Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-15
Rapidly Growing Among Pittsburg-
ers Who are Fond of Valua-
bic Paintings and Are
ABLE TO BUY THE VERY BEST.
Two Well-Known Railroad Men Who Look
More Alike Than if They
We're Twin Brothers.
EVIDENCES OF AN INCREASE OF CRIME.
President Harrison and His Cabinet Highly Pleased
With Pittsburgs Fine Horses.

'Tsn't it strange that in city like Pitts
burg, for 20 years the only thing that repre-
sented art was the Art Society,"" asked an
old gentleman yesterday, who looks very
much like William Thaw. The speaker
was Alfred S. Wall, who takes so much in
terest in art subjects "But Pittsburg is
growing he continued. "a taste for art
is rapidly being developed. These things
must come slowly, but come they will ulti-
y mately.
81 think can safely say that within the
past three years as many fine pictures by
the leading artists of the world have been
sold here as in the so years previously put
together. The reason is not that the people
are wealthier; they always had the money;
but within the past seven or eight years the
population of the city has increased wonder
fully. Many of the people came from East
ern cities that are recognized as art
centers, where galleries and mu-
seums are open to the public.
and their tastes have been cultivated. These
people have done much in inculcating a de-
sire for paintings In Pittsburg; in fact, have
bought them tor their own entertainment
and edifcation, and their neighbors seeing
the good results have gone and done like
wise.
WANT TO DO LIKEWISE.
Thus, one man buys a very costly paint
ing. His friends hearing about it at first
are attracted by the price, and they want to
see it. Having seen they admire and once
started to thinking they begin to feel that
they, too, would like to have something of
the kind to refine and beautify their homes.
Some of the finest pictures have been
sold and are being purchased here. Many
OF the wealthier men are spending their
money in making art collections, and it is a
good way to invest it. Why, suppose
that since the exhibition in the Carnegie
Library was so much admired by the peo-
pie, as many more pictures have been pur-
chased by Pittsburgers. This only shows
how the taste for works of art is growing.
know men who have already made offers
of fpaintings to adorn the Carnegie gallery
In Allegheny as soon as everything is salts
tactorilv arranged. The question now is
to keep out the bad pictures.
The gallery, indeed, would be filled in a
week by the people if contributions of pict-
ures were asked, but what sort of a col
lection would it be? Just so a public
library could be loaded down in short time
but most Of the books would be filter for the
waste pile than to lie on the shelves.
AVERY HEALTHY SIGN.
'But like to see these generous mani
festations. 1t is healthy sign. The people
are becoming interested. 1t is now pro-
posed to have an art exhibition in the Car
negie Library every year, and just as
soon as the Allegheny Councils decide
who shall control the building the
Art Committee will go ahead. 1t has been
suggested to have an exclusive exhibition
also for the works or local artists. At the
last display they were rigidly excluded, to |
prevent all bad feeling. 1t might be ar
ranged to give the Pittsburg artists one side
of the room. Do you know the owners of
hne paintings are very particular about the
company in which their pictures are found?
They will gladly loan their paintings when
they are given to understand that no cheap
pictures are to be placed side by side with
their own. No man who has a costly work
would care to have it covered with lot of
cheap ones.
1.-The peculiarities of people in going over
galleries are amusing. As soon as 1 look at
man examining pictures, L can tell if he
knows anything about them or not. The
one who doesn't will wander all over col
lection with his eyes and see nothing in
particular, while a gooc judge of art will
soon single out a few of the best pictures in
room, and there be will be found before
them studying the good points and getting
a. VIC sCAbAAuCubs
THE PRICE A FACTOR.
Sometimes you can get people interested
in q picture by naming the price. remem-
Der once young married couple from the
country was examining a collection of pic
lures of which had charge. Finally the
young man edged over to me, and nudging
me little, said: Say, mister, which one of
these pictures costs the most?' l showed
him that rnorEoA GT00 Cn1
he cried to his wife, come and look at this
picture, and with their eyes sticking out
they lowered over that picture as ii it was |
something awful-S00 for little thing like |
that paralvzed them. 1t was the price that |
caught, and, of course, they went home and |
told their neighbors what valuable paint
ing they had seen. 1 suppose they are talk |
ing about it to this day.
"Yes, there are some frauds in this busi-
ness, as in any others. Sometimes a man
will use the name OF great artist to sell |
his picture, but judge of any experience
will soon detect the cheat A picture NAV
look all right, apparently, but it lacks the
individuality OF the artist, the delicate
shading and touch, and, above all, the SEN
timent
SOMETIMES DO POOR WORK.
eff the artist could get these points ex-
actly he would have no desire to see the
other mans name to hiswork. 1t frequently
happens that recognized great artists often
do poor painting. In Europe there
are many copyers, men who imi-
tate the pictures of others, but
their works always are lacking when
compared with the original. The size and
shapes OF objects may be perfect, but that is
not all. The charm or the master is not
there, and you can't help feeling it.
''Oh, this is big subject and life work,
We can't expect people to get interested in
art IN day. 1 always have claimed that
good art gallery is of more use to the'people
than library. In this age of cheap print
ing books are easily obtained, but it re-
CURES work, ability and money to produce
fine paintings"