M. H. Spielmann's Farewell
out the seventeen years during which he had controlled it. "In the course of that period," he said, "the magazine has sought not only to serve the interests of Art and artists, and of all art-lovers, and to maintain a high level of taste—in accordance with its traditions ever since its foundation in 1878—but also to take a line in art politics, independent, healthy and just, at a time when a section of the Art public were showing a tendency to be swept too far away. Its maintenance of principles has laid it open to the threat of more than one action for libel, but before a firm attitude these menaces came to nothing; and now, the Editor believes, the magazine has none but friends who will regard its discontinuance, or change, with friendly regret. To them he ventures to express a sympathetic farewell, and to those who have helped in so many ways to raise the standard to which it has attained, the most cordial and appreciative thanks."
The success of "process" reproductions and the cheapness of method compared with the older form of reproduction had led, in 1888, to the inauguration of a supplement to the Magazine of Art, under the title of "Royal Academy Pictures" consisting of process reproductions of the chief works in the annual exhibition at Burlington House. It was a great success, and it continued to be published for years after the Magazine of Art passed out of existence—until, in fact, it was superseded by an "official" publication in 1916.
An attempt in 1893 to popularize the chief pictures shown at the annual exhibitions on the Continent was not a success. "European Pictures" was published in 1893 and 1894 and was then discontinued. The Continental Art of that day excited little popular interest here.
It would have been impossible to attempt the Magazine of Art without the plant and organization for the production of printed pictures which had sprung out of John Cassell's early experiments. Before the magazine assumed its later form, and then alongside it, there grew up a great
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