The New Building

T_T 8 art in lts vanous mamfestations is ' i cousidered the trlory of civilization : any public acknowlertgment of its worth ; n placa wliere it has been appreeiated only by the individual should be heralded with joy. Such an aeknowledgment is ' now made for the first time in our state, by our olde6t and largest city, in the erection of a building to be devoted entirely to art, and under the care of men and women who deeply feel the need of greater artistic advantages for the people. This new art museum of Detroit Ib undoubtedly one of the mojtiinposing structures in the city, and without a rival in its style of architecture, which Is late Romanesque. It is built of a light colored 6andstone from the Stoney Point quarries nearJackson, Mlch. The color was happily chosen to avoid any appearance of gloominess in the massive exterior. It is rectangular in form, 93 feet in length, 53 feet In depth, and occupies one side of a lot which will Bome day become an enclosed court by the extensión of the museum. The principal feature is the Jefferson avenue facade, which is two stories high, with a email central gable, and is flanked at each end by a high round tower. These towers are alike in construetion, with wlndows following the ascending curve of the 6tairways, the richly oniamented third stories of the towers rising from a projecting, 6culptured cornice, and surmounted by false arcades of etlltcd arches which rest on slender columns; over all are simple conical cappings surpassing by their full hight the roof of the museum. These towers are already appreeiated by those who are wcary of the grncral monotony of town architecture, for they stand out agalust the sky as most pleasing and picturesque objects. They are connected by a massive entranco poreh con6isting of flve large arches surmounted by a frieze - at present unsculpturcd - and a rich cornice, the whole mass being supported on artistic pillare formed of clustered shafts of polished red granite, each 6haft havingits own 6culptured cubical apit.il. A corbel table of stilted erches forma raound the upper part of tbc second story i well proportioned 6tring course which is ;roken at the northern angle by one of owera, and in the center of the main [acade by two email turrets which frame ï deep niche In the high, pointed gable. VVithin the porch are three doorways, ihose at the extreme end leading to the lUInrays, the central one leading to a sort af vestibule which opens into the long sculpture gallery. This eallery extends the full length cf the building. lts walls are carefully constructed to receive the heavy weight of casts and marbles, and the decoration of light terra cotta color is intended to enhancc the beauty of marbles and casts, and soften the effect of the light which is admitted from the sides. Red oak is used throughout the building for window casements, wainscottintr and all the wood work excepting the polished (loors. The second story consists of one large well proportioned room, which is cspecially arranged for pictures and therefore is skyüghted. It has a deep cornice and low wainscotting, the entlre spaee betwven tliis beins sealcd with pine over a facing of very porus tiles, and hung with Unen velours of a soft olive green tint, which contrasts agreeably with the terra cotta fresco of the stftirways. These, by the wny, are peculiarly constructed, seeming to project from the wall without support on the outer eilge. In reality thu stoncs are inter-locked, and eacu one flrmly supports the one above, so that t,here is no question of their Btrength, whili ihfv iidil hv their litrhtncss of struotion to tlie beauty of the interior elfects. And to vhom the honor? Not to a citizen of the United States, but to a Seotchman living in Canadal "Honor," however, "to whom honor is due." Out of many gootl .lans siibinitk'J, this bj Mr. James Uall'our, of Homllton, Ont., mi chosen I BMthe most satnfartory umi the pra(M lready aecorded t must gratlfy all rho are Intereetod in thu work. Let us hope tlat the jjreat purpOM whirh IIm bck f thi Br( st p rul not ,ttc-n in pn It, but that from tht ceüter may rmdlate a lü.ïti ami noble influcuce that filial] be recognized und feit throughout the state.