New-York tribune., 1878-03-16
ART DEGRADED TO A TRADE.
PAINTINGS TURNED OUT UTBYTHEHUNDRED

|
| FRAMES.
The manufacture Of cheap paintings has be-
established industry In this city Hundreds Oh
daubs produced here daily and sent cut over the
| country to be sold good oilpainngs. Appointment
dealer in pictures said recently that the manufacture
and sale Of daubs had become extensive as to anect
the prices OF fine pictures. Our artists he said
would complain Of the hard times much IL the
country had not been flooded with cheap limitations OF
| their work. Chromos. Autographs and engrdvings
although they cheap to find their way into the
homes Of the poor do not much affect the prices OF Oil
paintings which will always he the avores of the rich,
and Will Je sought after 10y persons Of moderate means
who desire to be In the fashion The trouble is that
| almost any painted canvas will pass for an oil
paintiag among buyers. Many affect 'nterest
in art, but there few good judges. Thousands OF
persons who decorate their parors with oipaintngs,
be imposed by the dealers in cheap pictures"
There are two classes Of cheap paintiDgs-knOwn
| among the picture dealers as "pobOers" and buck
eyes" Paintings Of the class first mentioned are pro-
duced by struggling artists who prepare them, as they
say, to keep the pot boiling" Many Of them are at
tractive enough in form and color deceive some
buyers although they dashed of In few hours.
Not few good artists paint "potbOilers" when orders
Many other artists paint them regularly and
supply them to the auction stores Some of these artists
are said to be in the employment OF dealers in cheap
pictures and to receive stated for their paintings,
without regard to the subjects treated They paint
many duplicates of their pictures and thus turn out
large number with small variety of subjects. Buck
eyes" manufactured by thousands in shops
In this city. They usually poor in dns and IN
COLOR that only the poorest judges OF paintings can be
deceived by them. Tney rude copies OF landscapes
and pece which there little diversity OF color
About niuc-tenths OF them copies Of landscapes.
gentleman, well informed IN regard TO tie manuiac-
| ture OF buckeyes" SAID recently TO TRIBUNE re-
porter; The workmen employed 10 paint these dauhs
either common house painters persons who have
learned 10 handle the brush without having acquired
any knowledge OF They paint entirely by rule. us
ing paint, and canvas prepared by the manufacturers
The canvas made from cotton cloth, at cost OF about
Scents per square yard When workmen paint by the piece
the prices range from 30 cents - fOr each painting
In shops girls and boys employed for 80 cents,
or II day and do much of their work by means Of
stencil plates. Poor employed by tho day 10
touch up the pictures afterwards. The paintings are
then covered with thin coating OF varnish, which hides
OF their most gans faults The daubs are offered
sale In frames covered with imported COMPOST
ION known Vienna metal "a cheap imitation of gilt.
Frames of this sort made from good nodeIs and,
when new, closely resemble gilt frames The entire cost
pictures and frames is about onehh Of the cost Of
good frames. They sold under gas-lglt IN auction
stores, where they appear to great advantage. When
hung up ia the try ing light OF paror, they appear SO
Hat that o the buyers take them to regular dealers
toAe d at Dr.ces they Will BRING The frames
mir. and what bought for an oramen. becomes an
eyesore"
For purposes o; observation reporter visited several
places where buckeyes" are manufactured. The first
visit made the establishment Of Philip Levy No.
go Curtandtst wlch Is said to be the largest manu-
factory Of cheap paintings III tins country Mr. Levy oc-
Cpes whole of the hree-stOry building, and Is able
to turn loo oil paintings daily. The first floor
is used Tor packing goods and receiving lumber ior
frames An elevate. is TO the second n0or, where
there Is carpenter shop AMI storage roon Tue up
per story the studio or workshop where the paint
ngs arc manufactured. This portion Of the building Is
guarded against intrusion. The reporter endeayored to
gain entrance, but mel with firm refusal No one
could allowed tie studio" 1t stated. except
The artists Permission gwen 10 look at the COZ
lection ~ paintings. Of which there were several hun
lred piled on racks in the store They OF va
riOus sizrs, the majority being 22x36 inches. size
convenient for the eccuomical cutting O. the
or each painting there were dozens of duplicates, 20
nearly alike in appearance tina, the us OF stencil plates
in putting On the principal colors well sHOwn. In
! Mr. Lcyy's scale ot pciccs 40 account was taken Of
! single pictures. Dozens only were considered The
prices ranged from $50 40 800 pcr d0zen-franes IN
ciucd-,ccord!ng TO the of the paintings You
se,," said Mr. W when asked how he could furnish
paintings at so low rates. there are great many
artsts ont OF work IA these days get all the
want iOr dollar Ony. iAen, when al altlst Makes
..yrGi copies the sam, picture, hc turn them ont
pretty fast. His paints are mixed IL just the right
c,ors and ul he las to do il 10 slap them the
va Most II my pictures out or tno city cet orders
nom an parts ol the country now, and can nj
order for hGn red pictures with afcw hours' notice"
IIe reporter next visited tue inutac.Ory OF b. May
ers, at No. % Beekmanst and shown extensive
assortment Of buckeyes" Mr.. Mayers's prices
hor than Lsvys, ranging ,m $40 500 per Dozen
When ths iact called to his at,euton he became
cited enough to taxi with great freedom. You cane
tell me anything about Levy, said he. " ia part
nersh!p witt him for several years. In fact built mp
h.s But he is running the trade now He las
got lot OF girls AMI boys IN his establishment who know
nothing d. all about painting. They paint IN most OF the
ground Of the pictures with large brushes and
Gil plates, and the pictures are touched up aierward"
Mr. Mayer. said that his artists employed by the
piece Hs paintings aud hose OF Ike character made
by Charles RODE, OF No 1913 Grandst WILLIAMSBURG
sold in his ely aud IN BROOKLYN During the Winter hr
Mas kept auction ttOre Tor tho sale Oh MS paintings
under the Grand Central Hotel.
At No. O47 Broadway the reporter found another
ufactOrJ OF cheap paintings conducted by John X Lev
lson who occupies in TIE top story, and EN-
poys half adozen woramen His custom is to take small
collections pctnrcs the country and sell them
auction. George Smith, ut No. 20i Cha haust manpfae
lures buckeyes OF n small size which sell the rate
Of $40 per dozen, frames included.
The auction stores for the salo o, cheap paintings
have become conspicuous in the city, IL is usual on
pleasant days OF i*rsons grouped in fcut
OF any OF these gazing at few choice spec
mems OF the collection. which displayed in Ihe vim
dows An auction fag, announcing sale " ths day"
hangs IT, front " tie st0re. Large pacardS announce
the sale OF choice collect OF oil paintings by Amor
can ard foreign ar:istS." Inside the walls hung
with cheap paintings in imitation gilt frames An easel
lighted Dy rows OF jets. stands in tho centre
ftho room. to display t4e pictures offered for
bids Near the easel sits tho adctioneer who keeps uP
a conversation IN tOues loud enough 10 attract the nj
teuton OF the crowds i'll the street. lie IS
assisted by two bree men, who, when The store is
empty Of customers may be seen hating together, and
who bo disint. rested Duyei when any bidders
npueaT. rhry start bids, make favorable comments
the pictures, and the prices when interest is
shown in - painting. They watch the other b'idegs
sharply ard stop competing when the purchaser