The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
ARTISTS ADVICE NOT NEEDED,
nov THE NEW NAIL or RECORDS
rs BEING DECORATED.
sculpture Ordered In Dulk--NO Mural
Decorations. Perhaps-Plans or City
Art societies To Make the IS 400. ON
building Thing Ot Beauty Not Needed.

u ".
Because the public has been Indifferent
and the Mayor has taken things easy, the
decorations of the new Hall Of Records
are likely to be a subject of perpetual apo.
ogv. not withstanding the existence of the
Municipal Art Commission. That is the
view taken by large numbers of the mem
tet- Of the city's art societies
Already Job lot Of sculpture has Leeu
contracted COR. the artists say. statues being
mn,pcd in AT one--iNth of n gross. and. in
place of suit able and handsome, mural
decoration. there bids fair to he a fine e1-
pause Of walls finished in the marbled ele-
gance Of hotel barber shop. or left IN the
familiar white of plaster that soon becomes
soed
In the centres Of expansive faces OF
polished marble, rentilator openings and
electric cut outs are to thrust themselves
into uotoc. and these appear Just where,
in building constructed with view to
artistic characterization, there would be broad
panels awaiting the brush of the painter
or the skill Of some fellow artist. panels
unmarried by sue unitarian features
which might as we'll lave been put else
Nh"re
IN d building which is to cos, above
si.dnO.0rO. the critical artists declare that
.uch tteatmnnt by a supposedly culture
loving administration is nothing less than
canda-tb. Ey thrir acts the artists have
rhown that th,r criticism is not inspired
primarily by the hope of possible personal
gain to some os their number bur arises
from the broad outlook of pubic policy and
the proper glory Of a grea, city.
When the Dewey celebration was being
arranged here thc Society of Mural Painters
stepped forward aud offered its services
W make the city decorations rs artistic as
might h. as other artists had collahorated
10 mok" the city's welcome to dewey an
artistic SUCCESS in it, spectacular ASPECT
crowds thronged the town then. and.
according to the general talk, the city's
.lalorate decorations III honor Of the hero
tod much 10 dc viii attracting the visitors
few days ago, when the city was cel.
hra'ing its 2jO,h anniversary, the decurat-
ing about the City Hall was done without
expert advice. although even thea th,,
rHTral printers and tho scup'ors We're
of,rlng their services 10 the city in ut her
matters. and the Fine Arts Federation was
communicating IT, professional .ivic,.
slso. Not only did the ci'vs fearful and
wonderful gala attire draw down upon
Itself the denuuciation If people If good
from the suburban community
As buildings l-autifcd by art have
proved potent attraction to travellers.
net less than 10 residents. in all the great
cities uf tho world. the art societies which
have striv.n to have the new Hall of Rec
or,is made beautiful by art feel that they
have been engaged upon work in behalf
ii the entire city. Tot less than i'll tho in
forests OF their art.
They cite tho fact that in Washington
and Boston the Congressional Library
and the Public Library have proved TO he
drawing cards for visitors to the national
capital and the capital Of the Bav State.
and they point ont that whereas q per cent.
If tho cost OF tho Congressional Library
was spent in the art decoration Of the build
ing. 2 2.3 per cent of the cost of the Hail
Of Records would make that building a
pile. which would draw travellers from
everywhere to look at the superb series
of art works which for that expenditure
II might be made to house. With this
in mind the National Society Of Mural
Painters addressed Mayor Low in January
last. asking his aid toward the beaui-
fving Of the Hall of Records on a scale
commensurate with its cost and scope.
One OF the Mayors special Offices is chair
man Of subcommittee of the Board Of
Estimate on the decoration of the Hall of
Records. The Mayor put in motion the
machinery to secure the opinions Of the
Art Commission and the Fine Arts Fedora
ton. in which are included all of the lead
ing art societies Of the city. and while the
machinery has been moving all these
months, the net result has been tho giving
Of contract for twenty-four statues 20
one man and the prospect Of no mural
decorations in the best sense, although
the Fine Ar,s Federation. in response to the
call for its expert advice. submitted this
interesting plan for TIE decoration Of the
building
With an expenditure of approximately
for = in q Y,uhlic q
Fine Arts Federation feels that the city
should obtain lasting monument, fully
equipped in every respect and with an
original scheme If sculpture and mural
painting in keeping with its purpose and
worthy of comparison with any building
Of equal importance in the world
To secure these results in the interior
decoration, the following recommended
That a consistent scheme Of subjects
to selected for the decoration of the build
ing throughout:
That consistent scheme of ornamental
ton be suggested throughout the build
THAT the subjects selected be historical,
semi hist rical and categorical.
1t is found that there are certain mum
Der Of lunettes in the entrance vestibule
and corridors OF the main building. II is
recommended that these should be filled
with mural decorations representing the
trades Of the city, "a. for example, mas ons:
val peuleIo "edNets, JcN''li''i'' WI Va
iron. stone, mosaic, &c. &c. thus typify
ing at the entrance the men who have built
up the city
1T is recommended that the large
lunettes at the end OF the main hall be
treated in mural decoration with subjects
such as New York of the Past and New
York Of the Present
Here is the array Of historical subjects
which the Fine Arts Federation suggested
for the ornamentation Of the building,
sequence which. well handled, would make
the building an object Of pilgrimage to
thousands Of visitors to New York:
DUTCH PERIOD.
Discovery of the North River by Hudson.
1909
Purchase Of Manhattan Island from the
Indians by Peter Ninuit. 1925.
Pers OF the first settlers Indian rnassa.
eres in 1913 and Whereabouts.
New Amsterdam A typical Dutch .Sene.
; .h as the old fort and Lit, ii snrroundinEs
Cd stadthuys and its en- ironment o oT ancient
Broad street when IL was canal hlled with
boats and lined with Dutch gablrd houses.