[Ads-l] Anecdote: These pictures are not on trial. It is the visitors who are on trial

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Back in December 2020 Bill Mullins mentioned to me (off list) a family
of anecdotes that he thought I might find interesting. The anecdotes
are about the evaluation of items that have been designated cultural
masterpieces. Now the Quote Investigator website has an entry on the
topic:

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2021/04/11/painting-trial/

Here is the earliest instance I located:

[ref] 1904 February 13, Congregationalist and Christian World, Volume
89, Issue 7, (Untitled filler item), Quote Page 232, Column 3, Boston,
Massachusetts. (ProQuest) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
F. W. Macdonald, Kipling’s Wesleyan preacher uncle, tells an apt story
having analogical and homiletical aptness for those talking of the
Bible’s permanent worth to men. "Are these masterpieces?" said a
tourist in a Florentine gallery. "I must admit that I don’t see much
in them myself." Said the reserved doorkeeper, "These pictures are not
on trial. It is the visitors who are on trial."
[End excerpt]

[Begin acknowledgement]
Great thanks to Brad Verter and Bill Mullins whose inquiry led QI to
formulate this question and perform this exploration.
[End acknowledgement]

Feedback welcome
Garson O'Toole

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