The Washington herald., 1910-06-26

set before them as best they knew how
and who did them we'll, In many In
stances raised a regular cabal, which
finally succeeded in having a commission
appointed with much the same powers
as the present commission holds.
Commission a Failure.
This commission was composed Of
Henry K. Brown, John R. Lambden,
and John F. Rensett. sculptor and two
painters. all OF whom had done ere
dItable work and were widely known,
but 1t does not follow that creditable
artists have the ability 10 devise schemes
for the decoration OF a city or the EN-
Enlistment of public buildings. and that
these artists absolutely lacked this abil-
ity was abundantly proven, for the re-
suit OF more than years unremittins
work was few pages, devoted TO criti-
cism of the existing plans. the work
that had been done. set forth in high
falutin English; a sort Of sophomore es-
say. in fact on art as regards a ma
tional capitol The report is so pre-
tentious. so bombastic. and so SNUG that
it would be well worth quoting il space
permitted.
among other things, Congress Is in
formed: The erection OF q great ma
| tional Capitol seldom occurs but once in
the lifetime Of a nation. The oppor-
tunity such an event affords is an I'M
portant one for the expression Of patri-
otto devotion, and the perpetuation,
through the arts Of painting and sculp-
ture, of that which is high and noble and
held in reverence by the people; and II
becomes them as patriots 10 see 10 it
that no faint OF falsity Is suffered 10 be
transmitted to the future upon the es-
cutcheons OF our national honor in It's
artistic record, which was meant, OBJ
viously. as a slam at the foreigners who
had been imported for the decoration Of
the Capitol.
This commission died a natural death.
was never heard OF after IL submitted its
report. and none OF the recommendation
in that report was ever acted upon. But
Congress- despite the disapproval of its
commission did not stop buying pictures
and statues and decorating It's public
| buildings and grounds. On the contrary.
| il increased its appropriations for these
J purposes, but Il was influenced IN favor
I OF American art-as though art had any
| country, any nationality-and succeeded
in acquiring hideous objects and uninter-
esting junk than 1t will take generations
| to get rid Of
| Inc average congressman or mat peTlOd
/ knew as much about art as he knew
about cuneiform inscriptions, yet many
OF those legislators, uniformed, absolute
| ly ignorant regarding the value Of art
objects, presumed TO ask Congress 10 buy
historical pictures and statues that were
At only for the waste pile, because. for
sooth. they had been painted by their
constituents. And Congress bought these
thngs-ignorsntly bought them-and the
public buildings and the parks OF the
! Capital are, in consequence. dishgured
by bronze hobby horses bearing impos-
sible riders and socalled historic caRvases.
the models or some or which must have
been taken from the side show Of
circus.
The good old days. however, when poor
but worthy artists % unable to sell their
wares in any market where there was
the slightest ray OF intelligence regard
ing art values, were yet suecesstui
through political pull in feisting them
on defenseless public al the Capital are
at an end and with the installation or
| the National Gallery OF Art. the estab-
lishment Of the art commission, the in
| telligent attitude of the press and It's
clever and enlightening criticism and
general awakening and aiertness in art
matters ali over the country new era
has begun and the time is coming when
we will venerate art for arts safe and
place II in its proper niche in our ma
tional temple.