Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-07-13
that the honors lie, in my opinion, be-

tween
America and Germany ms Cham
pions.
of two separate schools Of technique,
more or less Numerically opposed to
each other. Germany, with Its slow,
laborious, realistic detail-its working
out of problems in art and America
with its rapid impressionist, broad
sweep of the brush, which often gives
strength and power at the expense OF
nicely. Do not Tux that I sanction
what is known as tihpresSionism in art
any more than I do too laborious
attention to detail. There is a golden
mean, a happy medium in all things
which only Il genius can attain. There
Is too much striving after startling eff
fects-the bizarre French art. 1t
Is that spirit which is recognized in
the provcrb "Startle Paris for an hour
and your fame is made" There are too
many attempts to startle Paris. and
often too few attempts to satisfy legit-
innate art and ones own conscience IN
art. The Germans have made a re-
markedly fine selection of the best
paintings of the five best schools and
the loan of twenty or thirty of their
great historical paintings from the ma
tional art gallery has enabled them to
round out a display better than any
foreign nation has presented here. The
Americans, however, have more pic
lures displayed and in certain indlvld-
ual artists, show Il breadth OF treat
ment, a character and an individuality,
which entities to a front rank. You
would naturally expect me to speak
Of the Italian exhibit as the greatest
here but l am compelled to admit that
ours is not Il just nor Il complete rep
resentation Of art in Italy, with the
possible exception of marbles in which
| am of the opinion we lead all others.
Some of our greatest artists are not
represented here at all, owing to lack
of provision on the part Of the Italian
Government of sufficient funds to make
such an exhibit as l would liked to
have done.
Taking the whole collection Of paint
ings here from all nations, l must say
it is the greatest in extent and the most
mcritorious that has ever been collect
ed for q Worlds Exposition. 1t is a
very great honor in my opinion for the
Americans to take rank that they do
in this the greatest Of international
art displays.
Reimhold Won Baerlc commissioner
Of the German exhibit, was conserva-
tive in his opinions upon the relative
merits Of other displays. He regarded
his own exhibit as the greatest from
the truly artistic standpoint, of any in
the building. Mr.. Won Baerle has no
great respect for the French school of
art. he does not hesitate TO suggest
that Americans have been wandering
Off after false gods in these many
years in studying so aSSi1uOuSly
French methods and in patronizing the
art of France financially and otherwise.
| The German commissioner said the
German art was scarcely known out
side Germany because it was the GUS
tom of rich patrons Of arts to purchase
and keep all fine paintings of their
school in their own country. "On ac-
count of this feeling" said he II would
have found it impossible to make this
crcditable display, had not the German
emperor come forward and secured the
loan OF Il score of the best of our great
historic paintings from the national gal
lcrieS. Many other paintings were also
| loaned by the museums Of Bavaria.
| 1t is a very unusual thing for the en-
peror to allow any Of these pictures
to be taken out Of the national gall
lelies and the fact that he did allow
1t, shows the great interest he has TAX
Ell in this exposition.
My opinion OF the United States eX-
hihit is that while it has the grea test
amount Of space and is the most com
plete that it shows too clearly the in
fiuence Of the French school. So much
so, that YOU might think. unless you
knew differently. that both exhibits
| hn1 hnnI1 nation tHhn
French style Of art. with it's rapidity.
sketchiness and impressionism, often
seems unnatural to us and unfinished.
Generally we put in more work and
pay more attention to detail in tech
nique mot in subjecD. consequently
may be somewhat prcjudiccd in pass
ing an opinion upon the American
display which closely resembles that
of France i'll technique. So great las
been the slavery Of Americans to
French art that the names of our
great artists. like Differger, hnaus.
Won Uhde. Max, IiebcrrInHnn and Men
Zel. the greatest Of them all is scarcely
known i'll America even to your art
connOiSSeur. ! will say. however, that
the pupils in the display here come
very near surprising the master who
mainly taught them their skill. such
as it is, in the very lines in which the
French pride themselves with eXcellinl
all others. l believe, however, that
such originality as American artists
display in their works has been kept
out Of this exhibition by the jury who
judged all paintings from the lines OF
the French school.
The commissioner in charge Of the
French exhibit was naturally Of the
opinion that the two great socities OF
French art had by far the. best repre-
sentation Of fine arts in the exhibition
You see,' said he, I'VE have one sotie
ty which confcrs medals and another
which does not, and the rivalry be
tween them has served to stimulate
competition as to which would succeed
in getting the most paintings accepted
by the art juries Of the Columbian
fair. We have thus, in my opinion
the largest and most meritorious col
lection of French paintings ever Ills
played in a foreign country. BY fal
the greatest display after that of the
French I believe to be the United