Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-01
Rv Nannio Z. winston.l

&
various cities OF The United States have
rained notable ,eputs ton for their an
maj art exhibitions This reputation has !
been well maintained during the year |
1862
1hc anuua! exhibitions Of the Chicago
Srt institute are always more notable IN !
one sense than any exhibition held in
New York: local pride and interest IN
ART sezrn TO be greater there, and 1t has
become a custom to employ an agent in
Europe to procure works Of Americans
residing abroad. and TO pay Tor the trans
ro:tation Of these works 70 ChicaEo-
a thing not done by any New YORK e%-
hibjtion Pittsbu1g does even better. Ihe
International Exhibition held annually
there by the Carnegie Institute invites
and TRANSPORTS free Of charge the work
Of eminent foreigners as well as OF -hmcrl-
cans abroad and at homo, so that such ex-
hititions aye held in that city Of toll and
smoke as are rarely TO be seen IN Ae"
York This, OF course. is made possible
through tho liberal endowment given 10
The institute by Mr.. Andrew Carnegie.
In Philadelphia TOO. at the Pennsylvania
Academy of Zine Arts. exhibitions are
held which numbers OF New York artists
are glad 10 visit.
METROPOLIS OF ART.
Yet New York is. after all. the real me-
9ropolis Of art IN the United States. The
art societies and art institutions which
have their homes there, taken in conjunc-
ton with the Metropolitan Museum.
mako . formidable showing, and would
seem to indicate that Kew YoriE's artistic
pyetcnsions have q solid foundation
These pretensicns would not be question
ed If they could rest solely upon q repre-
.antatiou of the fine arts through Narl-
Gus societies and a profnse expenditure
Of millions in the collection Of works Oh
art. Something further and different
however is required, if nc are ever to
have an art that is national in character
AM. such art is at present with us mere
IL uasccnt: only .. deep interest in ii,
and a willingness to spend freely for its
establishments can develop ii. in New
York we md a notable lack Of these two
great essentials, and az New York is
considered cur great art centre her alti-
tude d2es that of the nation. Hence we
find our American painters often forced
to seek abroad the recognition which is
denied them at home; or il they brave
fortune and settle in their own country,
so difficult is it TO obtain a market for
their pictures that, with few exceptions.
they are driven 20 employ their accom-
plishments in teaching and illustrating.
The result is there Is nothing national
In the work of most American painters;
and while we have truly great American
artists. we have no real American art
unless, as has been suggested, Mr.. Whist
Ter is willing to admit that LArt d Anne
rIque c'est moi.
Fortunately. the case of the American
sculptor is somewhat better than that Of
the painter. for some hidden reason the
foreign SCllutor not having found any
great degree Of favor with US. With the
American architect it is even better still,
lie having obtained abundant opportunity
and ample recognition III the land of his
birth.
Confronted by such indisputablc facts
VIC are forced TO admit, that as nation
america has done little nothing mart;
IN that respect we arc still in the future.
Nc land ever mad noioler gifts Of nature:
many OF. our cities have possibilities equal
ling those of Corintll or Alexandria. The
task before us is, therefore, that we learn
as nation how TO use these gifts and
possibilities.
Certainly a country like ours. bent on
pre-eminence in all things. and backed up
by resources seemingly linlitless must
fall far short Of expectations It if does not
become q distinguished factor in the art
Of the future. IN the natural course Of
events II would seem that this must be
so. Excepting Russia, the nations of Eu-
rope and Of the East have had both their
noon and their twilight. America, even
more than Russia. has not yet seen the
dawn Still, if We have not the great
spirit, if We strive mainly TO the chic
exist that We may be talked about
where are we TO obtain our greatness or
any promise Of it, in our practice OF the
fine arts?
WHERE THE DIFFICULTY LIES.
The difficulty seems to lie in the pro-
cess OF our civilization. Instead of
various civilization, as should be the case,
ours has become s'51glc; it centres about
the conception of lire as a matter of in
dustlia! energy. This conception has be-
come: firmly incorporated into the nation
Al mind We have been swept off our feet
by tie brilliant success of our industrial
enterprises. and blinded by vanity, we
measure the swelling tide OF cur material
prosperity. forgetting other things. Great
Domains of human interest lie uncared for
Ia america; our absorption in the practi-
cal is complete. Such an Industrial civil
igation as ours, with its various and
splendid manifestations OF energy, nat
urally excites admiration and enthusiasm.
InToluntarily all talents apply themselves
TO material production. old and Young
are drawn like fishes in Z: net. Yet these
things mast be changed; we must learn
the lesson OF elf-ahnegation; we must
acquire devotion TO ideaIism and reckon
with its values, otherwise our spiritual
life is doomed and the hope of any great
achievement in art is something about
which we need no longer deceive our
selves
Upon one point We may be justly con-
graduated In many instances the Amer
ran millionaire has laTishly, if not al
ways wisely, spent part of his vast ac-
cunulation Of wealth in collecting works