PICTURES FOR THE PUBLIC. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Boyne Cottage. 29th April 1849.
Hilt-The Art-Union of London has been prohibited, but is it certain that it has been suppressed? A Legislature that has protected illegal betting might perhaps be induced, under certain regulations and restrictions, to legalize Art-Unions.
It may be true that "high art," as Mr. H ATDON delights to call it, is not promoted by these Unions ; but they are advantageous, as you admit, to the in- ferior artists, and inferior artists must live as well as superior ones. And this at least may, I think, be said in favour of such societies, that they invite attention to objects and matters of art among classes of people who would otherwise be indifferent to them ; and thus tend to diffuse some taste, more or less refined, and to supply an innocent and humanizing enjoyment to many who would be the worse for the want of it. But be this as it may,! am glad to find you ad- vocating, in the event of the final suppression of these societies, the application of their subscribed funds to the purchase of the best pictures procurable, for presentation to the National or other public institutions. As one of the sub- scribers to the London Art-Union, I should joyfully forego my chance of a prise in favour of so patriotic an object. The time, perhaps, may not be very remote when some society, actuated by a genuine zeal for the promotion of art, may be organized for the purpose of making such purchases and presenta- tions, and for offering premiums for original designs, copies of which might be engraved, and distributed among the subscribing members.
[am, Sir, your obedient, humble servant, T. NOEL.
[Probably Art-Unions may be legalized by act of Parliament: we think they should be, provided they can be so constituted as to benefit art and improve the public taste, and not to be perverted to jobbing and gambling purposes. The artists are preparing petitions to both Houses. We would recommend them, and all who are interested in the matter, to be prepared with some well- considered plan of remodelling these societies, which should induce the Le- gislature to make a distinction between them and mere lottery-schemes. This is the point to be discussed, and to which the Art-Union Committees should direct their attention.
The cuckoo-cry of "high art" is cant. All true art is elevating; for it raises tip humblest objects to dignity, and its contemplation and exercise refine the taste, when the sentiment is not debasing. But it must be really " fine art," and not unmeaning slobbering or niggling, such as are employed on vulgar imitations of gross objects and coarse affectations of "style." False and bad pretences require as much discountenance as genuine attempts at excellence demand encouragement. The tendency of Art-Union patronage, as hitherto exercised, has been to promote bad art rather than good ; and a class of inferior artists has been called into activity, if not into existence, by this means. Artists who are struggling to improve, and who show by their progress that they are advancing in the right direction, deserve support ; but to discriminate between imperfect merit and utter demerit, is what the many cannot be ex- pected to do: and the traders in the sham article will always be the most im- portunate and busy canvassers.
Mr. NOEL'S liberal adoption of our hasty suggestion is likely to find imi- tators.-En.)
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