Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 121

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

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London had no permanent art-school, or an academy design, until it was over seven hundred years old, id yet it was surrounded with the great art- marts of te world. Taking these facts into consideration, the .mericans have no cause to complain for what they Ive, or what they have not, done for art. They have Id none of the surrounding art-examples of ages, ¿cumulated in galleries, nor has the Government re- sirces or ecclesiastical wealth, as among the nations

of Europe, to assist the American artist to advancement. The churches in this country do absolutely nothing for art beyond the mere frescoing of the walls in the modern bed-quilt pattern, through the cheap medium of stenciling, and this frequently so inharmoniously done that one wonders at the lunatic condition of the mind that invented the grotesqueness. The Govern- ment many years ago purchased a few pictures for the Rotunda at the top of the Capitol at Washington. Either for the want of good judgment, or through po- litical peculation, many of these pictures are repulsive to the intelligent mind, for the ignorance the artist has shown of the historical situation and condition of things which he has portrayed in what he calls an his- torical picture. A simple examination of several of these pictures is all that is required to prove their worthlessness as historical pictures, especially so in the one styled "De Soto Discovering the Mississippi." From the style of costume and the physical condition of De Soto and his men, one would be led to suppose that they had been fattened for the occasion and turned out for a dress parade, after having consulted a Chinese laundry and a first-class French barber, while the direct opposite was the condition of De Soto and his squalid, fagged-out, half-roasted, and half-starved little band of heroic followers, when De Soto gave one glance at the river of rivers, fell sick, died, and was buried in the mud of the fickle stream.

Another painting in the Capitol, entitled " Washing- ton Crossing the Delaware," is faulty with like impossi- bilities. Amidst blocks of ice, falling snow, and a stiff wind, the Father of his Country is standing up in the centre of the boat that is in rough motion, holding an American flag. The position of Washington is such that he could not keep it under such circumstances, and there is no poetical or historical license to warrant it, or the melodramatic position of General Washington, whose manner was always that of an unostentatious gentleman.

The picture entitled "The Baptism of Pocahontas " is alike faulty in its costumes and surroundings. She was baptized from a common wooden trough in the little stone church at Jamestown, Va., with everything in the most primitive condition, as would attend the early settlers in a strange country, which was yet a wil-

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

deruess. But the picture alluded to represents the scene as one of luxury. The native romanee and poetic effects that might be thrown into a composition of the baptism of Pocahontas, are of the finest order; and any artist of ability ought to see enough in the truth of the situation, withont having recourse to falsehood and the flummery of things that are introduced only to eatch the eye. There is no neecssity for untruthful historical picture representations. The historian has given the facts of American history with sufficient exactness to prevent the artist making any mistakes, provided the artist has sought for truth.

The nation's Iristory is replete with fine subjects for the artist's genius. The romanee of situations involved in the discovery by Columbus, the settlements in Vir- ginia, and the darings and sufferings of the Pilgrim Fathers on the wild coast of Massachusetts, the strug- gles of the Revolution, the Rebellion-opening the flood- gates of rich battle compositions of every nature, from the merest skirmish to the gigantie proportions of the Gettysburg fight-all give a marvellous fullness of sub- jcets to inspire the artist's peneil to great results.

Yet, after all such deductions, it ean be safely said that great eredit is due to American art-progress when we look at the fettered condition under which it has been forced to fight and struggle. The early painters of this country did great work, and in their own day commanded high attention in Europe. We cannot ignore the fact that West, Leslie, Washington, Allston, Copley, Vandenlin, Malbone, Thomas Cole and Gilbert Stuart did grand work. As artists they lent an undy- ing glory to the days in which they lived, and brought this country an art-fame of which every American should feel proud. It is a faet that the early painters of this country aspired to higher achievements in art than do the artists of the present day. They not only saw nature in form and color with an aente eye, but saw, too, the ideal, and made the effort to combine both, thereby demonstrating higher conditions of thought as well as a higher expression of art-effects. The works of Allston, West, Trumbull and Cole are positive evidences of these facts. For, while they painted histories and ideals, their paintings exalted them as historical figures in the art-history of their own country. It is thic grandeur of thoughts that make great men, and it is only great men that can make a nation's history worth consideration. ALLSTON'S "Dead Man Revived," "Belshazzar's Feast," "The Bloody Hand," and " Uriel in the Sun," are works of art equal to the best productions of any of his contemporaneous European artists. He was also a poet of high ability ; his " Paiut-King," and his " Lines to the Genius of Edmund Kean," are among the best efforts of English poetry. Col. JOHN TRUM- BULL has enriched his country with art-treasures in his battle-pictures of the American Revolution, that should be vahied not only as painted history, but also as works of art emanating from an American hand that was

highly respceted in England and France. His "Deat of Montgomery," " Death of Wolfe," and "Sortie ( Gibraltar," as battle compositions, must ever rank wit the best works by the artists of any nation. Tuoss COLE stands alone as the poetic landscape painter. H " Voyage of Life " is a pocm-an ideal of a big character-pictures that tell their enchanting story i forms and colors as strongly as the verscs of Byron ( Longfellow through the medium of words. Cole's pic tures create thoughts in the beholder as soon as the eye take them in. Their power over the mind in form an color is even stronger than words ; they grasp the ey and ignite the brain with thoughts of our own, adde to those suggested by the artist. That writer or arti: is the best who makes us think the most-who make us have two thoughts of our own to the one he give

US. It is the unwritten thoughts between the though that Shakespeare wrote that make his genius incompa able. And the pleasure we have in seeing or readin lies in the sensation-nerves of our own brain which ar brought into action by the suggestions of other Cole's "Voyage of Life" and " Course of Empire" a. full of these suggestions, and are painted epic In speaking of MALBONE, the American miniatu painter, we feel as if our ink should be dew e traeted from the leaves of roses, and our pen as so and delieate as the brush with which he so exquisite touched the ivory. The writer of these words h had the honor of holding in his own hands MALBONF glorious miniature entitled, "The Hours ; or, tl Past, the Present, and the Future." He saw it in tl possession of old Mrs. Whitehornc, the sister of M. bone, at Newport, R. I. The composition represente three lovely female figures in one group-Girlhor full of joy and expectation ; Womanhood (the cent figure), full of dignified pride and satisfaction ; whi the third figure, expressing the approach of Ag formed a composition replete with grave and deep h man thionght. The faces of the three figures we luminous with feeling, and the harmony of colors th pervaded the picture was like a sweet melody prod cing a repose and restfulness seldom produced 1 pictorial effects.

The touchings of the brush in the execution of t work are marvellonsly beautiful, and make one fer while viewing the picture, that it was executed by fai fingers.

Benjamin West, the American artist, told Mr. Mo roe (afterwards President of the United States), whe in Europe, that he had seen a picture, " The Hour- by a young gentleman of the name of Malbone, whi no artist in England could excel. This was true, an the pieture, as a miniature on ivory, stauds to-day u equaled .*

. Some unknown hand, Inspired by this exquisite art-work, wr the following lines, that were extensively copled at the time

Whoe'er beheld thy rosy llours,

And could unfelt thelr beantles see.

The mind Is hls where darkness lowers And his the heart that mlne should flee.

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ART HISTORY.

This young American genius of art, giving too close application to his inspiring profession, sickened and ed at the age of thirty-two years.

STUART, TRUMBULL, ELLIOTT, and GEORGE A. BAKER uve not been excelled as portrait painters.

With these facts looking us in the face, it will not › to say that the American people are not naturally sposed to art-culture, or have not those sensbilities at are necessary to make a nation celebrated in art atters. We have evidences to the contrary in every partment of art, and in no one has this been more Ipathically demonstrated than in the wonderful im- ovement made in this country in wood-engraving. ; rise and progress knew no bounds until it absolute- I leaped into a new style of wood-engraving that ex- jesses in touch and effects everything that can be ex- icted in black and white, and surpasses anything of

te kind done in Europe. Our illustrated magazines I've more value given to them through the wood-en- givings that adorn their pages than is contributed to tem by any of their writers. HARPER's and the ( NTURY magazines are almost gallerics of art-gems, ad have became valuable as art-collections. The rea- si for this vast improvement in this department of a arises from the taste of the American people for il- l trated works. The engraver becomes valuable to t: publisher; he is in demand, and the artist strng- gs to reach a higher standard of excellence, that he ny reach a higher standard of pay, and so long as this d position lasts, so will wood-engraving keep on im- paving, if it is possible to improve any more. Every- ting must be fostered that it may improve, and when t. Government of the United States wakes up to the rlization that an artist means something much more tln a carpenter, a bricklayer, a stone-cutter, who p's up its public buildings, it will discover that even a einocratic-republican form of government can add n only to the happiness of its people, but to the gry of the nation. The affected disregard or con- tapt for the paternal influence which should be ex- en sed over the morals and the art-fostering of the pple is an insult to ordinary intelligence, and ob- viisly unworthy of the characteristics and policy of a ghly civilized nation.

[as the fact that the governments of England, Fnce and Germany having patronized art made th people of those nations any worse ?- and has nothe fact of their governments having fostcred the al made the people happier, and the nations greater intellectual achievements ?

May memory to thy mind present The past with gentle, placid mien.

When Hope, prophetic spirit sent, Waving her golden hair, was seen.

And may thy present hours be bright As the fair angel smiling there;

Without a cloud to dim their light- Without a thought that sets in care.

But for the future-Oh ! may they Be crown'd with bliss, health, and fame !

And may this little, humble lay Be lost 'midst songs that sound thy name.

When the representatives of the people at Washing- ton are made to see something more than " river and harbor" improvements, and are sufficiently developed to estimate the difference of importance between the work of a carpenter and of an artist, they will then discover that there is something in art that is worth the care of the government, and that such care cannot in the least impair the dignity of the government, or jeopardize " democratic-republican institutions." Let our government make an occasional appropriation from its overflowing coffers for the encouragement of art. Let awards be offered for national historical pictures. The appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars would place upon the walls of the Capitol's Rotunda at least four pictures worthy of art-fame.

In 1850, the few artists that resided in Brooklyn felt that something should be done by organization to uphold and advance a taste for art in the rapidly grow- ing city. Among the Brooklyn artists of those days stood prominently Mr. THOMAS THOMPSON, the marine painter, and at that period among the best in the country. Mr. Thompson was born in London, Eng- land, March 25, 1776. He came to the United States in 1817. For several ycars he resided in Baltimore, and had his studio on Lexington street. In 1830, he came to New York City, was highly csteemed by his brother artists, and was for many years a member of the New York Academy of Design. His marine pic- tures were frequently on exhibition at the New York, Philadelphia and Boston Academies. In 1840, he moved to Brooklyn, where he remained until his death, November 15, 1852. In 1818, while a resident of Baltimore, he was commissioned by a gentleman of that city to paint a view of New York Harbor. Among his later works, the writer has scen two oblong pictures representing the Battery, and taking in an extended view of Governor's Island and the bay, crowded with all kinds of ships and water-craft, as was the case before the introduction of so much steam navigation. These pictures are valuable both as to the condition of things at that time and as works of art.

At the time Mr. Thompson was resident of Brook- lyn, a Mr. HASKINS was the teacher of drawing and painting in the Graham Art School, in the Brooklyn Institute. This gentleman, feeling that something must be done to advance art taste, and to find a mart for the sale of resident artists' works, called on Mr. Thompson and suggested the formation of an Art Union in Brooklyn, on the plan of the one in Now York City-the distribution of pictures by lottery. Mr. Thompson joined hands with this gentleman, and the first exhibition of the

Brooklyn Art Union was given in 1851 at 283 Fulton street, in the " Whitehouse Building," now Loeser's well-known dry goods store. The exhibition room was of good proportions and had a sky-light well adapted to the purpose. Thic first drawing of the

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

prizes took place at the Brooklyn Institute, Washing" ton street, and Walt. Whitman, then the editor of a small paper ealled the Brooklyn Freeman, delivered the address on the occasion of the first distribution. Bnt the State authorities, looking upon this system for the encouragement of art as nothing more than a mode of gambling, enaeted a law forbidding it, and nothing more was heard of the Art Union.

The Graham Art School. - This was the first art-school Brooklyn had. It took its name from Augustus Graham, an English gentleman, who left an amount of money to be used by the Brooklyn Institute for art-sehool purposes. The Mr. Haskins above- mentioned was one of its first teachers. This school has done a splendid work for art-progress in Brooklyn, and too much respeet cannot be shown to the memory of Mr. Graham, who so nobly remembered the eause of art, which is so seldom appreciated by men of wealth in their dying bequests to educational institu- tions of this elass.

Quite a large number of prominent artists have graduated from the Graham Art School. It has since the time of its organization given free art-education to over one thousand pupils, males and females, many of whom had not the means otherwise to pursue the pro- fession of their choice. The reader will find as he follows this sketch through to the end, that a fuller history of the Graham Art School will be given in connection with other art events in Brooklyn.

The Sketch Club .- The next important move in art-matters of Brooklyn was the formation of " The Sketch Club," which took place in 1857. Its first meeting was held in the Dodworth Building, 137 Mon- tague street. The meeting was held in Mr. Chappel's studio. Mr. F. A. Chapman was elected president. Among the members we find the names of the fol- lowing artists: S. I. Guy, S. Coleman, Alonso Chap- pell, J. G. Brown, John M. Faleoner, John William- son, James Dick, John A. Parker, George Innis, J. B. Whittaker, Rufus Wright, and Mr. Oertel. The objects of this elub were of a two-fold nature: for social purposes and original compositions. The re- sults were excellent both in oil and water colors.

It served also to fraternize the artists, and ealled the attention of the publie by their exhibitions to the fact that Brooklyn had an art-cirele, in which were some of the most promising artists in the country. The ex- hibitions of this club were held in the artists' studios, Dodworth Building.

Brooklyn Art Association .- In 1859, the artists of New York City started what they termed art- receptions, which was nothing more than a small eol- lection of pictures hung upon the walls of the Acad- emy of Design, and invitations sent ont to people of wealth to inspect the same. The exhibitions took place in the evening. The artists were present. In-

troduetions took place, and the artists sold their pic- tures. In a commercial point of view it was a success. This led Mr. John Williamson to eall a meeting in his studio, Dodworth Building, to organize a similar social elub, with the additional feature of admitting lay members, believing that this would be the means of interesting a larger outside interest in art-matters and occasion a more ready sale for the artists' produc- tions. The sale was exceedingly limited at that time in Brooklyn.

The first meeting was held on January 5th, 1861 The following artists were present: F. A. Chapman J. B. Brown, S. I. Guy, John M. Falconer, J. A Parker, E. J. Whitney, P. P. Rider, W. Hepburn, A Berger, Mr. Oertel, Mr. Lundy, Mr. Patton, R Gignoux, and Mr. John J. Ryan, of the New Yor Herald. Mr. F. A. Chapman was called to the chair The meeting resulted in an organization, and th following oflieers were elected: President, Mr. R Gignoux; Vice-Pres., J. A. Oertel; Treas., F. A Chapman; Secretary, John Williamson.

"The Brooklyn Art Association."-Thi organization had a distinctive feature of admitting la members to take part in the management of th association. Among the first lay members electe were Mr. E. S. Mills, Mr. Massey, and Mr. John . Ryan. The last-named gentleman interested himse with the directors of the Brooklyn Academy of Mus to let the Art Association have their first reception the Assembly Room of the Academy, free of rent.

The association issued a eireular in October, 1-6 asking for members at five dollars a year, and promisii three receptions during the term. The membersh was limited to two hundred. This number was n filled up at first, but after the first reception, whie took place in the Assembly Rooms, Academy of Mus on Monday evening, February 18th, 1861, which we off in magnificent style, assisted as it was with t display of floral decorations, musie, and full dress, t rush for membership was so great that the associati concluded to raise the fee to ten dollars.

The exhibition was thrown open to the public wi ten eents admission. This lasted for two days, 1 was not a sueeess, as the amount taken in was k than sixty dollars. After the second reception, t exhibition was open free for one week, with a charge twenty-five cents for catalogues. This was announe through the press, and thousands thronged to see t pictures, and the receipts amounted to very nea eighty dollars a day for catalogues. This was the fi catalogue of the kind ever issued in Brooklyn.

The Art Association was now fully launched mp publie favor. The membership increased to sich extent that the association felt warranted in extend the expenses and grandeur of their receptions, and, the occasion of the next one, the floor was placed o the parquette of the anditorium, which was elegan

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ART HISTORY.

lecorated for the occasion with rare flowers, trees und shrubs, the whole under the especial care of John V. Degrauw, president of the Long Island Horticultural Society. The pictures were hung in the assembly oom up stairs, while the members and invited guests promenaded the auditorium to the strains of music. t made a scene of beauty and excitement never before vitnessed at an exhibition of pictures. It now became he fashionable thing to be a member of the art-recep- ions, and for the citizens to crowd to see the pictures t the free exhibitions.

How much good this display of ornament has done he cause of art in Brooklyn, and how much benefit t has been to the pockets of the individual artists, the rtists themselves are the best able to tell after the xperiment of twenty-three years. However, the Art Association went on with great success. Several active ty members took great interest in the association, nd conceived that there should be a building put p in Brooklyn devoted to art purposes, and the ssociation resolved to erect the Art Association building that now stands adjoining the west end of he Academy of Music. Mr. Edward G. Lowber in- rested himself so deeply in the erection of this uilding that he was the means of obtaining the irgest portion, by subscriptions, of the eighty nousand dollars which the building cost.

During the Sanitary Fair in 1864, the Art Associ- Lion rendered important services to the cause of ie Union by giving an exhibition of pictures. The Imission fee was twenty-five cents. They also gave a rand reception, which took place on February 17th, 364. By these two interesting events they added rgely to the funds of the Sanitary Commission up to pout 1864. All of the Brooklyn artists, and many of le New York artists, contributed liberally to the ex- bitions in pictures and gold frames, but many of em finding that they only occasionally sold a picture, id other dissatisfaction occurring from too much laic fluence in the management, left the association. 1 fact, the artists themselves became wholly the coudary consideration, and the control of the in- itution went entirely out of their hands. Among the tists who contributed the most largely to such a paratiou was Mr. John Williamson himself, who ·came unpopular with his brother artists of Brooklyn. je at last resigned from the association and removed New York.

Besides, the directors of the Art Association were so uch engrossed with the idea of a building for the as- ciation, that they lost sight of the interest they should ve taken in the artists' welfare by the sale of their jetures, which was the very purpose of the existence « the Art Association, for, without the pictures, the in- tution would have been without a foundation. Too Itle interest, also, was taken in the formation of a 1st-rate art school; for although they appropriated a

basement floor for a school, yet, for the want of proper light, it could be used only at night, and with a scanty collection of casts for the students to work from. More will be said on the subject of the Art Association School in the matter relating to the Brooklyu Academy of Design.

After Mr. Gignoux resigued lis position as president, Mr. E. S. Mills was elected to the position. Mr. R. W. Hubbard succeeded Mr. Mills.

At last, the opportunity offering the Art Association for a better condition of its art-school, by the fact that the Academy of Design could no longer maintain its schools, a proposition was made on the part of the Art Association to the Academy to take their school-rooms and teach there free of rent, and that out of the one thousand dollars which the city donated to the Art Association for art instructiou, after the expenses of light, heat and cleaning, were deducted, the teachers should apportion the residue. To this effect, papers were signed and sealed, and J. B. Whitaker, Rufus Wright and G. O. Annable were appointed as instruc- tors over the several departments of the school. The school went along finely under their able instruction, and the classes became full to overflowing. But when the time came to pay the teachers, out of the one thousand dollars given for the support of the Art School, there was so little left for the teachers, after deducting for light and cleaning, that Mr. Whittaker and Rufus Wright resigned their positions, and others took their places, consisting of George O. Aunable, William H. Baker and Miss Georgia Douglas, with Mr. Annable holding the position of principal teacher, until within a year or more of the present period. One of the squeamish features of the directors of the Brook- lyn Art Association was, their forbiddance of a " life school," or drawing from the nude figure. No art- institution with such cramped ideas can ever be much use to real art-progress. Those who seek to manage art on such principles show their total igno- rance of the highest things in art. They do not sec that the painters aud sculptors of ancient and modern times produced their great works of art from their knowledge of the human anatomy, and when the man becomes ashamed of the naked figure for art or scien- tific purposes, he should go further, to reach a plausible climax, by being ashamed of the God that made him. There is no language strong enough to disapprove of such affected notions, and, if real, their ignorance is only cqualed by the bigots who put to death women on the superstition that they were witches, on account of cer- tain natural marks upon their breasts.

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Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 121

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360