New-York tribune., 1905-02-14
THE MUSEUM.


of the Metropolitan Museum, which was pre-
sented at yesterday afternoons meeting. con-
tains statements of great importance 1t rep
resents its authors as standing at the parting
of the ways-summng up the brief period in
which the Museum has made progress unri
vailed in the history of similar institutions and
outlining the new regime which new cond-
tiOns make possible The facts which relate to
the past have not been unknown to those whose
interest has caused them to follow the actions
OF the trustees with care and sympathy; but,
for the benefit of those who have been beguiled
into thinking OF the Museum mismanaged, it
was, perhaps, worth while to point out the cir
cumstances under which the trustees have e1-
ercised their functions. They say:
The collections of the Museum have not been
Systematically developed under any comprehen-
sive plan. In some departments they are lam
entably deficient; IN others perhaps abnormally
extended; in many inadeqEately represented
This condition is quite apparent to the trus-
tees as to the artistic public Nor does it result
from any votion their part. Iti the nevi-
table consequence of having had to rely in the
past for our expansion upon gifts and of having
had no means Of our own with which to enlarge
our collections in those directions which gifts
did not supply. Nor could the Museum In the
SIdts ol llA sto"lL heHe Wisely
gifts which may have sometimes included OBJ
jects hardly worthy Of permanent display. To
have done so might have alenated public inter-
est and cut off its only immediate means Of
growth.
Our Only wonder in reading this passage is
that it should ever have been necessary. that
any censOrs, even the least amabIe should
have persstentiy ignored elements in the stua-
! ton which have been for years lying the
surface, to be seen of all men. Fortunately.
however the truth about this great source of
artistic inspira ton in city has steadily made
| its way, and nowhere more effectively than
among the collectors and other patrons of art
whose support, since ii could not but take prac-
teal forms, is most to be desired. The trus-
tees note that they have been at liberty in
recent years to exercise more careful dis
! 'criminaton in accepting gifts" and that they
may now vigorously exclude all which do not
attain to acknowledged standards" This is
strong testimony TO the fact that donors of
| works of art have more and more come to
realize the true inwardness of the Museums
| character and work. The case of the late
! Jacob S Rogers offers convincing justification
| of the policy adopted That shrewd business
man did not make his splendid bequest of So
| 000,000 without looking into the methods of
! the institution he wished to benefit. He saw
| that where it was handicapped it was by
! lack of means not by lack of ideas and he
! willingly left a fortune at the disposal of the
! trustees. The confidence of the taxpayers is
equally well expressed in the legislative enact
ment providing for the wing, on which
!
the trustees are to-day in n better position than
ever before to administer their charge in ac-
| cordance with the aims which they have fos-
| tered from the start
! They have( begun by appointing in Sir Cas-
par Purdon Clarke director who brings many
excellent qualifications to his task. They speak
| of reorganiZfng the Museum into greater num-
ber of departments, and OF finding for the head
''of each new department a curator thoroughly
equipped by knowledge and experience for his
specially, and capable of leadership. not only
| lin arranging and eataloguing his department,
! but in enlarging Ii and utilizing its educa-
''tional possibilities" The filling of these posts
| is naturally deferred. in order that the new
director may bear his share in the selection OF
candidates. but ii will not be unnecessarily de-
layed, and the policy illustrated by the appoint
ment of Sir Purdon Clarke may be expected
| TO bear the right fruit where the curators are
| concerned. Finally, there is the question of
American art, which is to be taken up with
new vigor. The trustees propose TO do every
thing In their power TO bring more examples
of native painting and sculpture into the Mu-
scum and they are likely TO be assisted in
this matter by many gifts. The financial re-
sources already at their command are large but
still not adequate for all that has to be done
1t is to be hoped, therefore, that both among
the city officials and among our private ciu-
zens the illusions made in the report to the