The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-02
ARTISTS JUDGMENTS ON ART.
Here 10 . sculptor who Objects to an Art
Commission or Artists.

Here 10 . sculptor who Objects to an Art
Commission or Artists.
+. Edwin Elwell. sculptor. of 131 West
Eleventh street. has sent the following letter TO
Mayor Van Wyck under the date of Monday:
A movement Is on foot to put artists and
~bculptors on an art commission for the city of
New York. Permit no to offer an objection to
placing artists or Bculptors on such o COM
mission.
The first art commission for q city in tho
United States was made at Boston and was COM
posed of men of largo experience, both In art
and learning. This commission has been en-
tirely satisfactory to the public. Gentlemen
who had a hand in forming this commission
were wise to put only men of wide general ep-
perience and education on this commission.
such as the Director of the Art Museum. tho
Director Of the Boston Public Library. the Pres.
ident OF the School OF Technology. the Mayor of
the city of Boston. and tho President of tho
Board of Aldermen. All the members of this
commission are men who would be likely to look
upon matters OF art with calm. deliberate and
unbiased judgment, without personal feeling
or desire to further any particular school Of art
or to push the prevailing fad as against the
serious art OF our time. 1t Is next to impossible
Tor an artist practicinG his profession to give
such calm judgment. His whole life 10 centred
around his own methods OF thought and work.
George Moore says truly. Tho criticism of. q
creative artist is never anything but an inge-
Nous excuse for his own work."
Often the artist regards the production of
ehother man who employs different methods OF
MorR and thought as not art at all. The public,
nHH"eSer, takes a larger view. The tendency Of
az art societies. or art commissions, whose
desire It is TO control the public taste In matters
81 SFt. Is to defeat the very thing aimed at. and
channels where there is freedom Of action.
almost all public monuments are the gift and
They ifhss'n msy fall ali t tsS dRh %@,,o Of fe ths su ST 1so cl si%H;
period, but they have in them the feeling of O
70 control the artistic or ethical side oftho larger
PUBIC the people become aware OF the restraint
tent tIr hIPol them and they simply Turn their az,
restored.
4 notable instance OF the effect OF an art COM
mission, composed OF. artists, can be found In
ene VI lie large cities In Germany. Nothing OF
.eal merit has ever been erected. In. that city
ssi n the art commission has had control.
.NslohaIly make a mistake, and a poor mOnu-
meht is the result, but. having. no fixed stand
- ho,hlng TO prevent a great work OF art being
sot up which does not conform 10 the standards
~, W. py an art commission.
lIue art reform depends largely on the artist
asserting his own individuality, and then going
,nIo his studio and there doing good intellectual
mTEk. All the time he spends In reforming the
puplie - energy taken from the only place where
ne can be of the most use TO his fellow men.
,AhH art commission composed OF the Mayor,
ine PRESIDENT of the 10 ird of Aldermen, tho
PPEIector Of the Metropolitan Art Museum, the
~ HIrsSSlorot the Public Library, and the President
~ columbia College or one OF the colleges Of
t,hbas city; would constitute an art commission
i inSt ~ would be competent to secure expert opln-
80 put artists or ~sculptors on an art commits
nun ~ would only give opportunity TO add TO the
naSSH unhappy condition of art In our city. Phil
SssipLia and Pittsburg, Boston and Chicago
A@'s better art exhibitions now than we can