The San Francisco call., 1906-05-08
GENIUS ABSOLvES
DISHONEST Man
Noted Sculptor Not
Amendble to
MOrdlLaWS.
Albert Gilbert At
lords Interest
ing Problem.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


obligations of common honesty. which
are held to be binding on ordinary NOR
talsi That Is the interesting question
which has been raised here by the ex-
posure Of Alfred Gilbert's dealings with
one OF his clients. Mrs Frankau, bet.
Ter known TO the literary world as
Frank Dandy, whose book, ''Pigs in
Clover sold remarkably well on both
ndes Of the Atlantic Mr.. Gilbert is
probably the most gifted Of living Brit
ish sculpto-s. Some of his country1nen
place him higher even than Rodin in
the ranks Of great present day artists.
bis statue Of Queen Victoria at Win.
chester is regarded as one Of the finest
81 modern times. he has been engaged
Tor some time on the memorial to the
Duke Of Clarence In the Albert Chapel,
Nindsor-a design of extraordinary
Beauty which Is. however. still ilcom-
pleta-
Mrh Frankau gave Mr.. Gilbert a com.
mission TO execute q monument to her
deceased husband, which ne accepted
with slacrity, readily promising to
eonplete it within six months. The price
agreed upon was $4,000. It was aryane-
cd on Mr.. Gilbert Is suggestion that no
should receive $3.50 on the signing OF
the agreement, $3.50 per month for four
months on his certificate that the work
was progressing satisfactorily and the
balance on the delivery Of the monu-
nsnt. On the strength Of his monthly
reports, re received $1,000. Within eight
weeks Of the time when he had under
taken TO complete the monument, he
Wzote that his work "is progressing
sven better than had expected. I" But
when the time arrived for its delivery,
according 70 the teYms Of the contract,
Mrs. Frsnkau discovered that it had
not advanced beyond the stage Of
rough little clay design OF the bronze,
marble and granite, for which payment
In advance had been demanded, there
was 10 trace. Mrs. Frankau 8 requests
for the return of the $3.50 she had paid
him on account were disregarded. She
could get neither her mony back nor
the monument. When threatened with
exposure, Mr.. Gilbert virtually confess
ed that his monthly statements of sat
ssfactory progress had been untrue by
acknowledging that he had been unable
TO make any headway with the work be-
cause Of his inability TO satisfy his az
Estlc instincts and artistic conscience. /"
When the correspondence was pub
6shed, several men distinguished in the
realms Of Art rallied 10 Mr. Gilbert Is
defense. That defense rests on the
broad assumption that honor and hon
esty have no place in the exalted
sphere where the true Artist lives and
moves and has his being, and takes his
fees. According to the Gilbertian
school Of ethics, as they expound it, an
Artists undertaking to produce a cer-
tain work, In q certain time, can have
no binding force, because the Artistic
Faculty is not machine that can work
10 order, and is entirely subject to the
dictates Of the Artistic Conscience.
They hold, in effect, that the Artist is
entitled to make, not only promises
which do not bind him, but statements
which are not true, IN order TO obtain
cash II advance from his patrons On
these principles the party to blame in
Ne transaction described is not the Ar
hst who obtained and still holds $3.50
for which his patron got nothing, but
the woman who, in her ignorant Philis-
t3n3Em, attempted TO reduce her rela-
hons with man of genius to the level
~ q commercial bargain, and now sup
poses herself aggrieved at the loss of
ksR money.
Meanwhile, as Mr.. Gilbert lives in
sruges, he is outside the pale Of Brit
ish law. He is a ROYAL Academician,
and q member Of its Council, but when
appealed 20 in the matter, Sir Edward
Poynter, the President Of the Academy,
took the ground that it has "no right
te interfere IN the private affairs Of its
members"
II is not the first time that the dis
HnRuished sculptor has done things that
would be accounted dishonorable In a
EnGn who could not plead the ecentric-
lttes Of genius. Several years ago, the
late Sir Henry 1rving's old colleagues,
knaiudina several "supers' at the Ly-
ceum, subscribed for a presentation to
him which was to take the form Of a
ben. The commission was given to Mr..
Gilbert and the money was paid over
60 him. The bell has never been deliv.
sred.
When an artist or sculptor IL elected
Go the Royal Academy it is customary
1or The recipient Of the honor TO pre-
sent the institution with 8 specimen Of
hh work. Mr. Gilbert borrowed for
tbs purpose q silver statue which he
lad sold to q friend and made the Acad-
emy q gift Of it. The friend has never
since been able to secure the return Of
the money which he paid for il or OBJ
tain q replica Of the work. 1t is doubt
iess because Of Mr.. Gilbert's peculiar
methods Of dealing with base, CONNER
easi.rnsndsd creatures that, despite his
w<N1 A.
nanctallv. Three years ago, he went
thrsurh the Bankruptcy Court. Since
that unhappy experience, he has passed
hnovt Of his time abroad, in the sleepy
cid eitv Of Bruges, where he has set up
a avdio ana founded school for young
bsnlptors.
Bridge VIII Cost $e,4es,22s.