New-York tribune., 1905-01-22
THE MUSEUM DIRECT0RSHIP.

importance 10 dlScnarge. Inc inSuIuIlOn COIL
mitted to their care has developed phenOmenally
in possessions and in influence; they have given
it a national where it once had only local
significance, and their administrative policy is
a matter of concern to the whole country. 1t has
been from the start q conservative policy, and
that no violent changes are TO be expected under
the presidency of Mr.. Morgan is clearly to be
inferred from the choice of Sir G. Purdon Clarke,
Of the South Kensington Museum, as director.
The qualifications of this gentleman for the
post are indicated by the facts relating to his
career which are printed in our news columns.
He is not exclusively identified with any single
phase of connoisseurship. His work at South
Kensington has not been restricted to the field
of the pictorial and plastic arts or to that of
decorative craftsmanship, but has been rather
Of a general character, involving the whole
range Of museum management. He Is type
of the official whose judgment is determined by
learning experience and practically as well
as by individual taste; and in assuming control
of the collections in Central Park he will doubt
less realize not only his great opportunity, but
his greater responsibility. He will share both
with the curators of the various departments of
the Museum. and whatever appointments are
made for the latter the general watchword will
remain make haste slowly"
We are aware of the fact that among certain
light hearted critics of the Museum a more revO-
utiOnary motto is advocated. Proceeding from
the polite assumption that ignorant and reac-
tionary ideas have presided over the councils
Of the trustees and secure in the conviction that
the last word of wisdom dwells with divers
self-elected "expeTts'-whose expertness con-
sists in saying amen, with an air, TO the con-
clusions of men whose authority is not after
all. precisely Papal-they all for a root and
branch overhauling of the Museums treasures.
Better results will be obtained by more deliber-
ate processes Revision of every museum cata-
logue is matter of periodical necessity. There
is not an art gallery in Europe whose lists are
mpeccable. Questions of attributOn are con-
stanty being opened and reopened, and, as the
doctors frequently disagree, it is rarely safe to
regard the authorship of doubtful piece as
settled until some sort of general consensus of
opinion has been reached.
Take, for example the Portrait of q Lady"
in the Lichtenstein collection at Vienna which
we reproduced a week ago in a review of Miss
Cruttwells book on Verrocchio. 1t has been
variously attributed to him, TO Sodoma, to Leo
nardo and to one of LeOnardo's pupils, Boltraffio
Miss Cruttwell, following MOrelli and others.
believes that VerrOcchiO painted the portrait.
and her argument inclines us to think that she
is right. Nevertheless, DR.. Bode continues to
argue in favor of Leonardo, and, as the world
well knows DIR. Bode is profound connOssegr
which a work Of art may remain a bone of
contention between opposing schools of criti-
cism. We might cite many others Only the
other day Herr Adolf gon Beckerath gave some
very cOgent reasons in a we'll known art maga-
zine for declining TO adopt the views of Mr.
Bernhard Berenson certain FIorentine draw
ings in the Print Room at Berlin But we need
not multiply examples. The point to be broadly
emphasized is that no museum can be properly
managed on the hypothesis that all knowledge
of art is the property of one man and his clique.
The awestruck way in which Mr. Berenson's
obiter dicta on pictures in our Museum have
been taken up recently by some of his satellites
has seemed droll indeed to those conversant
with the whole drift of European connoisseur-
ship.
Sir PurdOn Clarke may be relied upon, we
think, to avoid alike the stagnatiOn of indIffer
ence and routine and the specious activity of
the Grass doctrinaire. In his dealings with tho
catalogues of the different collections he will
see that progressive scholarship is governed by
common sense. His relation to the purchases
made out of the handsome income now at the
disposal of the trustees will be that of n eau
tlous adviser, jealous in watching the market:
quick to seize good opportunity at the psycho-
logical moment, but more than slow to be lr1red
into any such situation as that which has re-
Gently planted in the galleries of the BOSTON
Museum Velasquez of dubious authenticity:
and set like adamant itself against the impor-
tunities of the dealers. Should a sale occur i'm
Europe like that of the SOmZee collection in
Brussels or that of the Bourgeois collection in
Cologne, both among the recent art events of
Importance on the Continent, he will see that
the Museum is adequately represented on the
scene. If the chance comes to secure prizes like
the Bourgeois Vatican, he will do his best
TO take advantage of IT. But he will avoid as
he would avoid the plague, the mysterious col
lection of masterpieces held by some obscure
priest in Italy and only TO be purchased on Sc
cret terms; he will shun as a downright source
OF peril the nObleman who never. no
never, has anything to do with the dealers but
as piece of overwhelming courtesy will "cede"
to the Museum for a capital sum one of the
"heirlOOms" his walls Finally, i'm the in
stallation Of the objects in his charge and in
the extension TO experts and students OF those
privileges which they request he will follow not
only enlightened precedent but the rules which
special circumstances always naturally suggest
He may look for criticism, legitimate and other
wise as a matter of course. The museum drec-
tor incapable OF making a mistake has vet to
be born. Whoever has n wide acquaintance
with historic galleries Will recognize that the
official entirely free from the falibility of poor
human nature has not yet been found. But as
one who has long labored In his special field
and as man of the world, Sir Purdon Clarke
will know how to distinguish between the