Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-01-24
PORTRAITS AND THE STATE.
Art Treasures Which Have Histori'
cal and General Value.

Cdt dHu 1cTcTdi NdiuS'
There are signs of the times which |
may be taken to mean that art with |
us is in a measure coming into its |
own. Municipal decoration, both in |
sculpture and painting, is beginning
to receive recognition. There is still, |
however, an important branch OF mu- |
nicipal and state art of peculiar sig |
nificance, and for which as yet no
adequate provision has been made
the art of portraiture. The value of
this art as an adjunct to the display
and ceremonial of state has not yet
been duly grasped by those who could
or should control IT,
England, through pride of race or
premonition of future greatness, en-
couraged the art of portraiture by
foreigners long before she possessed
painters of her own. Under Henry
VII, and afterward under Charles
|. and Charles H.. Holbein, Sir Peter
Lely. and then Sir Godfrey Kneller,
knighted by William ILL., and raised to
. baronetcy by George l.. were inn
pressed into the service of court and
mobiles, and the result of this instinct
of self-perpetuation, so to speak, has
left England rich in portrait treas
ures of the best period of the past.
Vandyke alone painted more than 200
of the princes and mobiles of the day,
while of Holbein's drawings of the
chief persons of Henry's court SO are
among the greatest treasures in the
present collection of her majesty. Now
II Is doubtless the fact that this prac-
tice of importing painters produced in
England in the eighteenth century a
group of native portraitists who for
charm of color and distinction of style
are genrally regarded as masters of
their art. The foreign artists were
but the precursors of Romney, Rey-
nolds. Gainsborough. Hoppner, Opie,
Raeburn and L.awrence--a galaxy OF
bright stars which shone with suffl.
cient brilliancy to light up English art
Not only great men and fair women
were subjects of their pencil, but cere-
monials. epoch-making moments of
state. pageants, marriages. baptisms,
funerals, even--whatever was worthy
of such commemoration il was their
peculiar province to depict Such
works are treasures for all time and
help to make a state glorious They
are conserved in national portrait
gallery. The builders of an empire
are thus imaged for posterity, an in.
SEPARATION and incentive to coming
youth.
II is not, however, in the mere fos-
tering of portrait painting that the
state should interest itself, but in the
proper housing and maintenance of
these works when once acquired.
From their very portableness portraits
are subject TO strange and often
damaging vicissitudes. This should
not be permitted, When a picture of
this nature is designed for special
place the place should be waiting for
II, that II may become part of the
structure itself. DO not permit the
objection to be urged that the TEN.
porariiy waiting panels would destroy
the beauty of the hall; there are many
ways in which this might be over.
come, the room at all times preserving
its effectiveness as well-decorated
interior
II IL were the practice OF those who
erect halls for municipal or state use,
colleges, chambers OF commerce or
boards Of trade to maintain certain
rooms as repositories for portraits
which custom and the function Of the
building cSll for, such rooms would be
beautiful and dignified and contribute
much to the splendor OF the building
as a whole. Organization. civic halls
state houses and national departments
possess portraits OF persons whose
achievements have identified them
with the activities that the structure
stands for. With due consideration |
and some architectural foreth9ught
these canvases might be made to y,.'