Arizona republican., 1892-08-02
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 dealer or some ar tist, and yet there are those, not pre-. tentious conuoisseurs, either, that know a good thing when they see it, and eyince unusual wisdom in their pur. chases. To some, however, self reliance in investing on a largo scale in paint ings has proved rather disastrous eN, pertinent. The other day collection made by a 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 walk 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 iu taste. Greater facilities for travelling have done much to bring about a 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.
 'I 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- tion, of civilization. It 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 req souable prices, but unfortunately many thousands of dollars, many fortunes, are spent for nonsense, while good work re- mains unsought and uubought Com mon sense is happy capital in picture buying as in any other business. One can hardly provide a 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 EakiEs would Hko to have people buy pictures that please them and appeal Co 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 they want"
 "l have not thought much about buy ing pictures, said Mir. Frederick Waugh. "We artists are more chiefly concerned in trying to sell them. It is the privi- lege of the artist to paint pictures which appeal to people; which they understand and want to have for their own. But he should have a 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 plcases 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 10 buy it.
 "'ln the Old World art is accessible to all The Luxembourg and the Louvre are filled 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 nowa- days. Many have an idea that it Is synonym for vaguely treated and par tially unfinished pictures. Impression ism claims to record facts as observed by the artist. Sincerity to nature is its aim. After all, there is nothing so 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" Mir. r. de B. Richards responded, "because they have accumulated money, and pictures are the proper thing to have. Generally they know very little about it, and a dealer does the work for them. If people purchase pictures to fatter their vanity, let them spend big sums and buy high priced pictures. If they buy for pleasure, let them buy what in- terests them. 1 remember meeting Ed win Forrest after sale. I've bought a picture said he. They told me not to do it, because very likely it is not origi- nal. But 1t pleases me, and l should buy 1t if it were by somebody l never heard tell of A picture pleasing Co the eye is source of education for the time being at least, Adverse criticism may lead man to scrutinize it and study it more closely than if he had bought one he did not like half so we'll"
 "l think 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 tho desire to get a pleasing subject, Good handling, the proper placing of values and meritoIious color, allied 10 a sympathetic subject, will tend to keep our interest in paint ing alive. '-Philadelphia Times.
 Two Stories of Lucky Minera.