Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-04
THE REVERSIBLE LANDSCAPE.

-
eral dress and demeanor, that of a sober busi-
ness man, would not at all suggest the active
and impetuous fireman Of the period do not
belong to any paid department. but to a volun-
feer Hook and Ladder company, composed of
the actiye-bodied and active-minded male citi-
zens OF the country town where live am
included In the actiye-minded portion of the
company; and in an organization Ike ours
which Is not only intended to assist in putting
out the fires of burning buildings, but to light
the torch of the mind this sort of member is
very valuable. In the building which we &C.
cupy our truck, with its hooks and ladders
stands upon the lower floor, while the large
room above Is used as a club ard readinm-room.
Al the beginning OF the first winter of our oceu-
pancy Of the building. We found that this room.
which had been very pleasant i'm summer, was
extremely uncomfortable in winter The long
apartment had been originally intended for
purposes of storage; and although had
Ornamented it and fitted it up very nicely. a
good deal of carpentry and some masOn's work
was necessary before II could be made tight and
Grau giIt- proof for cold weather But lately we
had spent money very freely. and our treasury
was absolutely empty. i was chairman of the
committee which had charge of everything per-
tanning TO our rooms. and felt the responsible
tiles of my position. The necessary work should
be begun Immediately. but how could the money
be raised to pay Tor il? Subscriptions for this
and that had been made until the members were
tired of that sort of thing; and the I-suceess of
the last one showed that it would not do to try
il again.
reTolyed in my mind great many plans for
raising the sum required. and one morning. as
was going to my place OF business in the city.
was seized with happy idea At the moment
OF seizure | was standing in front of a large
sbov-windOw. in which were a number of oil
paintings. all OF them very fresh and bright
'HOW would it do" thought to myself. Ito
bus picture at moderate price and put it up
at raiie: People who would not be willing to
give the money outright will often enter into
scheme OF this kind. will go iii and make in
qCirieS.
When 1 entered / found myself in large
show room, the walls OF which were covered
with paintings. 4 person advanced to meet
NE who. it soon became evident. was the
proprietor of the place. He was large man,
dressed in black. with an open-shirt front and
an expansive cOuntenance. His eyes and hair
were black, and his ears stood out from his
head IN manner which. according to q re-
cent writer. indicates the money-gettinr fac
ulty: and he plainly belonged to that class of
persons who in the Middle 4 ges did not. as
is The present custom, pay money tor having
their teeth extracted. but often disbursed large
sums ter the privilege of retaining them. When
i asked him if l could procure a good and eff
1ectIYe picture at moderate price. he threw
oct his chest and waved his arms towards his
walls There ST." he said. you can see
OIL paintings Of every subject. of every style.
ana OF every Class; aud at prices sir lower
than they can be found elsewhere in the known
world Mention the kind of picture you want,
and | can accommodate YOU
/ replied that did not know exactly what
| wanted and that [ would see what he had.
i now began to l0O}. at the pictures on the
walls. occasionally giving my ideas in regard
to Their merits. when Suddenly nIy companion
turned to lie and said:
Are you connected with the press sr?"
1 replied that was not. although l occa-
sionalIy wrote for periodicals.
Upon ant s,Iijects;@ he asked.
replied in the negative.
"Then you are unpreiudiced" he said
''aGd believe from YOUR appearance that YOU
are Ban OF influence. and there is nothing /
Should Ike better than to exhibit the WORKINGS
OF ny art organ cation to a man Of influence
nnpreiudced on the subject. Ny object is, sir
To popuiarze art: 10 place high art within the
reach OF the masses. and thus TO educate the
artistic facilities of even the poorest citizens"
said that | supposed the chTOmO movement
was intended 10 90 all that
NO. sir, he replied warmly: ''chromos
cannot accomplish the object. They are too
expensive: and besides. they are not the real
thing They are printed. not painted; and
what the public wants is the real thing, the
work OF the brush; and that is what / give
them. The pictures you see here. and an in
mense stock besides. all copies Of valuable
paintings many of them in the finest galleries
OF Europe. | sell no originals ! guarantee
everything to be q copy. Honesty is at the
bottom OF every thing do. l would scorn to
pretend ets sell ten er twehty-thousand dol
lar painting for-fOr the price asked. But
my copies are exactly like the originals: that
Is al claim. would like. sir. to show YOU
throu-h Iay establishment and let YOU see how
i an carrying on the great work of art educa-
tlon- There are pi@ture-dealers in this city,
sir. plenty Of them, who try 10 make the public
believe that the vile dauts they sell are original
and the works Of welEknOwn painters; and
when they admit that the picture is copy,
they say II Is the work of some distinguished
studest; that there is 10 other copy in the
country: or make some other Taisstatement
about it. These persons conceal their pro-
ccsS.s but their tricks are beginning to be well
Known 70 the public. Now. sir. | conceal moth
Ing. The day for that sort Of thing is passed.
want men OF influence to know the facilities |
have for the production OF art-work upon
grand scale We viii first 90 into tie basement
Sir" said be. as / followed him downstairs
You know how the matchmaking business has
been reT0luti0n.Zed by the great companies
which manufacture watches BY machinery The
SLOW. uncertain. and expensive work of the
p0,-- tolisrs who made watches by hand has
been superseded BY tbc swift uAerring and
beautiful operations Of machinery and steam
Now SIR. the great purpose OF my life is to in
tTOdGce Machinery into art and. ultiInat civ
steam. And yet / viii have 30 shans. no ehro-
mos. Everthlng shall be real--the work of
the brush. Here. ST.. he continued. show IN =
Lle into {. lCD- room FLIED with workMen '.ycu
see tie men engaged in pu;ting together the
frames on which 10 stretch MY canyases: every
stick cut. rlaDed. and jointed oct at mill in
Vermont. ard sent on here By the Carload
Beyond are tee wOrsmel cutting up stretching
ard preparing tie canvas. bales upon bales of
which are used III day. At the far end are the
mills IOr grinding and mixing cOiors. And now
We viii go 20 the upper floors. and see the true
art-Hork- Here. sir he said, continuing to
talk as we walked through the rooms on the
various fGJrS is the landscape ana marine de-
T2rtinelt. That OF men are putting in
skies, they do a0thing else. Each has his copy
before him, and, day after day. month after
month. paints nothing but that sky: and OF
cOuse he does L with great Tapidity and fide-
lty. Above on those shelves. are sky-pots OF
every variety; biue-seTeDe pots. tempest pots
sunset pots IN compartments. morning gray
pots. and many others. Then the work passes
TO the n.iddiesrouDd painters. who have their
ha!i-tC2c pots within easy reach. After that
the foreground men take il up. and the figur-
lists nut in the men and animals. That Ean
there has been painting that foreground
Cow ever since tie first of August. He can
now put her in three and haif times in
litrea minutes, and viii probably rise to
sixteen cows an hour b. the end OF this month
These girls do nothing bu: put white-caps to
waves ihcFes @ICat demand at present for
the windy marine. Ta.s next room is devoted
10 portraits 10 order. You see that row of Old
ladies' without heads, each holding Uair OF
kpSciecies. and With one finger In the Bible to
Keep the place; that's very popular and we
PIT III 4 Lead wien tie photograph il sent
There Is . great rage az present for PORTRAITS of
la L. fl.f ri