The Portland daily press., 1884-11-26
The ArtLeagus Asnin

gentleman from another city, one who Ia
very closely connected with the art interests of
the county, was in Portland few DAYS
since, and while here visited our COSY little
club house during the exhibition Just closed
de expressed himself as very much pleased
with what he there saw, and spoke particular.
iy OF the good that was likely to como from the
opportunity offered by the Society, for exhihi
tions, where people can see with their own
eyes what is being done and by whom, and
scholars can have facilities for comparing their
own work with that done by others, both of
which are excellent educators
Where there is so much interest in a com,
munity, in art matters, as there is here, one
instinctively turns to our daily papers for any
little news item or article that may have an
nexed to it the word tart" or "artist," and
just at this time when there is SO much going
on in regard to Glasses and there is such a
general "taking aim," those semi-cabalistic
words are the first to catch the eye of the dey-
otee, while looking over the paper.
Such an article appeared in the PRESS of
this morning in relation to the Art League.
The writer of this was pleased to see it, for the
League has occupied an acknowl edged place
among the other art classes of various kind q
here, and anything concerning it is of interest
to many. read with great approval the ac-
count or its methods of instruction, different
classes, &C, put must say gasped when I
came to the following clause, it gave me the
sensation many of the readers of this have
probably experienced when they have arrived
at the top of fight of stairs and think thew
have one moro to go. 1t was withal SO de-
snsladiy ;,t irssh and breezy, too and
OF the League and the exhibition of the oo-
ciety, just closed, the writer SAYS:
Amy one who attended the last local art
exhibltion Gao judge whether in the two
years (tne time the Leapue has been in ex-
istence) "there has been any Improvement in
art, for most Of the exhibitors are art League
members"
Whewi need not dwell any further upon
the proposition contained In the above and its
obvious deductions. Let us turn to figures and
facte, they oftentimes make havoc with airv
flights of the imagination.
With the list Of Art League members be-
fore me, also the catalogue of the last exbib-
tlon, hnd eleven names of persons who are
ana nave been connected with the League.
Oat OF these eleven names there are but three
who exhibited work that can Justly be called
the result OF League teaching. Thew were by
the persons whose names are attached to
Nos. 90, 81, 80; the other remaining eight
exhibiting work of an entirely differsnt s,a.
side OF, and before the League was born. and
the "Dest amateurs" according to the public
voice and Society award, were persous who
never saw the inside OF the League at any
time as scholars. 1t ought To be well enough
known here who their instructors have been,
and are, and who were the instructors of
many other exhibitors who show admirable
work, so that if any credit is to be given to
anybody for tho good quality of the exhibition,
as result OF judicious teaching, it should be-
to those to whom 1t is obviously due.
Now, it is not the aim OF this article to de-
tract 10 any way from the credit Justly due
+. the Art League or any member thereof. for
anything it has done individually, or eollec-.
lively, but there are macy who do object to
having them, either individually or collective
~, assume that the art boom here is the result
OF their special efforts and advantages.
One word more. The League has confessedlv
been IN existence two years, but in all that
time there has not been one exhibition of their
work, or enough OF their work in any other
exhibition held in Portland to assume defiaite
shape. AT the end of their first season thew
held an exhibition of-whal? Sketches by New
York artists, with slight spattering OF their
OWN, all very well in its way, but incomplete
and unsa satisfactory, as showing what they had
done. We should like to see an exhibition Of
what they have actually ACCOMPLISHED in these
two years. (The Society OF Art will without
doubt gladly loan It's rooms.) We hear whis-
perings OF great progress. II their exhibited
work justiss it, no one will more cheerfuly
assent to the position assumed in the quotation
which is the subject of this, than
ANOTHER WORKER