New-York tribune., 1905-02-03
THE NEW DIRECTOR.
mething about Sir Caspar Par
don Clarke.
London. January Q

i as engagement Of Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke
! he Metropolitan Museum is something more
4 =, q matter of money. A large salary alone
"a scarcely have drawn to America the di-
.,- Of the art museum of South Kensington
I ,e,eran in his sixtieth year; whose life has
=. spent in the service of an art institution of
1Isvride reputation, must have had some
! .s,r ground of complaint than his income to
-, reconciled himself &c foreign residence and
.-ation from circle OF old companions and
Ids His connection with the Brompton art
-. dates back 10 1862. when he entered the
| s-,riug school as student OF architecture. The
ss,rn had then been open about five years.
,be foundations of what is now a compre-
ss-eiye school OF design with illustrative COL
'.-aons in every branch OF art had barely been
- he was an industrious and clever student
LAT the end Of three years carried off a medal
!. .n-o6ciency in architectural design. He OBJ
-nss employment in the Office of Public Works
short period. and returned to South Ken
ar.on as "a assistant architect He took an ac-
-. mart in the preparation Of plans for the new
-,senYas In Brompton and in Bethnal Green, and
.sseouentlv designed several consular and en-
s,ssy buildings, and the Indian Pavilion in the
s-s+ Paris Exhibition. He was appointed as
s,en+ director of the museum at South Ken
1,e-on and after protracted period of service
- r-as nronioted nine years ago to the post of
s;rector and subsequently honored with knight
hoo5 As q collector he made many Journeys to
10 confinent and long tour IN India His or
srizinz talent was displayed in the Fisheries
T5ssltb and other exhibitions, and especially in
ne Indian section Of the last Worlds Fair in
p,rss His experience and knowledge as a coll
,,,or in the broad field of illustrative study
.n5 anplied art were exceptional; and by life
he I,a1
sor the arrangement of the vast collections of
soufb Kenslngton in the new buildings to be
,oronIeted in the course of few years. Sudden
r. the nation is deprived Of his skill and authori-
~ HI, the Metropolitan Museum in New-York.
Dsuayed by so serious a loss to art interests,
he critics IL the London newspaper offices are
asnouncing with more irritability than acumen
he penurious scale of payments TO experts in
museums and galleries. The salaries it is true.
are not princely, hut neither are they niggardly.
Al the British Museum Sir Edward Maunde,
he principal librarian, receives q salary Of
$500: eight heads Of departments are paid
ron $500 to $4,000, and large staff of assist
ants earn from $3.50 to $1,000. There are retir-
lng psnsions and opportunities for authorship
and expert study. Among the heads of depart
tsnts are men ike Mr.. Sidney Colvin, keeper
u priHts and drawings; Mr.. Ernest A Wallis
uquities: Sir Robert Kennaway Douglas. keeper
Of Oriental printed books and manuscripts; Mr..
Cecil h Smith, curator OF Roman and Greek
antiquities; Mr.. c. H. Reed, keeper of British
and medieval antiquities. and Mr. B. V. Head,
curator of coins and medals. Salaries ranging
from $500 to 81 900 are not munif1cent for ex-
Ierts like these, but the men are where they
can prosecute favorite studies and turn their
uents 10 practical account. Professor Ray
-snkester, director Of the Museum of Natural
Estory. receives about $4,000; Sir Edward ].
hynter director of the National Gallery and
80 OF the Tate Gallery $1,000; Mr.. Lionel
Hsnry Gust. director of the National Portrait
Gallery. 5000; Mr. Claude Phillips. keeper of
he Wallace collection, from $500 to $4,000.
and Sir Charles Horoyd, keeper of the Tate
Gallery, from S1,7:0 to $500. AS director of
ihe Victoria and Albert Art Museum, in South
Kensington. Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke has
ssrned between S3, 800 and $500: his colleague,
Nr " ]. Last, director of the Science Museum,
has received about the same sum; the keepers
ana assistants under them are paid all the way
from $500 10 $1,000 Some of these officials
without question are underpaid, when the
Quirements Of expert knowledge are taken into
account but the majority OF them work in a
lzszrely way, taking advantage of opportunities
for extra employment, and the veterans have the
assurance Of a pension ia their declining years.
While il is natural for English critics to re-
sent the loss Of the director Of the South Ken
s1gton Art Museum. It is hardly just for them
suggest that he has been induced by prom
ke Of a salary twice as large as his own to de-
set post where his services were pre-emi-
nenty useful and satisfactory. 1t is only fair
10 infer that, tempting as the New-York offers
msy have been from financial point Of view,
he would have rejected them if he had been
thoroughly contented where he was. and at lib
own way. There are many intimations that he
vas interfered with by officials in the Civil Ser
Nce, and that he welcomed release from the
meddesome activities of domineering clerks.
lhe Victoria and Albert Museum was originally
lnoer the direction Of the Board of Trade. but as
4 It's character as a school Of design was developed
4 came TO be regarded as a department Of prac-
I ucal art, and a few years ago it was placed
under TIE control Of the education office. Tech
1A'ally il IS subdivision of the department Of
/ science and art Of the committee Of council on
1 eaacstion, and practically il is not self-regu-
'sung, but is under the supervision of officials
l WHO have crotchets and hobbies Of their own,
l ana are accustomed to amuse themselves by
1 winding and unwinding spools Of red tape.
l IhsFe are grounds for the belief that Sir Caspar
/ Fuaen Clarke was hampered in the control OF
/ ue san and in the completion and arrangement
I v NE collections by the fussiness and arbitrary
II .Fff<<%<&@4 ~ Y