New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-01

public and ask two hundred guincas for
twas no more insolcut. though more
epigrammatic. than many be had ad-
dressed 10 earlier painters Of rcnovn
whom he did not happen TO like At
the bottom Of Rusku's mind was the
settled purpose 10 glorify Turner and
II often seemed as if, a unconsciously.
every stone he flung al his rivals. early
or late. added to the height Of the mon
umcnt he was building to Turner.
For these and many other reasons
there was i'm those days more talk
ABOUT art, q moro frequent use of the
word, IN the London world than before
or perhaps since. The lady Of intel
lect YOU took i'm To dinner. who used TO
ask you with the first spoonful Of
soup whether YOU preferred Plato's
Lysis to Ciccro's Dc Amicitia. now de-
maudcd 10 know i'm what relation the
Grosycnor Gallery people stood to true
British art There was a ferment
among the artists. new and old.
Punch" which then turned out some
thing besides machincmade jokes, adj
/ vcrtiscd the "Grosvenor Gallery, green
/ cry-yallory." i'm "a jovial spirit The
orthodox critics Of the Tom TAYLOR
school remained orthodox. hut could
not refuse 10 recognize the beginning
OF a revolution. There came a time
l when Robert Browning personal in
fuoucc secured admission 10 tho
Grosvcnor for a colossal statue by his
son of some Greek goddess name i'm
material. II was a moment Of triumph
for the Academy Crew--a word ! Dor
row from Whistler They went about
cXulting. and asking all corners: Did
you ever gee. even at Burlington House.
% statue so ugly as that?" Mr.. oscar
! Wilde somehow identified himself with
the Grosvcnor, or perhaps 1t was
Cossiping public which grouped them
together. and again the art-Torics re-
ioiccd. For Wilde, with all his genius.
4 was at that time an opera bouffc g
urc.
Evil days followed. Whether in hopes
/ OF retrieving the financial position u
I his Gallery, or from whatever motive.
Sir Coutts began trying experiments.
| He set up q lending library. lie an
noun"ed evening parties. receptions.
soir6cs-I know not what; with refresh
ments at moderate prices. Mr.. Halle
and Mr.. Comyns Carr both men with
true concern for art, who had been
| his advisers. withdrew, and founded the
! New Gallery. which was attractive, but
| unremuncrativc. Again the Academi-
clans intoncd anthems of jubilation;
| this time with only too much reason.
Tho note of distinction, Of dignity,
which had been admirable, had de-
parted from the GrOsvenOr. The Acad-
! cmy. always a money making concern.
I had never been tempted into vagarics
I like these and therefore had never
fallen went to some Of these even
1 ings. You never saw such assemblies.
/ Still some Of the right people, but IN
! army of intrudcrs had possession Of
/ the place. Said lady.
( Il do not much mind whom ! meet,
but does Sir Coutts draw the line any
/ where"
It happened that one evening there
came a lady. not at all Of the wrong
/ sort. am American with a deserved
name for beauty OF face and figure.
I She chose on that occasion TO present
/ herself in a garment of flesh colored
/ silk and 50 fashioned that when you
saw her from little distance the face
/ turned from YOU, she appeared abso-
/ lutcly nude from neck to waist. II was
prudish. There were other incidents
which need not be recalled II was
only too evident that the days Of the
/ Grosvenor were numbered, and ten
/ years from the date Of its opening its
doors were closed forever.
/ ! set down these facts, pleasant and
unpleasant, together, because IL is nee
essary 10 explain the ultimate failure
! Of the Grosvenor. The immediate
/ causes. YOU perceive. lay outside the
| domain Of art. There were others.
( There were artists who used 10 say
, picture sent the Academy was more
likely TO sell than picture sent TO The
/ Grosvenor. That was probably true.
and If a man with his living 10 earn
could choose between the two, IL he
to be blamed if he chose the Acad-
envy? The cademy exists for ;he
purpose Of selling pictures. IT is
shop. You send TO it such wares as
are likely 30 find a market. You paint
down 10 the accepted level. II you are
Sargent you paint what and as you
like. You conform to no standard but
that which your art-cOnscience ana
! impulses prescribe. aud you do II with
consummate mastery Of that skill
without which impulses are naught,
and even imagination is naught hut
that is only If you are a Sargent. That
one dominant personality stands b.
himself. If you have not his compel
ling force YOU do what you can with
ont il. Sir Coutts Lindsay VIII Il-
WAYS be remembered for what he did
70 give all artists their opportunity.
He was generous and gracious fig"
ure. an idealist to whom every aTllSt
with an idea i'm his head, and every
lover of art. has good reason 10 be
, grateful: and not less to-day than fVe
and thirty wears ago. ~. W. =.