New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-18
REPORTS ON CITY ART.
Color Schemes, Park Systems and
BOuIeuards an EurOpe.

The Municipal Art Commission in May instructed
DR. Milo r. Maltbie. its secretary. to investigate
and report on subjects relating TO the work of the
commission. such municipal art. city develop
ment, civic centres public and quasi-pubc build
ings and noteworthy modern instances of city en-
Enlistment in European cities DR.. Maltbie who
returned from Europe recently. has submitted TO
the commission comprehensive and lengthy re-
port.
Among the cities visited by Dr. MaItbie were
Copenhagen. Stockholm. ST. Petersburg. Moscow.
Budapest Vienna, Dresden Berlin. Hamburg Ant
werp, and Paris. Maps, plans, prints. photographs
ment in its many phases were obtained from each
city me work Of collecting the material and
Secretary hay who placed the consular service
who obtained for him The co,onTTation 81 foreign
CITY oinclals- Regarding the street plans of Euro
two cities being exactly alike DR.. Maltbie says:
1t is also advisable that boulevards should be so
Planned as 10 connect the parks of city. Such
parks in themselves without interfering with their
iso nffrs % f+ Inc WdterIroht OF me city
boulevards. as instanced by the much frequented
LANCE LIME along the harbor of Copenhagen Strand
wagon. in Stockholm: the Franz Joseph prone
made along the Danube in Budapest; the Boule-
NarG Frere-OrDan, bordering the Mouse In Liege,
and river streets in other cities especially Amster
dam, where the canals are generally lined with
at ieast one row OF trees on each side.
:, European experience further demonstrates that
laid out in a straight line for q long distance
Indeed. there are very few prominent thorough
Green to Grace Church Wbere InDE PU@iItS
boulevard is necessary the most artistic results
have been obtained by the erection of columns
arches. fountains and statues at frequent intervals
break the monotony of the view The hest in
stance Of the artistic effect of this of treat
promenade through the Jardin des TuiIeries where
me monument 70 GGatmPetta. the Arc de Triomphe
de Triomphe de rEtolle. and several fountains at
frequent intervals. not only add immensely to the
beauty of the avenue but are in turn benefited BY
the avenue. which adds TO their beauty.
In regard to color schemes in cities, the report
says
this direction, many OF them, especially in Ger
many and Austria, can boast of results we'll
however. to show what may be done with color
upon a large scale There the exterioIs of the
with plaster The walls are Of Brck.he orGnaTy
cheaI mot pressed brick-which are SO easily af-
fccted by the weather to make necessary q coat
OF plaster 70 protect them This plaster cannot
be repaired and repainted. 1t is this annual coat
of paint. applied in the summer which offers the
nary whtewash is too prosaic for most Russians
Their buildings must be CARRIED in brighter cOlOrs.
DR.. Maltbie declares that in one very important
respect European cities are far in advance of
American cities-the combination of small parks
and open spaces with sites for public buildings.
The report also discusses elevated roads and
bridge approaches in Europe, follows:
Where elevated roads have been built within the
last few years strenuous efforts have been put
forth to make The structure and stations as arts-
tic possible. A comparison between the old
Stadtbahn which connects the stations Of the
steam railroads and the new electric Hochbahn. i'm
Berlin. shows how great has been the progress in
civic art.
Regarding the movement for civic art, DR.. Malt
bic says:
II is hardly necessary 10 add after citing instance
upon instance of civic art, that the movement has
firm foothod in European cities. There is no discus
sion OF its merits these are taken for granted; the
question was long ago settled, If II moot
cd Everything now centres about the question:
What the most effective methods of beautfy-
ing cities? That too. is coming he the situation
I'm the United States and rapid progress has been
made within the last few years. European eN-
perience may aid much, and. avoiding the errors
that they have made and adopting the suggestions
that they have found successful there is no reason
why within the next generation American cities
not outstrp them all. In dire ton. par
ticularly. do We have the advantage. In Europe
the attitude Of the citizen toward the city is that
of dependence. The attitude OF the city the
citizen is that of independence. But in American
cities the attitude of each toward the other is that
Of intcrdependence. The highest results can only
he attained mutual cooperation. Citv officials
with citizens and citizens with city officials. This
is generally lacking in Europe. 1t is the most
promising sign I'm America