Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-15
THE ART SOCIETY'S FUTURE.

interesting room in which the Art Society
held its first meeting. The room was dignf-
fed with, the title of hall, Browning Hall
they called it, and there the bluestockings
of the Female College used to hold their
solemn conclaves. 1t was here che Art So
ciety was born in the fall of 1878, but it was
transferred to cozier cradle shortly after
ward into the studio of Charles Linford the
artist. who has since passed away to Phila-
delphia.
In those early days the society would have
blushed had anyone accused it of such am
bilious ends as are now plainly within it's
reach. But it was healthy hopeful little
body even at the start. A. s. Wall Joined
forces with MI. Lfnford in representing the
pictorial art. Carl Retter, more enth husiastic
and perhaps even younger than ne is now,
brought up music's battalions, and other
leading spirits in the movement were Prof.
M. M. johnson and c. B. Shea. When they
met in Mr.. Lintord's studio on Fifth
avenue, you may be sure that the
evening passed quickly and harmoniously,
also after the society bought a piano
and set it up in the prettily decorated work
room of the painter. What wonder that the
fame OF these little seances was soon noised
abroad, and that the best people in the COM
society was a lusty infant, talking before its.
time, as the nurses say, and year sufficed
to fit it for the dignity OF formal constitu-
ion, with a full set of by laws
An Exchange of Art Products.
So in 1874 the Art Society began to meet
once or twice month, generally in the art
gallery of Library Hall. If a resume of all
the dainty little programmes distributed at
these Conversations could be given here it
would make toIerably complete history OF
artistic life and effort in this community
1t was a sort of exchange of one art product
for another, of paintings for music OF cul-
ture in one department Tor learning in an
Othor. One who attended many OF these
meetings says they were oases in her life,
and SO refreshing withal that she wonders
how Pittsburyers got along without them
before the Art Society gave good excuse,
as she phrases it, "for the nice people to rub
intellects together and scrape a closer &C.
quaintance in the green groves Of art"
1nars putting the thing. POLITICALLY, but
practically there is no doubt but that even
in its young days the society did a world of
gsod to its members and the cause of art
generally.
The names which are interviewer with the
history OF the Art Society during the first
ten years of its life are enough to show
what hold it obtained from the start upon
just the right sort Of people to establish It
firmly IN Pittsburg. In addition to the
names already mentioned these recur as be-
longing to leading spirits in the society:
The Rev. Sylvester F. Scovel, its first Presi-
terian Church in fittsburg; William Thaw,
Andrew Carnegie, George A. Macbeth, Mr..
and Mrs. William K. Thompson, Alfred S.
Wall, Charles G. MeIlor, Joseph r. Wood
we'll, Miss Agnes G. Way, Miss Jean Wallace,
now Mrs. Webster, Beveridge Webster, John
w. Beatty, Charles j. Clarke, James Werner
Long, Miss Olive Tufney. Miss Anna W.
Henderson; Ross W. Drum, the Rev. Reese,
F. Alsop. Thompson Bell, Joseph H. Git
tings, William b. Edwards Frederick j.
Bussman, William N. Frew, H. $. Stevenson.
MI. and Mrs. Henry R. Scully, Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry Holdship, MIR. and Mrs. Joseph Al
bree, Mrs. JOSIAH Cohen, John T. Irwin, Miss
Olive Turney and Mrs. Carrie Holmes
Minor.
The Loss of Mr.. Thaw Felt.
FEW of these happily have been called
out of the society's ranks by death, but a
big gap was left when Mr.. Thaw died. He
was one of the Art Society's life members
there were only two and Andrew Carnegie
was the other. The Rev. Sylvester F. Scovel,
who is now the President of Wooster Uni
verslty, has a stalwart son, Charles W.
Scovel, the Secretary of the society, to
rep, esent him. James Werner Long is un-
able to attend the society's meetings just
now, but he ought to be a veritabe mine to
be worked by his fellow members when he
returns from Florence, the artists paradise.
1t will be one of the compensations Tor Re-
CIs
that it will probably necessitate Mr. Longs
return to his native heath.
During the last six years a change has
come over the Art Society: The change
began to creep upon the society about the
time the holy and cleanly era of natural gas
made its first white mark in Pittsburg's
history. Perhaps the members of the So
ciety saw their larger duty when the smoke
clouds lifted. Anyhow, they began in q
progressive spirit to promote the cause of
art in its public relations, and to this end
lxol, to- Al
of Science and Art, as part of which the
society has since occupied it's present CON-
Portable quarters in the Thaw mansion.
Some people shy at the title OF the Art So
ciety. They take the word Art to refer to
pictures, painting and things generally that
can be seen and handled. If you Ghink OF it,
Art, with capital A, is ottenest so inter-
preted. But the Art Society has no such
narrow scope. The definition of the society's
field in its charter is too long to be quoted,
but the opening sentence indicates its gen.
eral tenor.
Wide Reach of the Society.
'THE Society is formed for the purpose
of cultivating and promoting music, paint
ing and other fine arts" Practical proof of
the wide reach of the society is contained in
the welcome extended by its members to
Charles Stanley Rinehart the painter and
illustrator, upon his return from France;
and in the receptions during the last two
nent critic, discoursed on music, George F.
Kunz talked about bronze and precious
stones, and such well-known artists as Nine.
Constance Howard, EthelDert Nevin Fred
erick Keppel, and Mr.. and Mrs Georg Hen
schel, who. in a variety of delightful ways,
conducted the society about a dozen par
terres ii. in the ,o.ga garden OF art. This sea;
two receptions, at the first there was an ex-
hibition of water colors, and at the second
choice collection of new American paint
f,11ra Dokl, hi ~
open to the public tor four days, and indeed
the latter collection OF oil paintings will
still be open to the public from P. NJ. to 10
to-day. Visitors to the Exposition can easily
drop into the Academy. which is ON Fifth
street, near Duquesne way.
The future OF the society could hardly
look brighter than it does at the next re-
ception about November ], a musical pro-
gramme which has not yet been arranged
finally will be interpreted by some notable
artists Two receptions will be given Nov
embef 16 and II, az which William J. Hen
derson the musical critic of the New
York Times and one of the most graceful
writers America has to-day in the domain of
poetry and light In iseraturs will talk o on two
Music" and "The Spirit of Music"
Prospects of the Organization.
1T will be remembered that Mr. Hender-
sons father was deservedly popular the
atrical manager in this city many years ago
which may add little to the local interest
in the lectures. although the quality of Mr..
Henderson's work was amply demonstrated
last year when lie gave series of lectures
with musical illustrations under the aus
pices of the University faculty of Columbia
College which were highly praised. Later
in the season Prof. Goodyear, of the Brook
lyn Institute, is expected to lecture before
the society and other receptions with spe-
cial artistic features will be given after the |
Christmas holidays. Usually ten or twelve
such receptions are given each season.
1t is certainly not surprising that the So
ciety's growth since its formal incorporation
should have been ranid. When it WAS incOr-