Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-08
WHAT THE ARTISTS BAY.
HOW THE CARNEGIE GALLERY WILL
BENESIT PITTSBURG MEN.

| sell wore headuy-NIeWB FROM a bust.
ness and Art Standpoint.
| Mr.. Carnegie's proposition to establish al
art gallery in Pittsburg, and to give $50, 0Ot
year for the purchase of American picture.
exclusively, meets with the general ap
proval of the local artists. Their opinion il
unanimous that such a museum is needed
but they differ as to the effect such an in.
w. Beatty, the well-known artist, when
asked for his opinion, said:
''Mr. Carnege's offer to found a national
art gallery in Pittsburg, which shall repre-
sent American art, is SO large in conception
and magnificent in the result to be obtained
that it is difficult even to comprehend the
full measure of his liberal plan. 1t tran
scends all local interest and thought and
becomes national in importance. In fact
the good people of Pittsburg are repeatedly
enjoying the delightful sensation of having
their widest hopes in regard to library
and art gallery utterly eclipsed by the act
ual plans formulated by Mr.. Carnegie.
This proposition is an eclipse. 1t means
that American art shall be estimated at its
exact value, as represented in a compre-
hensive collection of representative works
in America.
A
SIT means that a force which has been
scattered and largely lost shall be centered
and therefore felt. The conception is q
grand one. 1t will give the Pittsburg Art
Gallery prominence which it could never
otherwise attain, because the collection will
be distinct in its character, as representing
the national art movement, and the only
one of its kind in the United States. 1t
will, in fact, be national collection, and
will be so considered throughout the art
world. The effect of the establishment of
such a collection will be to stimulate inter-
est in American paintings and otherwise
encourage American art.
We cannot have too many good paintings
and it must be placed to the credit of
American artists that they are almost unani-
mously in favor OF the repeal of all duty on
foreign paintings, and have petitioned Con-
gress to this effect.
MANY INFERIOR PRODUCTIONS.
SIT is equally well known that with the
good works there comes an overwhelming
food of very inferior paintings and that
many dealers find it to their pecuniary ad-
vantage to sell the poor ones. They can
make more money on bad foreign art than
they can on good American works. 1t is
obvious, therefore, that if distinctly Amer
lean art is to be exalted it must be exalted
by some one who is not picture dealer
and who is not interested in handling for
eign paintings. That such collection
will do much to establish the Importance of
our national art cannot be doubted. The
educational influence of such collection
upon our own community will be very
great. The pleasure derived by all classes
is beyond computation and know that the
art loving people of Pittsburg will SO highly
appreciate such a gift to our CITY that they
will forever hold Mr.. Carnegie in the kind
est remembrance"
A CROWN TO CARNEGIE's GIFTS.
Mr.. Joseph MCDOWELL, who has become a
hardware man, but has not entitely deserted
his studio, was one of the first men ap-
preached. He has very keen artistic tastes,
as we'll as good business ideas, and he can
vases the subject from number of stand
points. He thinks, to begin with, the time
had come long ago when the tariff idea
should be applied to works of art. In de-
tail he said: .-.
This last proposition of Mr.. Carnegie's
to build an art gallery is the crown
ing one OF his munifcent gifts,
and his plan to limit the
collection of works of American painters is
excellent. While 1 do not detract from the
merits OF foreign pictures, for Europe has
many great artists, Americans should pro-
tect their own and patronize home talent.
At least foster and encourage art studies by
displaying a willingness to help them. Art
lists, like other people, must eat, and they
need money to buy bread and butter. This
Pttsburg gallery will create a market.
Every American artist will know, if a COM
petent art committee is selected, that if he
makes a strictly first-class picture there is a
place where he can sell it, and where its ex-
hibition will add to his credit.
LIKE THE PARIS SALON.
at will be an honor to him, and in time
the Pittsburg gallery is bound to become
famous like the Paris salon. This city has
the wealth and the intelligent people, and it
should have reputation for something else
beside pig metal. Ii such a gallery were
located here, with the annual expenditure of
$50, 900 per year, it would soon become a
strong exponent of American art, and
painters would realize that a picture in the
PIttsburg gallery would make it easier for
him to sell his works to the Chicago and
Milwaukee interests.
"But the people of Pittsburg are awaken
ing on the subject of art. Within the past
IS months many people have called on me
to get my opinion about pictures, and many
of them have purchased. 1 think I have
been responsible for the picture sales in
this city in that time amounting to S100, 200,
and the fact is that this is as much as had
been done here for 20 years previous. This
shows that the people are interested and
their Judgment has improved. The Ameri-
can artist who expects to sell pictures in
Pittsburg in the future must be high up in
his profession. The exhibition in the Allie
gheny library was of great value in culti
waiting taste. The gentlemen who had fur
nished the pictures took pride in doing so,
and the public was delighted.
A REVELATION TO THEM.
More than 80, 600 people inspected the COL
lection, and many of them went back Sec
ond and third time. 1t was a revelation to
those who hadn't seen works of art before
One can buy books. but pictures cost too
much, and no city Is complete without a
good art gallery. / am glad to see
that Mr.. Carnegie is so much interested. If
were a wealthy man, don't. know of a
better way in which to spend money where
it would do the most good than by establish
ing an srt museum"
George Hetzel said: "Pittsburg has done
less for art and artists than any other city in
the United States. have often wondered
why these two cities with population of
more than 1000 didn't have an art gal
lery. Plenty OF cities of only half the size
of Pittsburg have them, and there is no rea-
son why this city should be so far behind.
But 1 am glad to see the peo-
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