RESEARCH. IN BRITISH ART
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sin,—For many years now it has been generally recognised that we are more behindhand in our researches into English Art than in other phases of British activity, like Literature, Music, Medicine, &c. To take one example only, we have the Dictionary of National Biography. But of a dictionary of British Artists, the last to appear was published in 1878. From many enquiries, it does not appear that there is much chance of Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists of the English School being republished or revised, or that any other diction- ary of British Art will appear in the near future.
In matters like the later school of British engraving of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially in regard to engravers of sporting and genre pictures, there is a sad lack of knowledge. There is also far too little known ajaout the great English school of water-colour painters of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
It occurs to me-that one simple way of encouraging further research where it is so badly. needed would be in the form-of a bequest of money to found a Fund for the purposeaf award- ing annually .a prize for. an article, essay, book or catalogue of an English artist or group of artists. The term " artist" might include, as well as engravers, painters, sculptors and workers in metal, wood and stone.
I think that a. comparatively anal] bequest might be quite sufficient to stimulate original research ; the provision of a few thousands of pounds only would be sufficient to provide an income for an annual prize, which might be called after the testator and which could also proVide a small fee to pay for the arduous duty of reading through the MSS: submitted.
The provision of trustees of a Fund such as this is alWays - difficult, but I imagine that officials at the British Mriscum, the Victoria and Albert Musetim, the Courtauld Institute, the Whitworth Institute, the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, might be willing to act, especially if provision was made for their remuneration.
I cannot help thinking that only a small fillip like this might turn the attention of young students more in the direction of research in British Art and naturally the prize- man would easily be able to publish his essay or monograph - or book on account of the publicity given to the award of the prize.
A prize of possibly only £40 or £50 might easily have the . effect of focussing the attention of a good many people on a branch of Art that has been a good deal neglected.
Speaking personally, I propose to leaVe directions with my will that, if my executors sec fit, they are to sell all my works of art and offer the proceeds to any of the officials of the institutions mentioned for the purpose of awarding a prize annually, as I have detailed above. In my own case, my collection would not sell for a very large suns of. money, and, having a wife and family, I should feel obliged at present to give my executors discretionary powers only. The purpose of my letter, however, is to call attention to the lack of any such Fund or Prize, in case any wealthy amateur, who may not have to provide for his descendants, might be encouraged to make some such bequest in his will.---.
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