Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-22
A PUBLIC ART GALLERY,

Frederick Keppel TnIks of Pittsburs's Love
| for Paintings-A Permanent Collection
Would be a BIessing-How the Love OF
Art is Fosfered.
GIT SEEMS almost presumptuous in an out
slider like myself to offer an opIn1on upon
| so important theme as the establishment of a
permanent art gallery in Pittsburg." said the
| distinguished artist, Frederick Keppel. to a
DISPATCH reporter who Interrogated him on
the subject yesterday. He continued: II
frankly avow that any intelligent resident of
your city could offer suggestions of greater
value than mine. But the cordial kindness and
friendiness which l have received both from
the press and from the people whom have met.
almost make me believe that am one of your
selves and not a stranger.
knowing as do little of what your city is
and what your citizens have done, confess my
wonder that the proposed permanent art gal
lery is question of to-day. / wonder that it
was not an accomplished fact ten or even
twenty years ago.
when community reaches the plane of
culture, refinement. intelligence and resources
that yours has reached, it seems to me that a
public art gallery (and good one, too) should
be necessity which you could no more do
without than the electric telegraph or the daily
newspaper.
0RoTH books and pictures are the fair and
fragrant blossoms that bloom on the top
of the plant-not on the root, nor on the stem.
but on the top.
you have begun at the beginning. The
roots of the Community are vigorous land like
plant, Pittsburg draws its chief nourishment
out of the earth). Your stem and branches are
strong and fourishing. Your foliage is rich
and luxurant. You have blossoms, too-but
two of the fairest will be the Public Library
and the Public Art Gallery. l feel persuaded
that once 1t is established you will wonder how
you came to do without it so long.
"The love of pictures is an instinct of hu-
manity as real as the love Of music is. And
once the city realizes the good that pictures do
there will be no turning back-until such time
as the busy bralnworker gives up his soothing
cigar or the tired woman her cheering cup of
tea.
Your notable material prosperity proves you
This characteristic. no doubt. leads you to hesi-
tate to deliberate, to ask doubtfully Will it be
a success?'
0THERE are three conditions essential to the
success of permanent public art exhi-
bition: First, the gallery to hold the pictures;
second, the pictures to hang in the gallery, and
third. the public to take permanent interest
IN these pictures.
Thanks to the liberality of your noble
hearted citizen, Andrew Carnegie, you are to
have the first requisite. For the second-the
pictures themselves-their acquisition must be
gradual The standard of quality should be
high. After it is seen that there really is to be
public collection. your best citizens will soon
begin to contribute pictures or money to buy
them. Mr.. Carnegie will not be the only public
benefactor in Pittsburg. There will be others.
s<4
uTN New York the Metropolitan Museum of
Fine Arts (of which institution am a mem
ber) prospered very slowly at first. But for the
last three or four years we have received more
than million dollars worth of pictures by do
nations and bequests
"But the watchword should be quality, not
quantity 1t would be very easy to fill gal
lery with inferior pictures, but such would be
worse than none at all.
"As to the third conditions: 1t is certain that
the public would take a permanent interest in
the proposed gallery l have seen the cata-
logue of an admirable loan collection of pic
lures already owned by some of your private
citizens, and I am told that the exhibition of
these pictures was crowded daily for ten days,
although the original intention had been to
show them for three days only.
s.JF you need another instance of the enthu-
siasm for art of your citizens, may men-
tion that large portion of the fine audience
which filled the Club Thearer last evening, to
hear about etchings, remained for quite an
hour after my talk had concluded, and showed
great interest in examining the pictures, and in
getting information about them.
Finally: think the time has fully come
when you can no longer afford to be without a
public art galleryn