Rejection and Purchase of Franz Pendl's Crucifixes for the London Great Exhibition

Austria.

Merano, May 1. (From the Tiroler Schützenzeitung.) Since Merano lies in Tyrol and, as is well known, Tyrol also lies in the world and, respectively, even in the Austrian Empire, and since Austria, commensurate with its standing in the world, would also like to see itself represented as worthily as possible at the London Great Exhibition, our capable old sculptor Pendl received repeated requests, both from elsewhere and from Vienna, to take part in this exhibition. Pendl, otherwise overwhelmed with orders, finally yielded to the relentless urging and chose to execute that subject which had hitherto earned him the greatest renown as an artist not only in Germany, but also in Italy and even in England: namely, the image of the Crucified, and in two versions. One was carved from boxwood with a Gothic cross and pedestal of walnut wood, entirely unpainted; the other was carved from Swiss stone pine with a natural branch cross, fully painted after nature. Both pieces were executed with extraordinary diligence and were generally regarded as very successful, so that one flattered oneself with the hope that they would do no dishonor to our "Landl" even in the world metropolis. Yet we foolish Tyrolean patriots, though otherwise accustomed to hitting the mark and, if need be, the bullseye itself, completely missed the target. For when the crucifixes reached Vienna before the examining committee for the London exhibition, the dear Lord failed the test; He fared as He once did before Herod: He did not appeal to said Viennese examining committee and was therefore rejected as "unsuited for the exhibition" and sent back to where He came from. "For an exhibition of the Austrian imperial state," said the committee most graciously, "they would admit these crucifixes without hesitation; but they could not take upon themselves to send them to the London Great Exhibition, since according to the relevant regulations only objects of high artistic value, new and especially ingenious inventions, or items distinguished by particular cheapness might be admitted." To be fair, one must certainly admit that Pendl's crucifixes entirely lack these requirements. For the subject is unfortunately neither a Pendlian nor even less a "new invention"; to claim a "high artistic value" for his work, the honest Pendl had omitted to append several zeroes to the figure of requested pounds sterling, and one could hardly discover "particular cheapness" in what is largely a superfluous piece of furniture. That this slight nonetheless grieved the good Pendl—who could blame him?! – But hear further! Through a good friend of Pendl, word of this unpleasant experience promptly made its way to England. No sooner had Pugin, the famous architect to whom the most magnificent Gothic structures of our time owe their existence, heard of it, than Pendl was immediately requested to send him the crucifixes spurned in Vienna, at any price. Consequently, they had not yet finished their sad return journey from Vienna to Merano when they were suddenly redirected toward England; and before they had even reached Albion's soil, 317 florins in convention currency were already counted out into the hands of the pleasantly surprised Pendl as the equivalent of the 25 pounds sterling asked. – Whether Pugin will see fit to solicit a modest little spot in London's Crystal Palace alongside the much-celebrated Viennese furniture for these works of a Tyrolean artist whom he has appreciated for quite some time, I do not know; but I do know that he intends to set them up as masterworks in the local Academy of Fine Arts as models for the English art students.