The sun., 1898-12-18
AnrEnroAN ARonrrEorUnE.
Further Discussion on Its Chief Sources o
InRpirnilon.

Further Discussion on Its Chief Sources OF
Inspiration.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: There
appeared In tho current number OF Scribner's
Magazine three essays. somewhat doRmntio In
tone. dealing with architectural training In
general and with that supplied at the French
school In particular. These papers contain
statements and convey impressions about
which there may very properly be difference
OF opinion when the subject is viewed from
standpoint other than that OF the writer's.
The conclusions OF the first writer seem to be
| founded upon our assumed possession Of "the
British or Teutonio prediction for the roman
tic or picturesque" rs contrasted with the
| orderliness and logic which attract the Gallo
mind" a prediction which he declares to be
so deeply rooted that we may assume 1t to be
| an inveterate racial trait"
| That there is an apparent love for disorder.
| irreRularty. a lack OF logic and an affectation
OF the picturesque in much Of our work cannot
| be denied and that these traits seem to be In
herent in the character Of many Of our people
| is also true; doubtless they are strongly devel-
oped in the writer OF the paper referred to. but
| one may be permitted to hope nevertheless
| that they cannot be justly called nveterate
racial traits of tho American people, What
| ground Is there for such an assumptionp We
! certainly find no trace OF 1t In our Colonial
| architecture. which was dstinctivey Amer
| lean as any OF the fashions we have had. and.
| indeed. the only one which was current for any
| length OF time throughout the length and
breadth Of tho land. 1t would be difficult to
point to single building Of this period. no
| matter how humble. which does not show a
decided leaning toward logical symmetry and
| order in It's design. Nor can one find much
| support for the theory in the most admired
buildings which have been erected since the
| Colonial times.
| The reason for much OF this disorder irregu-
larity. affectation. lack OF applied logic. offen-
| sive striving for what Is thought to be pictur-
esque effects In our designs. can be accounted
| for in other ways. It is often due to accident
and want OF forethought. but more frequently
to lack Of training. our designers for the most
| part having undertaken the practice Of the art
| with absolutely no adequate preparation to at
them for the work. Symmetry. order. and the
logical adjustment OF all parts OF a composition
| are reasonable qualities which indicate FORE
| thought care. study and the exercise Of reason.
| qualities which are invariably the accompani-
ments and the indications Of highly artistic
development. The lack Of these qualities
In much Of our work. II it proves any
thing. proves that our art has not yet
| reached high development. We are not
| yet an artistic people. but that we arc making
| progress In the right direction is most clearly
evinced by a growing tendency toward that
| symmetry. order. and logical reasoning applied
| to design which the writer OF the paper seems
to depreciate. Convinced OF the truth OF his
assertion that the opposite qualities are traits
! inherent in the race. the author Of the essay
finds 1t difficult to believe that the present
phase is more than passing fancy. This also
| will pass. he quotes. 1t is, he says, an at
| tempt "at direct importation of Partisan ar
| chitecture." determined effort ito Galcize
American architecture" something which has
the air of a concerted endeavor by band of
jealous propagandists to 'expel nature"
| To one who has had practical experience
with the methods and workings OF the French
school the statements of the second writer
which relate to it and his conclusions seem no
less extraordinary. and go to show that he is
not possessed OF a knowledge OF the institu-
| tion and It's methods which would qualify him
to write on the subject. and also indicate that
| he at least, Is endowed with a trait which he
thinks is inherent in the race. viz. tendency
| Ito think superflcially and to judge hastily"
This writer gravey informs us that the
French school is altogether experimental in
character. 1t is. he asserts. "a new scheme. q
| new device new machine for the manufao-
ture Of architecture out Of hand" He in
Inmates that If space permitted 1t would not
be difficult to point out certain very serious
defects in the system adopted in Paris and so
generally copied in this country to-day" but he
would chqritably, avoid wholesale condemna-
aware that the methods Of the French National
School of Fine Arts, or the Paris School, as he
prevailed in France. and that so far from being
experimental are in fact, as nearly as is conss-
have been used by all artistic nations from time
immeporial % In the transmission Of th9sknowl-
awae that Rese Methods haVe
copied in the United States. but that our
| essentially niffarnnf nrinanlao Eyi1antlv m nj
with such a basis. Of knowledge. then. it is
perhaps fortunate that his lack Of space did not
So little ndersto9d BY him. His maenanlmous nous
charity for these defects is very edifying;
the French school is founded upon the Very ~
reasonable theory that the persons best quail
art which they undertake to teach; o principle
to, Bramante. Raphael. Rubens. Jones, and
others too mt numerous to mention, mention, 9and. In
Pas Pascal Shupq D"qmet aiPapt dinain, ieifxGS. ag
Eens. Blondel. and the other masters Of the
have NOTHING in this conntry to show % Wn HrcS M
lecture is not taught here by the foremost
%he have seeers shez Rad to
VIII, have failed to do 50. Il Is this method ot
No one acquainted with the French school
could possibly make the mistake Of, confoupd-
free to choose his own master and. the master
, is free to instill into the pupil his own ideas
. and methods without interference from any
) nearly as modern conditions will. permit ap-
prentice pupils OF masters in active practice
As an appendage to this system Of independent
personal instruction IN architecture as a fine
Art the school provides most elaborate al and
I literary and scientific branches of knowledge
: with which the modern architect, must be
equipped in order to make use ntelligently of
the knowledge impaired TO him by the master. It
, isthe management of this branch OF instruction
| which Of hIt
, these essays seem to suppose but simply an
adjunct to the school made necessary by the
. as an expedient TO relieve the master from the
teaching Of mass of detail evidently mprao-
> tcal for him to undertake. and which can only be
dealt with at the present day in an elaborately
equipped institution. The school Is really a
sort OF federation OF what were formerly classes
. or independent schools or bodies OF pupils and
: apprentices which most great artists gathered
, about them. + is no experiment but on the