The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-27

beautiful garden about it placed n number
of cas- of famous statues, which he import
ed finn Europe for the purpose. In front
| of tie garden lie put a light iron railing
thadid not obstruct the view from the
stret, and he threw open the gates, invit-
ing all who chose to enter and view the
| chTms of nature and art that he had gener-
| ouly intended should promote the happi-
nes Of all. The people opposite him petit
tDned the common council TO "abate the
Nuisance" Of his indecent exhibition of
| satuary, and the common council actually
! Compelled him to build a higd wall In front
| 4 his garden to shut out the view of it
rom the street. After my exhibition had
Taught them something more of the sublim-
lity and purity Of true art as expressed in
sculpture--years after the wall was put up
"a request was made to the common cOun
Gil that Mr.. Winans be asked to please take
down his wall and put back the railing that
the people might see his statues The COM
mon council did ask but mir. Winans was a
man. capable, when be got mad, Of staying
mad n long time ana he was mad yet, so he
profanely told them to go to place I'M
mentlonable to ears polite, and tie wall still
stands
l do not know that can better suggest
the sort OF reception that certain class of
Philadelphians gave to my pictures Of stat
uary, than by telling a little story about
the first exhibition there OF Powers
Greek Slave" That, it will be Temem-
oered, was the first presentation Of the nude
IN sculpture to American eyes from an
American hand. A gentleman went to the
Philadelphia Art Gallery, whsre it was on
view, for the express purpose Of seeing it,
and not finding It asked the custodian, a
female, where it was. "Wait moment
SIR she said, and disappeared into an adj
n "a fav oh f.a
turned and said; ut is in there have
drawn the curtain from before it. You
can 90 in and see it now. There are no
ladies there at present" They actually
Kept it secreted behind a curtain when
ladies were about, that their modesty might
not be shocked Now, the Greek Slave
occupies a prominent position in that noble
monument Of liberal potronage Of art, the
Corcoran Gallery in WASH gton.
In Richmond Va, my entertainment was
pronounced success with the people, but
there was ore man there who was, or thought
he was, great christian, who wrote to me
very long letter, telling me how was going
to perdition, and, through my singular and
loyable talent aud fascinating exhibition,
dragging others with me down to hell He
especially protested against my picture of
Cupid and Psyche, which he said had
stirred his feelings and troubled his soul
lie tempted to thiak, over since he had seen
it. | replied to him simply-"Dear sir:
Think more of Christ and reform
Cincinnati demonstrated more aDDrecia-
tion of art, than any city had previously
visited Outside of New York, seeming 10
feel more my intent to serve a higher end
than the mere making Of money Nv audi
ences there showed a comprehension of the
allegorical expression in material form,
6
highly spiritual thought. That | deemed
less strange, however, when found that
they were very largely composed of He
brews, whom | have always fOuud a very
appreciatiye people, Reference 10 that ex-
preston Of thought reminds me Of the re-
ply once made me by prelate of the Catho-
lie church, whom l had asked "What do
you call christian artlo He answered,
IAN art
In Chicago l found the people intent
upon making, too busy or too prac-
tical to think about being shocked, and
perhaps neither knowing nor caring whether
a picture presented for their contemplation
was nude or naked, in the artistic sense. /
cannot complain that | did not receive
good share Of their attention and patronage.
but really found on my first visit there a
surprising amount of cIudity in the art
knowledge, even among well-dres5ed and
intelligent looking people. In au exhibit
ton there saw some very fine casts which
an agent had purchased in Europe, not to
the entire satisfaction Of the financial com
mittee of the affair, vino complained that
many of them were damaged The casts
were from the Elgin marbles and the an
tique. | wonder what the agent said when
their complaint reached hinl Passing out
of the so-called 'statuary room" in that
exhibition one day, met two mon, one of
whom exclaimed to the other: "Oh, don't
go in there. They've got a fellow there
with the JIM jams" | recognized at once
that he referred to the LAGOON" which
doubtless, from that point Of view, pre-
sented clearly comprehensive idea to the
Chicago mind
l found a highly cultured class in st.
Louis, not the weathiest there, unfortu-
nately, but SO appreciative and artistically
developed that 1t was pleasure to enter
tain them with art treasures. When l first
went there | took the Mercantile Library
Hall for one week, with privilege of two
more to be decided after tire first night. |
pretty well filled my house that first nigdt on
invitations. When the exhibition was over
the secretary-whO arranged about the hall
said with sort Of sad pity: "Nour lee
ture and illustrations are very beautiful,
but do you expect any of these people to
come tomorrow nightl They have come for
nothing tonight, and have seen it ell, and
will not come again and payn NV reply
was to pay down in advance. for the second
and third weeks rent Of the hall, for | had
seen the people He said: You must be a
millionaire to throw money awayin this
fashion" But at the end of the three
weeks be said: "You must be q genius
As general thing lecturers don't make
anything here, and / mostly have to help
them to get to the next town" had been
showing TO crowded houses.