The record-union., 1899-10-15

New Ork tribune. II was a4u Amer
lean, Samuel Howe, now staying at the
Sturtevant House, who began the agl-
tation in opposition to the redecoratlon
of st. Paul's Cathedral London. he
has just returned from England, haV-
ing been away from New York year
and a half. Mr. Howe is an architect
and decorator. He said yesterday: 1t
was on February 24th last that 1
opened the fight with a letter IN the
Times and in April I had an article
in the 'Fortnghtly Review on The
Spelling of st. Paul's' The dean OF ST
Paul's, who is exofficio the technical
owner of the property, employed Will
lam Richmond (now Sir William) to re-
decorate st. Paul's. He went to Ra-
VIENNA and made a study Of the mosaics
there, so as to introduce them in ST.
PauIs. It seemed to me that they were
entirely inappropriate in a building OF
the Renaissance style. L said the large
figures were out of scale, and, in the
Cathedral, We're hideous. There was
great agitation over the question, which
came into the House of Lords. The
dean and the architect were exceeding
ly bitter, but 1 received many letters
from the nobility and from others in
eraI leaders on the subject The sum
of E150,000 had been spent and t1OO,OO0
more was asked. The outcome is a
compromise. No more of the mosaics
are to be placed, but those fastened to
the roof of the choir will probably have
to remain. The mosaics are being re-
moved, however, from the dome. This
agitation has called attention to the
Of hn a
public art in England, and the appoint
ment of a Minister of Art is possible
Criticism in New York Post: The
manufacture of "old masters" is
steady source of revenue. It is only
fair to add that their sale in New York
is mainly limited to country visitors.
The average New York picture-buyer,
even if he does not know too much to
be taken in by a fake, has learned that
it is unwise to rely upon his own judg-
ment. Unless he is dealing with re-
putable dealer, he seeks expert advice.
But it has not been always so, and
many a gallery contains examples of its
owners credulity. In these days, how
ever, the trade is mostly directed at
the Westerner; and the old masters are
sent upon the road. I could mention
the name of a landscape painter of no
mean merit-but he is dead now, so
why disturb his memory by doing so?
He had his ups and downs, like many
of us; and during one of the down
periods was a regular purveyor of fake
Daubignys. He had studied for a little
while with that painter and caught a
taste of his method. Buyers refused
to consider his own work, so he got
even with them by manufacturing
Daubigny. Perhaps he felt it to be
fair revenge upon the faulty Of a world
that seldom judges for itself, but only
runs afta names. Perhaps the world
had forced him to it. DE mOrtuis nil
nisi bonum," and the price he got for
full-siZed canvas was never more than
S25: so it may have been necessity
rather than laxity of morals which led
him to the deception. He sheltered
himself behind one shred of honorable
ness. He never signed them. That de-
tail was attended to by the dealer. As
for his own share in the matter, he
may have kept up the pleasant illusion
that he was painting in the spirit of
his master. The buyers demanded
something a la Daubigny; he supplied
it. Other painters before his time, and
since, have shown the influence of other
men.
Chicago Record: vladimir Shamberk,
the artist who is painting Mayor Har-
risons picture, was walking with q
friend in Jackson boulevard between
State and Dearnborn streets the other
afternoon when he heard the familiar
sounds Of an Italian serenade, which
he had often sung at Rome while study
ing there. Turning around he saw a
pale woman sitting on the sidewalk.
With her left arm she held a sleeping
child close to her BOSOM and with her
right hand was turning the handle of
an old organ, while little girl at her
side was tenderly hugging a headless
doll. The sight touched the artists
heart.
Following the impulse of the mo-
ment he approached the woman and
told her he was going to help her in his
own way, and taking off his hat and
not needing the remonstrances of his
companion, he sang the song which the
woman was playing on the old Italian
instrument. This drew an audience"
and when the singer had finished the
first verse of the song fully 800 persons
We're applauding vigorously, while the
boys in front urged him to give us
some more"
Mr.. Shamberk consented. but before
giving the encore passed his gray
slouch hat among his listeners and sue
ceeded in collecting a. good many nick