New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-04
LONDON NOTES.
Lord Lytton and the Chantrcs
Trustees Motor Circuits,
London. June 25.

OF oils and water colors at the Carfax Gallery
and proved that he has a marked talent sor
drawing and composition and is not To ha s,,
missed as an amateur sketching from lack OF
serious employment The Queen out Of regard
LOT his mother has visited the gallery. and ths
eAnlDition mas been favorably noticed by thu art
eii'icS' HIS eIoer brother, Lord Lytton has ap-
peared as the champion of good art IN the
upper house. and rendered an important service
to the nation by his tudicious ana we'll reason.a
| criticism of the administration OF the c,ha,t-sv
trust. He made his mark as an amateur actor
WHEN ne was at Cambridge. and IN consequences
oi MS journeys In Italy and Germany and his
residence IN Paris he became an accomplished
hnguist and painstaking student Of literature
and art At twenty-eight he Is one Of the most
graceful speakers in the House of Lords. and
with his cultivated taste he promises to become
writer Of distinction His reputation has
been increased this week by his skill and
moderation in framing an Indictment against
the Academy for Encouragement OF the Chan
trey fund. He studously avoided anything like
abuse Of the Academicians. and argued the case
with so much courtesy and reasonableness that
a committee Of inquiry was ordered without
dissenting vote. To Mr.. ID. s. MacCou belongs
the credit OF having led this movement agains.
the Academy, and OF ralIying the forces of criti-
cal opinion: but there has been much undis-
eliminating abuse OF Sir Edward Poynter and
his associates. Lord Lytton discussed the sub
ject In the right temper Of mind. and carried
his point after Lord Wemyss had announced
that the Chantrey trustees courted inquiry.
The Chantrey bequest became operative IN
1877. and about 100000 has been expended IN
the purchase OF paintings and sculptures exc
cuted and carried to completion in the United
Kingdom The critics have proved that $4,000
has been paid to members OF the Academy or
to candidates for election. and that the remnant
has gone outside the charmed circle; and the
charge has followed that the bequest has been
converted into prize or charity fund for tho
benefit Of Burlington House. The fact that the
bulk Of the money has gone to actual or incora-
ing members OF the Academy IS not decisive
although great stress has been laid upon IT,
The Academy roll contains. with few exceptions,
the great names IN English art. such as Reyn-
olds. GainsbOrough. Hoppner. Turner Land
seer. Constable. Raeburn, Lawrence. Ople. Etty
and Millats; and, with the exception OF three or
four Scotch painters. I'll. best artists now living
in the United Kingdom are either AcademIcians
or Associates. The bulk OF the purchases made
with the Chantrey fund ought reasonably TO
have been the work Of members OF the Academy
There has been good art outside the Academy,
and the Chantrey trustees ought TO have pur-
chased more OF it-and. especially. examples Of
Rossetti. Burne-Jones. MADDOX Browne Whistler
and Alfred Stevens; bur they cannot be Justly
censured for looking within the walls OF Burling-
ton House for the best English art OF the time.
The real question. however, Is not partisan
preference for the Academy group. but the quail
ity Of the Chantrey purchases as a represen-
tative collection Of recent English art. No IN
prejudiced critic who examines the purchases
IN the Tate Gallery considers them worth $500
600. II the same sum were placed at tho dis
or Pail Mall. much better collection could
easily be made OF English paintings and sculpt-
OF the last twenty-five years.
Lord Lytton took the broad ground that the
Chautrey collection exhibition at the Tate
Gallery was not made up OF works OF the high
est merit. but contained many paltry pictures
and mediocre examples OF sculpture Under the
terms OF the will works OF dead as well as
living artists could have been bought but this
had not been done. Great names IN and out
side the Academy were not represented in
the collection; and liberal sums far IN ex-
cess OF market values had been paid Tor COM
monplace works by men OF it'll. reputation
In view Of these plain facts Lord Lytton was
justified I'm declaring that the wishes Of Sir
Francis Chantrey had not been respected and
that his name and generosity had become asso-
ciated, not with a representative British gall
lery Of intrinsic merit but with a lob LOT OF
pictures and statuary that was a byword and
mockery. The only answer which Lord
Wemyss. holding q brief for the Chantrey trus-
tees. could make was that the testator had
directed that the money should be used for the
encouragement OF British art. and that they had
done the best they could in buying what was
available in Burlington House. Grosvenor House
and the New Gallery. commissions not being
allowed Lord Windsor. himself an art connois-
seur and the owner OF many fine paintings.
shook his head gravely when he heard this
feeble defence. Lord Lytton by unanimous con-
sent was allowed 20 carry his motion for a conf
nittee OF inquiry; and there will be without
doubt complete reformation Of the evil prac-
tice Of encouraging British art by paying
$40 or $50 for trifies by men OF no reputation.
by wasting $500 on example OF Academic
technique and composition for which the deal
ers Will be glad 10 supply a companion piece
from the same hand for ESQ or 100.
world than he was two years ago. viii stfi be
regarded the most influential sovereign on
the Continent and the representative German.
President ROosevelt's claim to be numbered IN
this triumvirate Of great personalities would not
be contested in any English drawing room. pub
lie hall or trade union.
Nobody who has been in England and on the
Continent during the last two or three years
can be IN any doubt respecting the Presidents
influence abroad. The causes may be nysteri-
ous but the fact that he has been accepted from
London 10 ST. Petersburg. and from Paris TO
Berlin. Rome or Madrid a great American.
peculiarly qualified by character and expert
ence to direct the policies of his country during
critical period, cannot be disputed. A plct-