FINE ARTS.
PLAN FOR GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT OF ART.
IT is superfluous at the present time to use any arguments to prove the necessity of national patronage of fine art, and the expediency of the Government taking some step to promote the production of the highest class of works of painting and sculpture. The present Minis- ters have shown their desire to do this, and indeed have partly carried their intention into effect, by the foundation of a School of Design ; which is only the first of those measures that will probably result from the labours of the committee appointed to consider this subject. The Second Report of the Committee has not yet appeared ; but in the mean time, the question of state patronage of high art has been raised by Mr. HAYDON'S " Appeal," which appeared in our columns last week. Although matters merely personal to the writer and having an indirect connexion with the subject are mixed up with it, there is one sugges- tion which is deserving of consideration, though it is not a new one. It is that the new Houses of Parliament should be adorned with paint- ings of subjects from English history, and, we would add, with statues and busts of statesmen, orators, and patriots. It would indeed be a reproach to the taste of the nation, if so magnificent a pile of archi- tecture were unadorned by the productions of the sister arts of painting and sculpture. The opportunity is too obvious to be neglected ; and if any arguments were needed to show the efficacy of such a mode of developing the talent of native artists, the result of the recent compe- tition for the building itself furnishes one. There would be this dif.
ference, however—that in the case of painters and sculptors being em- ployed, not one only but many would benefit, and these arts receive an impulse of most powerful effect in raising the character of the British school.
However far removed may be the works of our native artiste, from that intellectual excellence which painting and sculpture are susceptible of, there still exists talent sufficient to do credit to the genius of the nation and to justify its employment on such an occasion. Indeed, had similar opportunities been made available on former occasions, the talent of the body of artists might have been of a much higher aver.. age ; and it would be a very bad reason for not employing them now, that their talent is not sufficiently great, when no national encou- ragement has been directed to its development. The painters at one time volunteered to decorate St. Paul's with pictures gratuitously, but the Bishop of the day put his veto on it. This fact, and the circum- stance of so many pursuing the practice of painting historical subjects in despite of the small encouragement there is even for the greatest talent in this the highest branch of the art, are proofs sufficient that our artists are at least not deficient in lofty aspirations and endeavours to realize them. That a public meeting of their body has not been called to petition the King and the Legislature to employ them on this occasion, may be accounted for by the apathy of the Royal Academy, whose influence, unless exerted in furthering such a proceeding, would insensibly operate against it. This is the vice of the Academy—that it not only does not exert itself, but paralyzes the energies of others. In order to show the amount of talent available to the production of historical pictures if called for by the country, we will mention such names as occur to us at the moment, who have exhibited specimens of their ability in the higher walks of the art. There are ALLAN, BOXALL, BRIGG ETTY, EASTLAKE, HART, HAYDON, HAYTER, HERBERT, Hit. TON, HOWARD, HURLSTONE, LANDSEER, LESLIE, 3PCLISE, all painters in oil of proved talent in design and execution ; and there are besides a number of young artists whose powers have been indi- cated though not developed, whom a great occasion might call forth into distinction. There are many scenic painters, moreover, who might be appropriately employed; such as ARNALD, CALLCOTT, JONES, Ro.. BERTS, STANFIELD, TURNER, WITHERINGTON. And among sculptors, we have BAILY, CAMPBELE, CAREW, CHANTREY, GIBSON, HOLLINFi JOSEPH, LOUGH, LEGREW, MOORE, PITTS, ROSSI, SIEVIER, SHAW*. WESTMACOTT, WYATT, &C.
The beneficial effect of the employment of artists, both to the arts and the country, would greatly depend upon the way in which it was apportioned. A committee of competent persons might be ap- pointed, in the first instance, to select from among the candidates for employment those whose works gave satisfactory proof of their ability to enter into the competition, and to determine the nature and extent of the share of commissions to be appropriated to each. Models and sketches of the various statues and pictures should be first ex- hibited publicly ; and if the number of designs selected for execu- tion were not sufficient, a second exhibition should take place of the fresh ones. A grand exhibition of all the works, when completed, would enable the public to form an opinion of the united talent of the artists, and would give the judges a final opportunity of rejecting any unsatisfactory work ; allowing to the disappointed individual a remu- nerating juice for his labour, or the option of executing another, if his talent were such as to warrant his having a second chance.
We have given this rough outline of a plan for inlisting the com- bined energies of the whole body of artists in a great national under- taking, merely by way of showing the practicability of the scheme, without pretending that the plan is perfect in all its details. The matter of expense we have not touched upon : the question ought to be determined without reference to the cost. The outlay might be gradual and the execution of the scheme progressive, provided some de- finite plan were first laid down.
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