The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-01
LORD LEleHToN'S SUCCESSOR
THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE ROY
AL ACADEMY OF LONDON.

MiIiais Regarded with FavOr-Inter-
views with John La F arge, East-
man johnson, VIII II. Low, J. q. A.
Ward, Walter ShirIOYv, and Thorn
as W. Wood.
New York, Feb. 29-An honors con-
ferred on an artist so renowned as Sir
John Millais are sure to excite general in
terest. The issue of the election Of
successor to Lord Leighton as president
Of the Royal Academy has therefore been
watched with close attention by all who
are in any degree interested in art on
both sides of the Atlantic. In view of
this we have secured interviews with
number of distinguished American art
critics, and the results are given below.
In general fitness for the position Mil
lais is considered first among British art
lists, and it is evident that no action could
be taken more generally satisfactory than
his election to the Office which was first
held by the celebrated Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds, and which has been administered
with so much tact and ability by the late
Lord Leighton.
The first gentleman called upon was
Mr.. John La Fargo, who said:
Sir John Millais is the man for the
ofilce. There is no artist in England who
mas an equal reputation inside or out of
the artists. He is a popular man. and
generous in the regard in which he holds
MS FELLOW artists. Sir John has earned
great deal of money, having been for
long time very successful"
In the course of an extremely interest
ing conversation Mr.. La FARCE said fur
ther; Mislais really belongs to the gen
GRAFTON of the great Pre-Raphaelite
painters. and there was no one, I believe,
az that time a greater favorite with both
a arr ana the public Pre-Raphaelite-
succeeded, and in establishing its infiu-
enee Millais was, 1 believe, an Import
ant AM factor. In one way or another Pre-
Raphielitism in England has become ma
tional. AS. a protest for greater sew
Gritty Of thought, greater Intensity of
DRAMATIC feeling, and incidentally that
curacy Of detail, Pre-Raphaeiitism has
trlumphed, and Sir John Milais with it.
ne cannot be regarded as a representa-
1--WE or any school, but represents British
art in the broadcast way. 1 don't know
anything more English than some of Mill
ais work. BY English mean representa-
i've or certain turns of mind peculiar to
the people of Great Britain One proof of
the artlstlc merit in general OF some of his
work Is remarkable. A French painter
perhaps the most illustrious of them all
IN the period before 1S65-a man Della
crolN-who was as far removed as pos
sfble from the notions of the e-Raphael-
ties, has left on record his profound adj
miration for Millais' work -
Mr.. VIII H. Low said: I'VE know very
little about the Royal Academy on this
side the Atlantic. l regard Sir John Mil
lais as the natural successor of Lord
Leighton. He refused the office absolute
ly, l know, when Offered previously; and
perhaps this was fortunate for the acad-
envy, as he is much more exclusively a
painter and less an executive officer than
was Leighton. But 1 think Millais is en-
t titled ,, to the office Things have changed
Young English painters have been going
10 the continent for study more and more
and think It is possible that Millais rep
resents, so to speak, essentially British
art. may think it advisable, not to say
necessary, for him to accept the presiden-
ey to. stem the tide of continental infiu-
ence."
From the British standpoint" con-
tinued Mr.. Low, three things seem de-
sirable in the president of the Royal Acad-
q That he be a man Of superior execu-
tive ability. g. That he be a gentleman
possessed of social distinctions and the
eminently possessed by Lord Leighton
Sir John Millais is unexceptionable as a
painter and is a handsome gentleman who
will preside with due grace at a dinner
ed whether his executive ability EQUALS
that of Lord Leighton Val Prinsep has
T been - sp9Ben of as his superior in this
country, where he made many friends
while serving as a British representative
on the art jury OF the Columbia EXPOSE
ton, Chicago. If the sole qualification
for the office were superiority in art alone
there would be great difficulty in selecting
a presiding officer for the Royal Academy:
but the difhculty is incidentally increased
by the apparent necessity, from the Brit
ish standpoint, of qualifications outside
mere professional achievement.
Eastman Johnson, responding most cor
daily to the request for an interview
said: II had for some time been wonder
ing who would follow Lord Leighton as
president of the Royal Academy, but un-
derstood that Sir John Millais had decIin-
ed to run for the office. I think he will
be the right man in the right place. Men
Academy entirely on account of their ar
tistic qualities. Other considerations have
very great weights. for example. social
standing From this point of view | am
not able to judge of Millais' qualifications
take it that Leighton was the most bril-
liant since Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Mr.. Walter Shirlow also thought that
Sir John Millais was the man for the
place. In the choice of n president for
the Academy of Design in this country
he thought the same considerations would
influence the judgment of the gentlemen
most interested, as in the election of a.
president for the Royal Academy the
the presidency of an institution like the
Royal Academy, man should be a good
presiding officer, competent to conduct
business in such a way as to give it
dignity Important questions are: Has he
a good presence? Can he preside well?
Millais he said, stood well as being per-
Sonally handsome. Mr. Hh1rlOW, however
was not sure of his ability as an execu-
tive officer, but judged that he might be
what was desired in this respect.
The president of the Academy of De-
sign, Thomas w. Wood said that he did
not consider himself qualified to express
an opinion on a matter which concerned
a foreign institution. He. however spoke
lais, as did also ]. Q. A. Ward, the sculp-
tor. So far as could be ascertained the
consensus Of opinion is entirely favorable
to the election of Sir John Millais as sue
cessor to Lord Leighton.
David Wechsler.