dome, and where, each day at "the hour of Ave Maria," the heavenly music of bells, lifted high in their aerial belfry in that "Headstone of Beauty" designed by Giotto to o'ertop the city's clustering towers of watch and war, is floated downward with a softened melody; and in sight of that spire which, above the ashes of Angelo and Galileo, points to the skies!

It is eminently fitting, in view of what he bad achieved as well as of what he had planned, that the name of Thomas A. Tefft, late of Providence, R. I., who, in his origin, his opportunities, his aspirations, ambitions, energy, industry, and versatility, was an embodiment of the best type of the young Americans of his day, and whose life, by its European successes, reflected honor upon his native land, whose homes have since been made beautiful by his idealization of common clay,— should be recorded in a work dealing with the progress of the Arts in America and with the development of Industrial Art Education.

Although dead at the early age of thirty-two, and although his achievements in this direction were probably known to but few, he had, nevertheless, impressed himself indelibly upon the architecture of his country, by thus practically initiating and introducing the ornamental use of brick.

In addition to the buildings designed by him while an assistant and pupil in another's office, he put up a sufficient number of buildings while himself in the active practice of his profession to vindicate his claim to priority, and to set the example of the use of brick in architectural ornament in so many different places that the innovation was sure not to be overlooked, or forgotten.

As similar claims of priority always challenge attention and seemingly invite denial, it is proper to state, that knowledge of the facts as here recited was obtained by the writer by personal observation and association in America, and Europe; from statements made, and drawings and plans shown by Mr. Tefft; by corroborative testimony received after his decease, from citizens of Providence; and from statements made to me, personally, by the Hon. Henry Barnard.

Mistakes are therefore precluded as to the fact that the late Thomas A. Tefft, B. P., of Providence, R. I., designed and erected brick buildings in the United States, in which brick was used ornamentally, certainly as early as 1850, and probably a year or two earlier; so that there is no room for question that Mr. Tefft was among the first, and probably was himself the very first professional architect in the United States, in S. Ex. 209- -XV

recent years at least, to venture upon the use of brick in architectural ornament; as he was the first to enter upon exhaustive investigations in northern Italy, and elsewhere, with the definitely announced purpose of effecting the introduction of a specific brick and terra cotta architecture in America. Others had doubtless visited, examined and enjoyed these works of the early Lombard builders, but Mr. Tefft seems to have been the first architect to apply in the United States the knowledge sought in Italy with that intent, and there can be little question I think, that his early death postponed for some years, the advent of modern ornamental brick and terra cotta architecture in the United States.

His success as a writer on currency was fully recognized in Europe, and is a part of the recorded history of the Social Science movement. It is mentioned here only in evidence of his versatility and of his conceded ability in whatever line of intellectual activity he chose to labor. He was certainly one of the pioneers among Americans in his European researches as a "State Commissioner of Industrial Art Education." This use of brick in ornamental architecture, now so universal, began to become somewhat general a short time before the opening of the Centennial, but received a great impulse from that exhibition, especially in the development of the uses of terra cotta; to this, reference will be made later.

It is of interest and value thus to trace the first steps in the develop. ment of any phase of civilization, and it is of especial interest to al who desire to see an art era in the United States to know that Americans possess the inherent qualities essential to such development, as is shown in the instances recited of the Baltimore silversmith and the Providence architect.

It was long maintained and very generally believed, that the English people, from whom we are so largely descended, had no art capacity.* This fallacy has been effectually disproved by recent English experience in Industrial Art development; surely, if the individuals whose art careers we have just recounted could arise in America before the opening of the Centennial, or the beginning of any definite art movement, there is every reason for confidence in the innate art capacity of Americans; and for belief that when adequate opportunities for art knowledge and development are offered, we shall repeat in America the triumphant successes of England in the development of art manufactures.

* In reference to this see Part I. passim, and particularly Paper VI. in Appendix A.

THE PRESENT OUTLOOK.

The Centennial Exposition a result of a general movement as well as a cause of subsequent progress-The year 1870 notable in the Art Development of the United States-The three leading Art Museums founded in 1870—The law of 1870 introduced drawing in Massachusetts schools-Professor Walter Smith arrives in 1870Importance of the Centennial in stimulating the Artistic and Industrial Development of the country-Omission of Centennial authorities to provide for the educational needs of visitors to the Exposition-First effect of the Exposition felt in Literature-Influence of the Exibition made by the South Kensington School of Embroidery-American paintings shown-Engraving in the United States-Influence of Exhibits of Decorative Art--Rise of Decorative Art Industries in the United States after the Centennial-Art Tiles-Terra Cotta and ornamental brick-Slow development of ornamental ceramics-The coming of John Bennett, the celebrated underglaze painter and potter, to America-Ceramic industries in CincinnatiRecent progress in manufacture of artistic ceramics in Trenton and BaltimoreThe Boston Museum of Art introduces Architectural use of Terra Cotta-Recent instances of its use- -Terra Cotta enrichment available for small buildings-Stanton Street Baptist Church, New York-Three excellent schools of technical artistic industry-Schools by private firms of R. Hoe & Co. and Tiffany & Co.-Reports by foreign commissioners-Felix Regamy's tribute to the late Charles B. StetsonSummary.

Although the holding of the Centennial is here taken as the date of the beginning of a new era in the artistic and industrial development of the United States, and although in many ways this coincides with the facts, yet it must not be forgotten that in the choice of all such arbitrary landmarks and dates, convenience, rather than an adherence to exact truth, is oftenest consulted; for civilization does not progress, like the kangaroo, by a series of prodigious jumps.

Long periods of preparation, sometimes it is true of apparent stagnation, but usually of very effective though unobtrusive activity, are wont to precede those era making events which striking the imagination dazzle men's judgment.

In this instance the Centennial, while it has proved to be, as was foreseen, a tremendous force urging forward the artistic and industrial development of a whole people with gigantic strides, was, in itself, a result as well as cause; and had been impossible, in any approach to its actual grandeur and completeness, twenty years before.

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It was because the great modern renaissance of the Industrial Arts, which had then been in progress in Europe for nearly forty years, and of which England was ignorant till forced to recognize it in 1851, had, at last, impressed itself upon a certain number of cultured and travelled Americans, that the holding of such an Exposition in the United States became possible. This magnificent Fair was, then, not a solitary, exceptional event, the marvellous bursting into bloom of the century,-but merely an incident in the general movement of the world.

It is in forgetfulness of the far-reaching power and the universality of such movements, which, in the rapidity of their progress, are marked phenomena of our modern era, that those in charge of some institution, museum, or school, sometimes naively attribute all the evidences of a more general interest in Art shown by their community, to the direct influence of their particular institution; apparently unconscious that their institution is, in itself, the indubitable proof that such art interest was largely pre-existent in the community, else had it not been called into being!

It is, in truth, becoming more and more difficult, in our complex modern civilization, to accurately discriminate between cause and effect; nor in some cases would it be always desirable,- certainly not, if it should result in diminishing the interest and efforts of these complacent workers.

In the United States, the most correct date, if any one year were to be chosen as marking the opening of the era of the new interest in Art, and in art education, would seem to be not 1876, but rather 1870; for it was in 1870 that the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and The Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, were each incorporated; while, in the same year, the legislature of Massachusetts passed the act making Drawing one of the common school studies. It was also in 1870 that Professor Walter Smith was invited to come from England, to introduce the new study in the schools of Boston and throughout the State of Massachusetts. Either one of these events would have made this a memorable year in the annals of the art development of the country; collectively, they mark it as the opening of an era.

It is, however, evident that before all these several undertakings could have gotten themselves successfully launched, there must have been a very warm interest on the part of a few individuals in these several communities, as well as a very general interest in the matter of in

dustrial art education among the citizens of Massachusetts; so that there were in fact several years of active preparation for the Centennial; although these various workers, busy in their own particular localities, could have had no thought that, in their far away stations, they were laying the sure foundations on which the brilliant edifices of the Centennial were, in due time, to rise.

In the preceding paper some of the artistic developments that preceded the Centennial have been recited, and it is now sought to indicate some of the results that can fairly be attributed to the influence of that Exposition.

Since the Centennial itself was but a result and part of a general movement, it is logically certain that, among what might at first seem to be the direct results of the Exhibition, there are some instances, which, like it, are but features of a general movement. A movement doubtless wonderfully accelerated by the influence of the Centennial, but which had already begun and would have progressed, more slowly indeed but still actually; because the movement is part and parcel of the age and must have kept progress with it, even if the sun of the Centennial had never shone to gladden and vivify the artistic aspirations of a people. It will be found, then, that the beginnings of several of the art movements noted actually preceded by a little the opening of the great Fair; nevertheless, it is probably true in most cases that their development was vastly aided by the results of the displays in Philadelphia. Of the general quickening of popular interest in all matters relating to Art, directly traceable to the opportunities afforded by the Centennial, and of the great impetus given to the demand for the products of artistic industries, resulting in a noticeable increase in the importation of brica-brac, of artistic woven stuffs for hangings and upholstery, of porcelains, potteries, art furniture, etc., sufficient mention has been made in these papers.

In these respects, as well as in the evidences presented of the close relation that exists between the art training and the art manufactures of a people, the Exposition, with its countless and attractive object lessons in illustration of the efficacy of education as specifically directed to obtaining industrial and artistic results, marks a definite era in the progress of the arts in America.

Too much can hardly be said in regard to the stimulating influence of the Centennial upon the industries and arts, nor should the meed of praise due to the public spirited citizens who conceived and executed