Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-26
BUYING PICTURES.
A REPORTER CHATS WITH SEVERAL
WELL KNOWN ARTISTS.


"How do people buy pictures?' Colin
Campbell Cooper repeated. "Well, |
suppose the majority of collectors con-
suit the advice Of a dealer OF some az
tist, and yet there are those, not pre-
tentious connoisseurs, either, that know
good thing when they sec it, and
evince unusual wisdom in their pur-
chases. To some, however, self reliance
in investing on q large scale in paint
ings has proved rather disastrous ex-
pertinent. The other day a collection
made by man thirty or forty years
ago was sold. There was hardly half a
dozen good things in it, simply because
he bought and he did not know what he
was getting.
.'Art in this country is gradually wax
ing up. Perhaps the Centennial might
be called the American Renaissance.
We know infinitely more about art than
our grandparents did, and with oppor-
tunities increasing from year to year it
Is fair to suppose our children will show
still more marked improvement in
taste. Greater facilities for travelling
have done much to bring about change
in our little world, and the tendency of
our art is rather toward the cosmopoli-
tan than provincial. Naturally, time is
required to educate the public taste
along artistic lines,
II think people will buy more pictures
when they understand painting is not an
accomplishment merely pleasure to
the eye, but that it is part Of educa-
ton, of civilization. 1t will require
time to realize this. Exhibitions are
visited and the majority like to look at
pictures with an admiration rather
ephemeral. When the picture is out of
sight the impression is gone With a
general diffusion of art paintings will
be bought not solely because they ap-
peal to the senses, to personality, but
for their artistic qualities; not simply
because the subject illustrated is rather
a pretty idea, but because the work is
technically good art production"
Stephen Ferris said "The world is full
of good pictures to be bought for rea-
sonable prices, but unfortunately many
thousands of dollars, many fortunes, are
spent for nonsense, while good work re-
mains unsought and unbought. Com
mon sense is happy capital in picture
buying as in any other business. One
can hardly provide set number of rules
to be observed in buying. Many books
have been written on military science,
yet the world has seen comparatively
few fine generals. Judgment rules the
world, and in picture buying one person
is more successful than another because
a spirit of superior intelligence dictates
his purchases"
Thomas Eakins would like to have
people buy pictures that please them
and appeal to their taste. "The major
ity are afraid to buy what they like;
they must have some one else's advice,
Well, if they start with bad art, per-
haps before long they will come to the
good. Let people buy what they want +"
81 have not thought much about buy
ing pictures" said Mr.. Frederick Waugh
"We artists are more chiefly concerned
In trying to sell them. 1t is the privi-
lege OF the a4tist to paint pictures which
appeal to people; which they understand
and want to have for their own. But
he should have high standard, and he
cannot succeed if he lower it to cater to
the popular taste. He is fortunate if in
working out his ideas he pleases the
public and yet does not lose his inde-
pendence nor forfeit his originality.
His work may be appreciated by large
numbers, but it is always certain that
some few will recognize his endeavor
and will want to buy it.
"In the Old World art is accessible to
all. The Luxembourg and the Louvre
are filed permanently with the master
pieces of all ages, the best that have
been done. There, too, the spirit of
union is strong among artists. They
gather together and talk of everything
pertaining to the art world, consequent
ly they live entirely in a congenial eli
mate and they grow and develop in an
essentially art atmosphere. Impression
ism? Yes, this is the great word nova
days. Many have an idea that it is a
synonym for vaguely treated and par
TALLY unfinished pictures. Impression
ism claims to record facts as observed
by the artist. Sincerity to nature is
its aim. After all, there is nothing
80 beautiful as truth, and the nearer
we get to it, as we find it in nature, the
better artists we are."
"Many Americans buy pictures" Mr..
F. de B. Richards responded, "because
they have accumulated money, and
pictures are the proper thing to have.
Generally they know very little about
1t, and dealer does the work for them.
If people purchase pictures to f1atter
their vanity, let them spend big sums
and buy high priced pictures. If they
buy for pleasure, let them buy what in
terests them. remember meeting Ed
win Forrest after sale. I've boughta
picture said he. "They told me not to
do it, because very likely it is not origi-
nal. But it pleases me, and should
buy it if it were by somebody never
heard tell Of A picture pleasing to the
eye is q source of education for the time
being at least Adverse criticism may
lead a man to scrutinize it and study it
more closely than if he had bought one
he did not like half SO WE'LL"
81 think l should be inclined to buy
what liked personally" was the opin-
ion of Edwin Swift Balch, mot forget
ting that the pictorial qualities should
not be lost sight of in the desire to get
pleasing subject. Good handling, the
proper placing of values and meritorious
color, allied to sympathetic subject,