Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-08
The Gradual but Certain Progress of
Art in Pittsburg.
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY OPENING.
The Loan Exhibition Will Produce q
Profound Impression.
INFLUENCE OF TIE CARNEGIE GIFT
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.I
N0T

OF art has ever hitherto occurred. The reVel
alton will be at once astounding and graft
flying.
Almost beyond reasonable doubt, Pitts
burg stands upon the threshold of new era
Indeed, the doubt scarcely exists, because
while the wonderful advance in the direc
tion of art during the past few years ha
been restricted to private channels, tht
cause is, doubtless, that there has been NJ
public channel into which this interes
might flow. The presence Of an earnes
though private interest is the importan
fact. 1t is beyond question that the existence
of healthy public art spirit in any commu
nifty depends upon a moral or artistic TEN.
perarure. If therefore, it is shown that such
a temperature now exists, almost beyond
peradventure this interest will manifest
itself in public way, and the taste for art
will be disseminated.
NOBLE AND POPULAR.
Nothing is more certain than this. As
Taiue aptly says, cart has this popularity,
that il is at once noble and popular, mani
Testing whatever is most exalted and mani.
Testing it to all" As we would examine
the physical temperature, in an effort 10 de-
termine the quality of a prospective harvest,
so should we study the artistic temperature,
in order therefrom to Judge of the future of
art in our midst Man is not, or should not
be, an animal occupied only in the defense
of himself and his offspring; or intent upon
the pursuit of material objects only-a
bewer of wood and drawer Of water.
For time he may be engrosSed in these
pursuits, but the intellectual wants, will,
sooner or later, assert themselves and can
only be satisfied in the fields of literature,
art or science. Pittsburg has had its years
of incessant toll and physical effort. Her
citizens, inheriting their thrifty habits from
ancestors whose strong characteristic was
evidenced by the most practical pursuits,
have been, let US ADMIT, engaged almost ex-
clusively in the pursuit of wealth.
They have made great and renowned
workshop of this city, and, heretofore, this
fact has been our greatest source of local
pride. Not without a slight blush do our
people remember that the Harpers, treating
the subject of Western art in their maga-
zine, some time ago, did not deem it worth
while to even mention the name of our city,
although Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago
and many other cities received elaborate at
tentiou. We have not been rated as an art
loving people.
IN DAYS GONE By.
Indeed our Scotch-Irish ancestry. with
their almost Puritanical prejudice against
whatever was considered frivolous or vain,
made a deep impress uDon our community
In their zeal for simplicity little care was
exercised to discriminating between intel
lectual pleasure, secured through the pres
ence Of articles of artistic beauty and worth,
and the evidence of ostentatious display. 1t
required years to eradicate the impressions
T.
Plttsburg gentleman who would invest
81, 900 in a work Of art did it, doubtless,
feeling that he would be considered very
extravsgant, if not utterly reckless. Our
people are now beginning to realize that
money is never more wisely expended than
in the purchase of good art.
To-day we stand in the presence of great
and significant fact. The opening of the
Carnegie Free Library, in Allegheny, has
proven the magic touch, in response to
which our city has put on her robes of
beauty, and, adorning bl-self with the
choicest flowers from tie field of art, takes
her place among the cities of esthetic taste.
There is only one thorn in the wreath which
encircles her brow. For these flowers she is
wholly dependent upon private loans
Nothing thus far has been done in the spirit
of public endeavor. Nevertheless thew be-
the liberality and public spirit of the gentle
men who own fine paintings in this city, and
who have not hesitated to contribute them
for public exhibition, when the occasion
seemed proper and the purpose educational, |
is the best pledge of interest in any effort |
looking to art education in a broad and pub |
lie spirit This is right and will always re-
main true.
A COMMON HERITAGE
Works of art are a common heritage, The |
man who holds great painting in the spirit |
of trust ennobles himself and benefits his |
followers. am not unfamiliar with the /
local art movement during the past ten |
years. Nevertheless, in the presence OF the |
facts developed by the Art Committee in |
cataloguing the paintings for the forthcom-
Ing exhibition, / confess to degree of aston |
lEhment. 1t is not presumed that all Pitts
burg paintings of merit are included in
the number catalogued.
1t would have been physically impossible
Tor the committee to reach all the owners of
important pictures in the limited time al
lowed. Only those who could be Quickly
communicated with were listed. For OBJ
vious reasons the works of Pittsburg paint
ers were not included. It is to be in the
Strlctest sense loan exhibition. Neverthe-
less l4V canVases were secured.
CHANGING hastily over the list of names it
is found that very many of the most eminent
men OF this century are here represented.
some OF them by as many as four or five
IN important paintings. Corot, Diaz, Sacque,
6ougereau, MOreau, Van Marcke, Rico,
y 6r1Ileroh, henner, De Lort, Frere, Won
bremen 6remen' Gomerre, Knight, Dupre, Israels,
Mauve, Chase, Untberger, Lerolle. Sohu.
Schreyer, Landelle, De Hass n. B.LO
PILE, Haguette, Perault, HarmaDd. Robie'
Aammerer, Rosenthal, Hacquette. Landelle.
Catalina, Pinchart, Kaulbach, Never, San
TORI, Berne-Bellecour, Engler, Wagner.
Deth, Millet (F. D., Abbey, Vibert' and
many others too numerous to mention.
THE ROLL OF HONOR.
These names are among the highestou the
roll OF honor. 1t is agreeably significant that
14O paintings, insured for S219. $50. an aver
age of 81, 500 for each painting, should he
gathered in one brief week from the homes
of people who, collectively, have absolute
ly had no standing in the national art circle
To make this statement even stronger I will
by permission, repeat in part, recent conver,
sation with Mr.. Blieman, a gentleman who
has had large experience and a thorough
knowledge of the private and public collec-
tons throughout the United States.
In reply to an inquiry as to the compare
tive strength Of this collection of paintings,
he said: ''There is not city in the United
States, outside OF New York, in which l4O
can be collected from private
owners that will compare, in average merit.
with the collection to be exhibited in ALLIE
gheny next week." And he added that in
New York there cannot be found in anv
collection the same number OF paintings, |
showing a higher average of merit save
only in the Vanderbilt, Metropolitan Mu-
scum and Morgan collections doubt if
3 single nainting in this cnllentinn unrld