New-York tribune., 1905-01-22
TO SUCCEED DI CESNOLA.
u. M. II. DIRECTOR CHOSEN.
Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke to LeaUe
South Kensington Museum.


Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke. art director of the
South Kensington Museum. of London. has been
elected director of the Metropolitan Museum of
Art by the trustees, to succeed the late General
Louis P. di Cesnola, He was chosen at a meet
ing of the trustees yesterday afternoon at the
home of ]. Pierpont Morgan. president of the
Museum, on the unanimous recommendation OF a
committee composed of Mr. Morgan, chairman;
Rutherfurd Stuyvesant, Robert w. De Forest.
Charles F. McKim and Elihu Root. He
selected from among many applicants and II is
hoped he will come to this country for
short visit although he will not be able to re-
main permanently here till September, on ac-
count OF his educational work
The trustees praised Mr.. Morgan warmly for
his successful efforts to gain the consent Of Sir
Caspar to take the position if elected. 1t is
said that obtaining Mr.. Clarke's consent was
the chief aim of Mr.. Morgan's visit abroad last
summer.
Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, c. 1. E., who has
just been elected director of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art. for many years has been the
art director of the great South Kensington Mu-
scum of London This is the most important
museum position the educational side in
Great Britain. 1t will undoubtedly be a great
surprise to the world of art to find him willing
to give up the dictatorship of this great London
museum. 1t can come only from appreciation
on his part of the great present opportunity in
New-York and his confidence in that opportu-
nifty being improved under the presidency of ].
Pierpont Morgan. His appointment emphasizes
the educational side of the New-York Museum.
and coming simultaneously with the presidency
of Mr.. Morgan and the great bequest of Jacob S.
Rogers, opens a vista of possibilities which will
warm the heart of every art lover in America.
The South Kensngton Museum. which
opened in 1851 is one of the subdivisions of
the Department of Science and Art of the
Committee of Council on Education Of the
United Kingdom Its object is not only to ex-
hibit the masterpieces of art but to educate art
teachers and to further art education. The ap-
pointment of its art director as head of the New
York Museum staff would seem to emphasize
the educational side of the Museum.
Sir Purdon is a sef-made man. Starting from
humble beginnings. in continuous connection
with museum work of one kind or another since
he was graduated from the National Art Train
ing School of England about 1865, he has been
steadily advanced from place to another,
until he succeeded Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen as
director of the South Kensington. He became
assistant art director of the South Kensington in
1891.
He is fifty-eight years old. was educated in
England and France, and entered the National
Art Training School of England In 1862 from
received a national medallion for architectural
design in 1865, and was engaged under the Eng
lish government in preparing a set of plans for
the houses of Parliament and in remodelIine
their warming and ventilation appliances during
the next two years He was then transferred
10 the architectural works department of South
Kensington Museum, and engaged on drawings
for the architectural courts of that museum and
for the BethnaI Green Museum. In 1870 and
1871 he was engaged in experimenting repro
ductions for the museum in Italy. In 1872 he
completed the Church of St. Mark at Alex
andria.
During the next three years he was engaged
in purchasing art objects for the South Ken
singtor Museum and in experimenting the
building of the various British legations and
consular buildings in Eastern countries. His
travels included Russia. Greece. Turkey, Syria
Italy and Germany. He was appointed archi-
tect to the royal commission for the Paris Ex-
position Of 1878 and agent for the government
Of India, and received medals for art work and
the decoration of the Legion of Honor. In 1880
he became directly connected with the Indian
Department of the South Kensington Museum
and spent the following years in India purchas-
ing works OF art for this department. Upon his
return from India he appointed keeper of
this museum. He received the Order of the
Indian Empire. In 1884 he visited America for
the special purpose of investigating homes and
dormitories for women students, and on his re-
turn built the Alexandra House at Kensngton.
He was sent by the British government to India
to arrange for the Colonial and Indian Exhibi-
tion of 1885 architect TO the Indian and
Chinese Art Exhibition of 1885 and to the Colo
NAL and Indian Exhibition of 1886. In 1887 he
designed and built Lord Brassey's museum He
was architect to the British India section Of the
Paris Exposition of 1889 and received a gold
medal
From this time he has been continuously in
the service of the South Kensington Museum.
He was first appointed keeper of it's art sections.
and became assistant art director in 1891.
He is governing trustee of the Slade Profess
sorshp, Cambridge; university examiner, Uni
versity Extension Society; governing trustee of
the Alexandra House Corporation and of the
Whitechapel Art Gallery, He is the author of
many papers and reviews on art and arch9o-
logical subjects, and has lectured frequently.
He was knighted shortly after he became art
director of the South Kensington Museum and
is widely known throughout Great Britain as Sir
C. Purdon Clarke In appearance and manner
he is more American than English He is
sentialy a man of the people, has made his own
career by his activity and energy and he is
thoroughly democratic and approachable