EDUCATION IN ART ESSENTIAL IN AMERICA.

Sudden Development of Architecture and Decorative Arts, to be anticipated Shall American youth be so trained as to supply this demand for architects and art workers, or shall these arts be left to foreigners?—It is elementary training in Art, not merely in mechanics, which is required — Walter Smith's system adapted to these demands - Elementary art knowledge, as much needed by art purchasers, as by art workers; hence all classes need this training-The public schools the place to give it Possession of wealth, in the United States, by no means implies art culture-Historical causes of general lack of art culture in the United StatesSporadic appearance here of artists in early days, proof of existence in man of inherent instinct for art expression · Art knowledge common in Europe - Reasons for this.

In contrast with the architectural appearance of New York prior to 1875, as just instanced, let any one now, in this year of 1883, traverse the avenues and streets of the metropolis, from the Battery to Harlem River, with a purpose of observing the architectural features and building activity throughout the city.

Let him start from the Battery and observe first, the massive walls and vast inclosure of the new Produce Exchange, with their realistic sculptures and frieze in terra cotta; then mark the towering height of the new Welles Building,* near by, commanding from its roofs unrivalled views seaward and shoreward; then, in his uptown progress, observe the many new buildings that in these down town business quarters of the city, in the vicinity of Wall and Broad streets, and Broadway below the City Hall, rise tier upon tier, till their

This fire-proof building, is in the form of a gigantic L with its two façades on Broadway and Beaver streets; and is said to have cost $2,500,000 (the new Produce Exchange Building is to cost $3,000.000), and is the latest, as it is one of the finest examples of the type of business buildings recently erected; of which the Western Union Building on Broadway was perhaps the first, and the Mills Building on Wall and Broad streets, one of the most recent instances; while the cheerful looking "Post Building" at the intersection of William and Beaver streets with Exchange Place, with its recessed court, and its walls of yellow brick and yellow terra cotta ornament, is perhaps architecturally, the most interesting, as it is one of the most pleasing, of these modern, many-storeyed, commercial buildings.

soaring roofs seem emulous of the spire of Trinity; let him mark their stately façades and profusion of exterior ornament; then, turning from the regions of commerce and banking, let him pass through the up-town streets of private residences, and note the many new houses, and those now being built, which show distinctive architectural features. Let him note those which embody the thought of an artist, and even if not ostentatious or palatial in intent, still, somewhere, blossom into modest but fit ornament, and glow with some precious gleam of color; or are enriched with a well wrought bit of carven stone, or show trace of a sculptor's quaint fancy on some stray piece of terra cotta, and are not, as formerly such city buildings were almost sure to be, mere mindless walls run up by a contract builder.

Looking on these evidences of art work, which give good promise of a future when the streets of our chief city shall show, instead of the weary, monotonous, profitless stretches of uninteresting house fronts of the past, single houses and street façades as interesting and worthy of study as were any in the art cities of old, one cannot fail to realize the advent of a new era of architecture.

The enormous apartment houses, which rise, story on story, to an alti tude heretofore only reached in historic Edinburgh, and threaten to shut out from the streets the light of heaven, impress the beholder with a sense of enormous bulk and of enormous expenditure; these are indeed the palace homes of whole communities, and, with the new similar towering business buildings far down town, they form the most striking architectural features of the new city-the city in the clouds, superimposed upon the New York of the past; but passing these for the time, let our observer mark how wealth and art have combined in the construction of such private dwellings as the three Vanderbilt houses on Fifth avenue; let him enter the luxurious halls and rooms of the new building of The Union League Club, also on Fifth avenue, and mark the wealth of stained glass, and the profusion of interior decoration there lavished; designed and executed it is of interest to know, by Americans. Allusion has already been made to the increased number of private residences that show the master hand of some artistarchitect in planning. After this survey of New York, let our ob

* Since the above was written, a discriminating article upon "Recent Building in New York" by Montgomery Schuyler, has appeared in the September, 1883, number of Harper's Magazine. This article of some twenty pages, illustrated as it is with numerous examples, enables the reader, who may be interested in the present architectural development of our cities, to go through the streets of New York on some

server visit Boston, and, standing in the morning shadow of the Cathedral-like pile called Trinity Church, look around him upon the beautiful, stately and artistic public buildings within view, then, passing through the broad avenues of the new quarter of the city, let him admire the many and varied house fronts that give an interest to these new streets, which was almost wholly lacking in the formal rows of substantial red brick houses that once made up the domestic architecture of the city. The new additions of land in the Back Bay district have afforded opportunities of which neither the citizens or the architects have been slow to avail themselves, and that part of the city is rapidly being covered with new, costly and often beautiful buildings. Among the more recent of these, the residence of the Rev. Phillips Brooks, the rector of Trinity, and the new building of the Boston Art Club, are noticeable for striking and pleasing architectural features. The immense new building of the Young Men's Christian Association may be pointed out in the future in evidence of what let us hope is but a passing whim in architecture, while the plain new building of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, just completed, evinces the excellences of construction peculiar to the engineer while showing an almost rude indifference to any of the graces of architecture. While the loss of such an opportunity as was afforded by its site to enhance the noble architectural features of its surroundings must be regretted, at least the substantial, unpretentious character of the building may be commended. It is a fitting monument of the combination of utility and ugliness. One may perhaps be permitted to hope that the school of architecture which is a department of the Institute may, in some new building, give an equally admirable example of the possibility of wedding utility to beauty.

what such a tour of observation as I have suggested, with an interesting companion intelligent concerning architecture, who will point out with careful discrimination the notable features for blame or approval, and who will have much to say that merits serious consideration. Extracts are given in an addenda to this paper.

Mr. Schuyler's article in the September Harper was followed by a delightfully reminiscent paper on "Old New York and its Houses," written by the late Mr. Richard Grant White, and charmingly illustrated by Mrs. Mary Hallock Foot and other artists, which appeared in the October 1883, number of the Century Magazine, The article, in which are shown many bits of exterior and interior decoration, attempts to do for the colonial city, that which Mr. Schuyler has essayed for the city of to-day. Those interested in architecture or in the development of our American cities, will find much of value in these two articles.

The occurrence of the great fire in the business quarter of the city and the acquisition of new land made by the filling up of the Back Bay, have furnished to Boston, during the past decade, unprecedented opportunities architecturally. It was not, however, the appearance of the modern private residences or public buildings in the new quarter of the town, or of the new business houses in the burnt distict, that, during a visit by the writer in the autumn of 1883, was most impressive architecturally, or most suggestive of the prevalence of this building movement here referred to; on the contrary it was in the old part of the city, among the buildings devoted to merchandise, that the writer happened upon two examples of the art of architecture as satisfactory in their own way as any of the surprises that delight the wanderer in old world towns. Here, to-day, in the United States are two buildings which, while admirably adapted for their uses, are an earnest that the dreams of enthusiasts as to the future possible beauty of American towns need no longer be scouted as visionary.

Passing down Bedford from Washington street the attention is arrested by the massive proportions of a doorway on the corner of Harrison Avenue. This proves to be the rear entrance to White's large dry goods store which fronts on Washington street. It is a striking example of an effective and satisfactory solution of the difficult problem of affording, at the same time, secure support to the superincumbent stories of the lofty building and an unimpeded entrance way. The result shows how skill wrests triumphs from difficulties; the harder the task, the more brilliant the success. In this instance, out of a corner doorway, usually most awkward and contracted, the architect has designed one of the most commodious of entrances; while he has also made it so noble and beautiful that one involuntarily regrets that it is hidden away in comparatively obscure streets.

Two mighty circular piers of red sandstone support the strong architraves, great single stones-rivalling in length some of those that make famous the walls of the Pitti Palace-which also rest upon similar piers buttressing the walls of the building, at either side of the entrance. A glance is sufficient to satisfy the beholder that the towering walls above, rest upon sure foundations. With the sense of security thus afforded, an essential pre-requisite, one can leisurely observe and delight in such ornament as the artist has expended upon his work. This has mostly been concentrated upon this noble entrance way, the most important architectural feature of this building. The upper third of the

columned piers is elaborately carved, so that they give the impression of columns crowned with rich and beautiful capitals, the freedom and grace of the curving leaves producing a charming effect. It would be difficult, I fancy, to find in church or public building in the city of Boston, a grander, more beautiful entrance, or one more truly original, than the artist has here given to this house of merchandise. In this instance architecture is neither the servant of State nor Church, yet is it none the less noble and grand. It is wholly fitting that in a Republic and in a city of merchants, a man should thus honor his calling. Yet Architecture has so long been wont to busy herself with cathedral and palace and stately municipal building, that the first sight of these columned stones excites a feeling of surprise. The topmost story of the tall building, built of brick and sandstone, is lightened and adorned with a row of flattened sandstone pillars between the windows, giving something of the effect of an aerial colonnade; while here and there, a single quaintly carved monster, set in the wall at long intervals, writhes in solitary seclusion.

Notable as is this doorway, it is but the precursor of the noble building, that towers a short distance beyond, in the same street.

This is a large and lofty building of red sandstone with a sweeping curving front at the intersection of Bedford and Kingston streets, where is a sort of triangular place; so that the centre of the building with its main entrance looks up Kingston and down Bedford streets, and can be seen from a long distance. This building erected in 1882-'83 for the owner of the ground Frederick L. Ames, for business uses, is indeed a most notable example of the art of architecture.

On the ground story the massive piers that support the bold round arches of the windows, with their great span admitting the floods of light demanded by modern needs, show how possible it is to harmonize use with vigorous construction and noble architecture. The strong walls rise, story upon story, with the solidity and strength of a fortress; the roof is broken with bold gables showing their lines of construction. All this is engineer's work and admirable work it is, remarkable if it had stopped with this; but now, satisfied with the strength and commodiousness of his building, comes the artist whose sportive fancy plays upon the structure, softening the sullen stones till they smile beneath its touch, as if the sunlight were playing hide and seek with the tremulous shadows of vine leaves, clustering about the crannies and crevices of some solitary, storm worn cliff. The rocks actually seem plastic to the