New-York tribune., 1899-06-19

yet should willingly favor any intelligent pro-
posal for the creation of an Industrial arts
museum in connection with our institute Yes.
indeed. you may tell The Tribune readers that
l shall heartily support such a project. Unlty
and cooperation. as The Tribune has SAID
should be able to bring this about. The idea
Of great Industrial arts museum Is splendid
IN conception, and ! firmly believe that It's
realization would be more magnificent
Results count. and such museum would be OF
incaculable benefit. The useful arts and their
history applied to industry are bound to be OF
franscendent Importance in the future.
A MANHATTAN VIEW.
General L. p. di Cesnola. whose long expe-
rience as director Of the Metropolitan Museum
Of Art makes his opinions OF unusual value on
such subject told a Tribune reporter that he
had read with approval the editorial article
1t would undoubtedly he said. be or the
greatest benefit TO this city and country to have
a museum Of Industrial arts here. We are
great commercial people. and an educational
institute like that. placing before our eyes the
best and most desirable achievements OF other
times and other nations in the various indus
trial crafts. would be OF inestimable value. IL
is not an easy task TO collec; the material for
such a museum and keep II faithful to the
highest standards. The exhibits must be
brought from all over the world and must be
selected with great care. Some Of them would
be exceedingly hard to find. But no project
seems to me TO be more worthy Of the pains.
The Tribune has made a good point in say
ing that II would be pity to huid up in this
city museums that exactly duplicate one an
other in their aims. Not that there is not room
for many more museums than there are. we
ought for instance. to have a great musical
museum, and several others devoted to special
subjects like that. But considering the re-
sources upon which we have to draw, 1t seems
unad sable to have two OF precisely the same
kind This museum has in its cellars and store
rooms many valuable treasures suitable for an
exhibit OF industrial arts-curios and beautiful
metal work, textile fabrics. etc. They are
not and never have been on exhibition, because
al present there is room for them. 1t has
been my intention for some time to arrange
them for public view just as soon as the com
peton Of the addition to the building shall
give available space. But II before that time
came an industrial arts museum were already
established in Brooklyn or elsewhere in the
city such an exhibit here would not be neces-
AIRY
This museum has never yet given any special
attention to that side Of art. Ii has been de-
voted to antiques. paintings sculpture. etc,
and has been modelled somewhat along the lines
of the Louvre the National Museum at Berlin
and the British Museum. the last being the
most closely followed in many respects. IT is
not easy to branch out along great number OF
different lines and devote proper attention 10
each, and one would be better pleased tnan
to see a new museum in the city, devoted
wholly or chiefly to teaching our people more
artistic methods Of manufacturing.
A MUSEUM OF DECORATION.
The Cooper Union Museum for the Arts OF
Decoration. in which are many specimens OF the
various kinds OF art which may be applied to
industry, is a small museum Of the type under
discussion and is one OF the few attempts which
have been made In this country to provide col
ections OF Industrial art objects for the study
OF those engaged in the higher grades or artl-
sans crafts 1t has been in existence only two
years. but In that time has been fully able 10
prove that II supplies public want in the city
In the last season not only were there many
more visitors than In the preceding one. but
still more gratifying fact was that large pro-
portion of these visitors were decorators and
artisans of various kinds. who came to work
and improve themselves in their respective pro
fessons The Committee of Management OF the
museum feels confident OF the success or the
enterprise, and intends TO go on enlarging IL as
rapidly as the available funds will allow.
Miss Sarah Cooper Hewitt. the chairman OF
the committee. said. when asked for her opinion
Of The Tribune's suggestion regarding the estaD-
lishment OF an industrial arts museum IN the
Brooklyn Institute OF Arts and Sciences: that
she thought the more work Of that kind that
y,as done tho hettar for the people 'The
Cooper Union Museum" she said is chie1y lot
the better class of mechanics. who can proht
by studying Its collections and. though or
course we could accommodate many more Vls-
itors than those who come. still there Is no
reason why other such museums should not ne
established. There is plenty of room for them
they would not conflict with one another AT
all