The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-09
THE SOCIETY or AMERICAN ARTISTS.


in tho American Art Gallery in Madison square
Like the Academy, II has had it, Vanishing
Day and its Private View. IL has recorded
very handsome list Of sales. and 1t has expert
oa,ao. ~ '"'' '''''''"' "''''''''"V'H' ~. pas.
.,-~s. ,nvreIorc nil tho attributes OF n mature
art corporation but differs from the Academy
in giving much better exhibition than III
made by that body. and in having much less
number Of pictures 10 show.
The Society Of American Artists was formed
partly a. II protest against the Academy and
its practices and parity "a II measure Of self
protection. 1t was brought about among the
younger men who year after year either had
their picturrs returned to them by the Academy
hanging committee. or found them marked
with the seal OF that bOdy's disapproval by
being used to fill all the worst places on the
Academy walls. These same hanging COM
mittoes having nj various times dccoratcd.a
doorway or some other evil spot with n pOrtrN.t
by Bonnat. or with grand composition by
Henri Regnault. II easily came to pass that the
worse II mans picture was hung tho moro lie
himself esteemed 1t. The irritation that en-
sued wns therefore, loss attributable To- tho in
dignity inflicted than to tho rccuniary injury.
Pictures badly hung are not so sure OF being
sold ~ those that are placed on the line, and
very few artists outside OF those who are gone
to heaven are indifferent TO this consideration.
II was tho least discussed however Of the va
rious motives that led TO the establishment Of
the young Society Of American Artists, the
persons who served as the nuclei thereof being
content to condemn in high minded way the
sefshncss and dishonesty OF the Academy, its
cnmity to art, and the downright wickedncss
and pcrvcrsity of its hanging committees
. In, IN
all the fine qualities of IN ideal corporate body,
lofty in its purposes. and broad, comprchcn-
siye and modern in its spirit. As 10 its hang
ing committees they were TO he composed Of
men Of Spartan virtue and simplicity inscnsi-
bic to considerations of personal friendship.
and incapable of putting their own pictures in
the best places.
While the Society has achieved enough TO at
tract to itself Il good deal OF attention and SYM
pathy. and to make some very interesting cN
hibitions, it must be confessed that it has not
proved such q monumental rcbukc TO the
Academy as its original scheme seemed To con-
template. and that, on the contrary. it has
acquired and very fairly developed some OF the
choicer vices Of the parent institution. These
have not as yet done very much harm. and the
Society has succeeded. as far az the public
aspect Of its work is concerned, in making an
exhibition that is fresh. independent. and
original in its general quality. and which is for
the most part creditablc in every way to Amcri-
can artists. This has been effected in spite Of
tho fact that the hanging has been marked 10y
uuwsc partially OF the Academy kind. and
that in the choosing Of pictures the Society has
exhibited strong prejudice against works
which however strong or meritorious, do not
conform strictly in their style and manner to
nv -. - -. ~ =,
inns f"'' "a Wv ~
Ihis IL " Ncls p"u i'hv' w o''c"i' anu WI
'eIs oi''S !" i'9 "PPi'"'u'" i'"ni ','' ',e''''ns
'NI VI 'iie heau'"iy' IL 70 'ii' mr. Gnu ''''n
tiai step toward amazing INC oocie,E INTO pri-
Na'e corporation OF decay ana II Wouiu pc d
very great ply II llr ootlr'! snou.u la,l 10 look
NJ IL III 'hn' ''sn' anu i''i''c IT, Ano'nei H'"'
Ter thut shoulu give IL concern - ,ne hanging
Vo,ini''ee "," .", f'or' 'pts Va It,
!tF quito evident, from 'he history i III na"s
i"s colihi'le'N' WA. Il" man va" s.i'e W, o''1
without ue'rlihch' 10 Ms peace "i hiiho anu
'ar'his nnpplncSs' "nio9s' P'ir,''n.e nv h",o
none vi hie own pit'"lcs " 'Nu.pi'' peir't' W
10 SCHOOL anu nave ho "vu"",''''eiie" M'n "h,
vi 'he coh'ripu'o'S' l. mas oeen ho'iceu tnu'
the ihost vigorous REFORMS 'h"' we nave ENJOY
Gu III 'ncse na'''!s nave oceh eHcr'eu 10. INC
rersoh"i pehe"' vi 'h' ie'oi iAcf7 'ii'i'9cN'9'
III inc hai'si"s '"n,'.''''ees ~ man sc'n'a
10 NC aolc 10 keep MS own pictures Oh 'he
lihe. Aiter .hey nave ii"n ms u''en''oh nc per
ioiAs MS uu'S W MS menus anu .heh iio
ioses us ih'eres' ~, MN ior 'he ensuing 'eai
~ cah never pe o'her"'sc uhtii we auop' the
'rcnch eSetcni VI Jury vi auinlssioh' which
wouiu 10 away WIN i''se part oi inc present
abuses ana iii'st"Nes anu W very much pc''er
lor pom ''lr a,',s's anu 'lr'r ART Inc oocie's
~ american Al'ts's Sh"u'o e"rciuhy cohSiuer
ms" H"''ers 'ney enpou' N'ai priheipir y,
"i s"cee9s' anu nes'ec' Vi 'ncni Gs'',no' IAN
70 Pu' 'ne "o'ic's III IN uheiN' "o'c iisnt no
Aeauemy pc"i'e can N'ry wei urge t"a' 'neir
MANNER h"o''s ana customs cannot 50 grey
ousiy uesel'o .hc CONDEMNATION u ,he "u-
A'i."'' VI .ne 'ocic'' "neh 'na. oou' oo't"'s
'u W. h"''o ~ HH't''7 anu uucpI 'ne.,''
lne lae' 'h"t 'iie cAn,pl'ioh VI Tue pleseh'
year - 80 soou shou'o create AMONG INC
irlchus % tiie younger lis'i'u'ioi an 1,ie inoic
e"iici,"uc as 10 i's lu'",e' II cel'ain,y Is an
'N'en'h' c'"e',''on a'''' n'"'n '''''i man "hS
'""' mas pr"eeuc" IT, !. SHOWS 'iorc Vi i','e
peh'h' PEI 9oha Ivy III '''' m'ih' inoio iii's'e'y
IN inc coior' anu echrt"i''' more Visor an nu