THE NATION'S PICTURES.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE SPECTATOR.
TJupeflay, St4e1 August 1933. Sian-Reading in your paper of last week the article on the National Geller Job, I find the question, " What are the Artists about ?" followed up by arum implying that they care only for their individual interests. A little more reflec tion will convince you, Sir, that whatever public-spirit exists among Artists the occasion in question, for reasons which I am about to mention, is the least
likely to call their professional enthusiasm into action.
It is needless to say much about the Royal Academy-a self-electing, irre-
sponsible corporation, divided within itself into furious parties, which has grown rich by the efforts of Artists generally; and has done nothing for Art in return. Even the annual cheap compliment of inviting the exhibitors to dinner was found inconvenient, as soon as the Academy could dispense with the condescen- sion; and it became policy to cut the tag-rug and bob-tail (as Dr. GILCHRIST would say) of Art, and invite Lords, Bishops, and Ministers of State to the Academy banquet. These influential personages, however great in their proper spheres, have neither inclination nor capacity to look beyond the surface of Art ; and with them, the Royal Academy is the head, body, and members of Art in this country. Truly the Academy has been wise in its generation.
If I knew how to put a smile on paper, I would express it here, Mr. Editor,
at your amusing simplicity in believing that our Natiooal Gallery, as at present managed, has any thing to do with Art or Artists. It appears that you are in the habit of associating some antiquated theoretical abstractions with this col- lection, about utility, &c., which are totally at variance with the truth. Do you know, that no person whatever is permitted to paint or study in this " Na- tional Gallery ?" and do you know, that in consequence of that prohibition, these pictures, acquired partly through the munificence of certain noble-minded amateurs, and partly at a great cost of public money, are, as far as concerns Art in general, and ninety-nine out of a hundred Artists individually, utterly use- less? Do you know, that if a visitor to this " national" collection should take out his pocket-book and pencil to make a few notes of a. picture or pictures, he would be watched, frowned down, if a little man run some hazard of being tram-. pled upon, and finally dogged off the premises for his atrocious presumption ? Do you know, that the only Artists any way interested in this 'Natrona/ Gallery, are some ten or twelve engravers, who have somehow obtained a foot- ing there, and who, as they are engraving and publishing these National pictures for their private emolument, boast that they alone are privileged to place a squared scale before the pictures in the " National Gallery? Looking into the establishment itself, and referring to the Treasury Minute of 26th March 1824, for the " security and due couseivation " of these pictures, we shall find, that when they did not amount to forty in number, they served as a pretext for in- creasing our burdens nearly 7001. a year, in addition to the rent of the house; that sax official situations, giving to their holders in Ministerial language "vested interests," were created for the Care of thirty:-eight pictures ; and that these situations, instead of being given to meritorious individuals whose lives bad been devoted to Art, were bestowed on favourites, the chief of whom, according to Gordon's Memoirs, had claims to Government notice of another kind.
What then is the state of the ease? The Royal Academy possesses apart- ments which are become inconvenient, and which it is desirous either to enlarge or exchange for others more commodious : the Government, on the other hand, covet these identical apartments, and would gladly give the Academy others in exchange. The Government has also an indispensable duty to perform in pro- viding a proper receptacle for the pictures forming the nucleus of our future Na- tional Gallery, which is disagreeably forced upon its attention by the expiration of the lease of the house in Pall Mall. Now, the most obvious and off-handed mode being to put these two institutions under one roof, and thrust them into the first hole or corner that could be found, was precisely the very thing which was at once decided on, and would ere this time have been in progress, if the glaring absurdities of the scheme had not excited animadversion, and caused a suspension of the plan ; which may coca yet degenerate into a party, job, if the public, or rather the press in its behalf, do not exercise the greatest vigilance.
Surely, Sir, there must be a clerical error in the Parliamentary report which represents 26,0001. as the sum to be expended in arranging these few pictures temporarily in Whitehall. As an artist, I care very little for their display, asst present managed ; but as a householder and tax-payer, I am anxious loudly and energetically to protest against such a wanton, useless, cruel, and iniquitous ex- penditure. As they must be moved, why not hang them, pro tempore, in the new apartment of the British Museum. The few portraits which have been re- cently placed there mignt be arranged in the staircase, or remain for a time out of sight, as heretofore. Why was not that apartment carried up a few feet higher, and made quite appropriate for those pictures; and why can that not be done even now ? Again, why was not the new Sculpture Gallery at the British Museum constructed with an apartment over it for these pictures 1-an arrange- ment resembling that at the Louvre. And lastly, since the. National Gallery is yet to be built, why cannot it occupy the cross plot uniting the northern end'of the Library and Sculpture wings of the British Museum?
I suppose any plan for uniting this collection to the British Museum will be pronounced "impracticable," because of the "vested. rights." of the present employes of the National Gallery. Ostensibly, the objection would be want of room : but that is easily answered-there is plenty of ground at the British Museum. The old screen next the street, and the two ranges of building form- ing the east and west sides of the great court, are in bad repair, and should suc- cessively give place-tire former to a structure appropriated to the librarians, keepers, and domestics ; the two latter, to afford additional accommodation, in upper galleries for Pictures, in their basements for objects of Natural History.
I am not sanguine enough to think that nothing better can be deviled; but I do think this plan has some good points. The ground at Charing Cross is cer- tainly too confined for any institution likely to need repeated additions; the Regent's Park is out of the way ; the Museum is central, and the accommoda- tion could be provided in succession as the collection increased ; and I woidd suggest the propriety of augmenting it, at once, in the following manner. There are about 150 pictures at Hampton Court, nearly 400 at Kensington Palace, a considerable number at Windsor Castle, and some which formerly decorated. Buckingham House: let a selection be made from thole heterogenous materials, of about one in ten, which would not materially lessen the attractions of the show Palaces, nor injure the " vested interests" of the worthy fee-takers therein.; let this selection be made by three professional men, the President of the Royal Academy being one, as representing that body; the Cartoons would of course be included. I will not libel his gracious Majesty WILLIAM the Fourth by sup- posing him less generous than his predecessor, or less desirous to promote the happiness of his people. I cannot doubt that, upon proper representation, he would give the.pictures of GEORGE the Fourth to the nation, in like manner as that Monarch bestowed the books of GEORGE the Third. These thingsachieved, behold a respectable National Gallery to begin with; and to fill the blank spaces occasioned by the decimation above suggested, let the Government, in lieu of squandering hundreds of thousands on uninhabitable Royal Palaces, expend bat 2,0001. or 3,0001. a year in purchasing good pictures byliving artiste,-sot giving commissions which would sink into jobs, nor even laying out the money at ark- cific times, if no first-rate productions appeared in tlic market.
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