National Republican., 1883-02-19
ART IN new YORK.
The Union League Club Celebrates its Twentieth
Anniversary,
Some Notable Pictures that Graced its
AIT Gallery on the Occasion
The Sixteenth Annual Exhibition Of The American
Water Color Society
The Pictures and Painters-The Exhibit
Of Etchings.
SnenfnL Leller.


ing last the Union League club celebrated its
twentieth anniversary with q grand dinner
and after It listened to q speech of reminis-
cences and history of the club from William
M. Evarts. On the four succeeding days from
the hour of noon until o'clock in the after
noon, the club house and picture gallery were
thrown open, as is the yearly CUSTOM to the
inspection of ladies, who are admitted by a
card of invitation each from member of the
club. Some ladies are attended by gentlemen
friends, and, of course, an occasional reporter
slips in, as they do everywhere, otherwise the
world would be in blissful ignorance of much
ii ought to know.
1t is twenty years since the Union League
club was first organized, and the purpose of
its founders was as its name indicates, TO aid
and support the government in its efforts TO
maintain the union during the time of our
" late unpeasantness." The first club house
was on Eighteenth street, near Union square
as members increased the club moved TO
Madison square and Twenty fifth street,
which building they occupied until within
three years, when they disposed of that build
ing to tho Turf club, and moved TO
their present club house on Fifth
avenue and Thirty-frst street. There can
Scarcely be found more substantial granite
structure than is the present club house, or
one moro thoroughly complete in every detail
stones" and after an inspection of its lux
urious belongings no one wonders that men,
bers prefer the club to the close, uncomfort-
able quarters, where the wives and children
of many of them are compelled to live, or that
others remain bachelors that they may in
habit with clear consciences so palatial
residence.
FIRST street, which leaves facade of bay,
bow, and French windows on Fifth avenue.
In the main entrance hall is the grand stair
case of oak, and this is lighted by an elab-
crate stained-glass window the entire width
of the hall, the work Of Louis @. Tiffany, the
artist There are several smaller stained
glass windows in different parts of the build
ing. One, more curious than handsome, has the
appearance of being made of the bottoms of
broken bottles and angular pieces of glass
Most of the doorways are protected by pOrtiers
of heavy drapery The windows in nea. .ly all
of the rooms have heavy curtains, no lace
ones, and q few simply window shades. There
are no mirrors to be seen in the building. On
the upper story is the kitchen, q dining room
the entire front of the building, and smaller
dining room which, by an arrangement of
sliding partitions, can be subdivided into
several small rooms, each with window and
fireplace. Nearly all the fireplaces in the
building are built in recess, which makes
them very cosy hooks. Under the dining room,
and of the same size, is the general library.
This room is furnished in cherry, with small
recess fireplaces, each with shelves of books,
comfortable armchair, and a shaded drop
light over it. The walls and ceilings of the IL
brary are covered with heavy embossed paper,
in old gold, bronze, and tea green, resembling
leather, and the side walls of the dining room
are covered with q similar paper; but the
ceiling being vaulted is finished in fresco but
in the same subdued colors as the paper. Be-
low the library the space is broken into small
parlors all along the front of the building
and on the sides into committee rooms and
other business rooms.
Many of the gentlemen members have
rooms in the building, but these, of course,
are not open to the public; and they are ar
ranged on one of the side halls, with stair
case, elevator, and entrance doors of its own.
The picture gallery is at tho left of the
main entrance hall in the second story and
opposite the grand drawing room. At the
hour of noon Wednesday, and the three days
following, the doors were opened to ladies, and
up to the hour Of A each day the room was
filed to oppressiveness by thousand women
Representatives Of the wealth and fashion
of New York.
1t is said there never was so fine collect
ion of paintings on exhibition at the club
house as this year. Most were the work of
foreign artists, though there was fair repre-
sentation from New York artists. Mr.. NJ
II. Fuller sent Sunrise in the Mountains"
.. II. u.
Hubert Herkimer's portrait just finished, of
Whitelaw Reid Mr.. John Herman sent q
landscape by David johnson, and David
johnson himself was circulating among
the crowd looking at his own and
his brother artists pictures Berstadt's
picture Of Near Fort Laramie" sent by him
self; Il. A. Abbey was represented in an "Au-
tumn;" A. A. Anderson, Carroll Beckwith,
and f. l.. Henry each sent one of their own
pictures. Among works of foreign artists Mr..
j. A. Bostwick sent q gem of Corot, "Danc-
ing Nymphs by Twilght;" Fletcher Harper,
five pictures, each by five different foreign
artists j. .Abner Harper, six pictures by
French and German artists; Brayton
Ives Rosa Bonheur's Spanish Muleteers
Crossing tho Pyrenees," and George Clark an
other of Bonheur's "Wood with Deer" both
as life-like as her pictures always are. Hon.
II. ID. Morgan sent "Germqn Interior" by
A. Spitz, q fine painting in the German school.
Elliot Shepard, Mr., Vanderbilts son-in-law,
sent Godfrey Kneller of Charles H."
painted for the famous court beauty, the
Duchess of Portsmouth, and A. O. Taylor, one
of Tito Cante's Devotion" Mrs. r. L. Stuart
sent "Louis Aivanz," and w. II. Sibley, n
kaufman" In addition there were fifty
other pictures worthy of note which made an
impression Of form and color but left no
recollection of subject or artist.
The crowd growing so immense,
and so invulnerable in satin and velvet, es-
cape from the room became necessary and
the theater stood roomingly open, and offered,
in addition, the temptation of seats. This
room Is on Thirty-ninth street, opposite the
drawing room, and opens from the picture
gallery and main hall. It has accommoda
tiOns for the 1880 members composing the
club, and seats to spare, with raised plat
form which can be used as rostrum or stage.
A marble bust Of Mr.. Lincoln stands near the
entrance door and one of Daniel Webster on
tha ita cid nf thn lao
handsomest adornment of this room are the
side gasights, which are massive brackets of
oxidized metal looking like ancient silver.
There are many fine pictures owned by
the club, hanging in the different rooms, some
of them historical scenes of the late war, q
full length portrait of Mr.. Lincoln, very good,
and an abOminable picture supposed to be Mr..
Seward, and excellent pictures of Kensett.
The building was left with an appreciation of
having seen a better collection of paintings
than is often offered TO the public, and just
pride in having men in the city so liberal that
even for their own qualification they were
willing to expend one million dollars to erect
The handsomest club house in the civilized
world But the club has among its members
William III. Vanderbilt, the Harpers, j. Gould,
J. A. Bostwick, James ii. Stebbins, Thomas
Acton, Samuel Blatchford, George Bliss, Peter
Townsend, 8. M. l.. Barlow, Richard Butler,
and scores of other representatives of New
Yorks wealth, who can well afford to adorn
the city with so many magnificent buildings,
and who arejustly satisfied with this evidence
OF their prosperity and public spirit.