also commissioner 10 I'piN'"
the Academy ms a whole His duties embrace GER
tain definite lines OF activity In connection with IN"
s,udi,-s OF the architects. but, on the whole. ne
suncr,,se. n brond plan rather than a rigid cur
rlculum II is AZ this point that we fnd the Acao-
envy fulfilling It's precise mission inspiring rather
than Instracting It's students. From the beginning
none az IFS supporters have advocated any pedagogc
ideas Tn. prizes offered are never given 10 NAN
prepared men The Roman scholarships are for
the picked artists OF the universities art schools
md when they reach Rome they are expected 10
have mastered the rudiments OF their professions
and TO have travelled some distance ahead on their
respective roads For example. Mr.. Magonigle
whose work makes n brilliant effect upon the pres
ent occasion was winner Of the Rotch travelling
Scholarship when he went abroad. and To have
gone IN such Il character implies that he embarked
A woil-trained student. II Is not training. we re-
peat that the Academy at Rome bestows upon the
men who gather beneath It's roof. II simply holds
them in Rome. concentrates their attention upon
Roman ar ,hitccture. Roman painting and scu1pt-
ure Roman landscape. II says to the student
DO not attempt initiate this artist this style In
your work but lmbibe the broad lesson which both
teach: feel their grandeur. their poetry. recognize
tn. IDEAS which lie at their roots. and let those
ideas terminate In your own nature according a.
you find them most natural most In harmony with
YOUR own innate sense Of beauty" Broadly consd
cred the Academy NJ Rome has for It's object the
same spiritual goal which Is Kept constantly be-
fore the French artists at the villa Medic the goal
at which one forgets style forgets epochs forgets
Rome and Paris and simply remembers the funda-
mental truths upon which all art is based No man
who lives In Rome with his soul expanded 10 the
influences about him. can ever belong to 'school
| In the narrow sense OF that term Ills emotions
deepen with his strengthening vision. his taste Is
purified enriched. and. though he spends his life
In designing Gothic churches. he will be sancr
and more fruitful more progressive artist for the
seed which Rome has deposited In his temperament
All of this has been said In this place before
with reference to the Academy at Rome. but
hitherto there have been tangible Illustrations
TO which allusion might also be made. The gal
leries In the Fine Arts Building now clnch our