New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-01
THE ART MUSEUM CROWDED.
SUCCESS OF THE FIRST SUNDAY OPENING


Avn woMEN-THE NUMBER OF VISITORS
rsr1MArEp AT TEN THOUSAND.
III. on.n;ng Of the Metropolitan Museum Of Art
u....raar was a success from every point of view.
E. oh. first time in the history of New-York's
..,,,,a a, art visitors were admitted TO its gal
80. an sunday II will not be the last time,
haw.ver Indeed, ii is probable that the doors
,,II not be closed again on the first day Of the
week. A class Of people took advantage Of the
privilege Of viewing its treasures who will make
better and higher minded citizens for the lessons
which they learned there. The people with
luncheon baskets, handbags and bundles who had
been expected did not camor for admission ct the
doors The rooms were not uncomfertably orewd-
ed The swsrms of people whe have made life
miserable for the attendants certain holidays
were absent. OF the thousands Of people who, for
the most part walked leisurely and studiously
from room to room and gallery to gallery, the
majority represented the working classes Ihere
were carpenters, blacksmiths machinists, farmers,
tailors. day laborers and clerks, who slave from
Monday morning to Saturday night, men and
women who wish TO learn of and see things which
beretofore have been to them Bohemian villages. "
Th.rs were Of course edd-looking creatures 10
h. so.n hare and there. There were patterns OIL
arsss mot TO be found the fashion piaDee "a 'As
Ice. decade There were some whose glory oil
onno -, world have aroused no envy In the Drehs'S
~ a grummeu or Chevaller Monde lhere were
neople whose dazed expression showed tha' 'A.S
had never looked upon work OF art oeioie WV
had taken their artistic schooling from ""Nei
tisement" rocks or the illustrated papers common
10 barber shops. There were people VINO CA
pected to find canvas-covered curloslues anu Ooe
freaks which are the drawing cards OF the oime
museums There were people who asked surpriS-
ing questions and were disappointed at surprising
answers But such people form a contingent IN
every crowd however respectable. Their presence
was not surprise. The majority OF the vlStem
were quiet and respectable people who could al
tend the Museum on no other day ana whose
presence proved the wisdom Of opening the Museum
ON Sunday.
In accordance with the resolution passed re-
Gently by the trustees, the doors OF the Museum
wero opened at 1 O'Clock Long before that hour,
however. small crowds of people had gathered IN
front of the southern facade anxiously awaiting
the signal to enter. These crowds Were made
m for tbe most part Of men who, apparently,
were on the lists of subscribers TO some newspapers
and had read the announcements Of the trustees
and the director. About one out of Twelve Oh
the FIST arrivals was woman. In order to
accommodate the large influx Of Visitors The
trustees had provided three places Of entrance and
exit at the basement doors on the east and west
Sides of the galleries. and at the ordinary entrance
on the southern facade. An extra force OF
ten policemen had been stationed in various
parts of the house. There were no
additional guides. General L. P. di Cesnola, the
director. was in the Museum the greater part of
the day. and Professors Story; Hall and Paine
walked about the galleries until they were closed
at o'clock Charles S. Smith, w. L. Andrews,
F. W. Rhinelander and several other trustees, In
terested in the results Of the experiment. also spent
several hours in the place. They were not disap-
pointed they were only surprised at the orderll-
ness of the crowds.
One half hour after the doors had been
opened, more than 1000 people strolled about in
the various rooms. At O'Clock, five or six times
that number had been registered. During the
afternoon it was estimated that 10000 people
visited the Museum. On holidays there have been
$4,000 people within it's walls. AS it was, how
,ver. the checks for the canes and umbrellas were
unfortunately not sufficiently numerous to 60
around, and people could be seen with those ap-
pendages in dangerous proximity to paintings and
statues Other checks should be supplied.
Hundreds of people who had not heard Of the
opening of the Museum had been drawn TO the
Park by the beautiful weather When they passed
the big building and its doors open, they, too,
took advantage of the privilege. With these peo-
ple came the majority of the children and the
majority of the queerly clad persons who excited
the enthusiasm and zeal of the amateur photogra-
pher.
Where is the stuffed Crowley" asked one of
these after crossing the threshold Of the Museum
He is further down the street" replied the re-
spectful attendant, and the woman turned her
CAa AfCor
pointed.
Another woman gazed for some minutes in silent
wonder at the portrait of Miss Catherine Wolfe.
Then turning the pages Of the catalogue, she saw
the name Of Miss Wolfe number of times. That
filed her with admiration for the subject of the
portrait She wished to know something particu-
lar about her life. She was bashful, however,
and seemed uncertain. Finally she summoned
enough courage to speak TO an attendant
How long," timidly came the question, Z" did
IL take Miss Wolfe to paint all of these pictures p?
For a moment smile lowered about the lips
Of the attendant. He was the point of answer
ing from his superior point of view" The
earnest look upon the poor womans face led him
to hesitate. The ncipient smile departed from his
lips. Six months, madam" he replied and
passed on
The large paintings, the battle scenes. the
ueIolc pleOcs Vi staOuaIS, 1e sWords anu Tile arcn-
tectural models were the principal drawing cards
TO the multitude. The large painting Of Colum-
bus in of the eastern galleries excited the in
terest of those who had read bits of history.
The Horse Fair" attracted numbers of people
also. Dozens of persons at time stood before
Detailles The Defence, of Champigny." Meis-
sonier's Friedand, which stands opposite it in
the gallery, was not much of favorite.
II the general opinion of the officers Of the
Museum that the trustees had not made a mis-
take In opening the doors on Sunday Professor
Story, curator Of the Department of Painting, ex-
pressed pleasure at the result of the experiment.
lie looked upon the people as belonging 10 better
class than those who usually visit the galleries on
holidays. Professor Hall was of the same opinion.
No one was more int rested in the results of the
resolution of the trustees than Moncure ID. Con-
way. With his daughter, Miss Conway, he re.
NAMED the entire afternoon in the gal