The morning call., 1893-04-09
ART IN THIS CITY.
Discussion Relative to It's
Future.
VIEWS OF PROMINENT ARTISTS
What Is Expected When the Building
on Mob fill Is Occupied by the
Art Association.

The donation Of the Searles mansion to
the Art Association has aroused a great
deal Of discussion relative TO the future Of
san Francisco as art CENTER
The position is favorable; the climate is
inspiring Jet something must be lacking.
for the wealthy classes prefer TO import
their pictures, and California artists are led
10 the sad conclusion that pOtboilers' works
pay better than pictures of high merit.
Ir order to discover whether any remedy
exists for this state of things THE CALL
invited lie opinion of several authorities
ca the subject. They have been unanimous
in declaring that while very little of the
wealth here goes to the encouragement of
native art, Californians possess an unusual
amount Of artistic ability.
Iii neither the fault of the pupils nor of
tie Art School that students there seldom
exhibit more ambitious pictures than studies
OF iruit and vegetables. II is the lack of
ar. surroundings and an art atmosphere.
These authorities have stated by what
means this atmosphere might be created
and the mansion on Mob Hill become the
nucleus Of a school Of Western art, which
should equal, if not eclipse, the older
sgLOols ana make our wealthy classes
proud OF possessing pictures painted in
California.
OSCAR KUNATH.
AT present the Art Association has four
teachers observed Oscar Kunath, laying
down his brush. and preparing to answer the
reporters questions.
Arthur Matthews has the drawing and
the life classes. YeNand gives lessons in
perspective aud landscape drawing, myself
have the portrait class, and Lee Lash holds
u saturday class for beginners.
No, tile pupils fees do not pay expenses
yet The Art Association is composed of
members each Of whom is required to pay
HNn .Nsf l.
more members we could naturally extend
cur sphere of activity.
The new home viii be a great advan-
t2ge. Many OF my class. for instance, have
lett on account OF the present studio being
dark ana UnYentilated. 1t is TO be hoped
that IN our new quarters the pupils, partcu-
larry those from the country, will remain
long enough to reap some real benefit from
the teaching"
To the question, ITO what class Of art
work does san Francisco offer most encour-
aGement?' MT. Kunath replied, smiling
az the mention Of the word announcement:
picture selling hardly exists here. People
90 TO the East or abroad for their pictures
For those bought at home, the motto is
let them be cheap
Notice al any exhibition of paintings
here, one. two perhaps even three pictures
md purchasers, certainly not more, and
even then 1t is the 0w-pTiCed pictures that
are sold. Under these circnms tances it is
scarcely TO be expected that artists will put
time and brains into their work On the
contrary, every encouragement is offered
Tor the production of pOtb0llers.
Not only IN California, but all over
America, rich people are too fond of start
ing picture galleries. After few years
they tire II them, and put the pictures on
the market. 1t IS these auction sales that
are the ruin Of art in America. If people
would learn to regard their pictures as
treasures instead Of articles of meTchan-
disc bJ The buying aud selling Of which
they can clear Il few dollars, il would do
in ak 81 n ntynu ftaa
cause Of art in this country.
with regard to the future Of the Art
School? Time will develop that. What we
want at present is new members"
ARTHUR MATTHEWS.
There is no lack of artistic ability
among the California Students" observed
Arthur Matthews. 'In proof OF this as
serton | should like to name a few former
pupils Of the Art School, who during the
past eight years have distinguished them
selves at the Salon enj other institutions
Of the same nature:
Charles Peters, Wilbur Reaser. Ernest
Pejzotto, Guy Rose, Fred Pope, Jules Page,
Eva Mccormick, Mary Brady, Charles
Hittell, Oran Peck, Mrs. NJ. Z. Evans,
Julia HInaman, Bessie Curtis Lee Lash,
Emile Pssis, Alexander Harrison. Il.
Bac6haus. These students have nearly all
exhibited within year Of going abroad.
why they could not become finished
artists in San FTaneiscOW resumed Mr..
Matthews, in answer TO a question, "JJp
here as in Paris, but when they commence
TO develop they require more than we have
here At present.
There are three distinct stages in an
artists career-the stage when he is mere
student, the transition stage and the stage
when be Is a full-fedged artist. We can
carry students into the transition stage, but
not beyond. If we had a museum contain
ing pictures by the old masters and the best
examples Of the modern schools, as they
have 10 New York at the Metropolitan
Museum, there would not be the present
necessity for our students going abroad.
Here we have no examples to illustrate
art principles to the pupils after they get
beyond tile mere studentship stage. III
Europe they can see work by the best
masters, and learn Interpretation from the
best men. In fact, the students here learn
from one another. The schools are full of
those who have got into the third stage
strong painters, who stimulate and help the
other students.
Here we lose our pupils as soon as they
get into the transition stage and are be-
coming a helD to the class.
An art atmosphere and determination in
duced by art surroundings are not so neces-
sary 10 the mature artist as to the student
in the second aud third stages. The latter
requires these advantages in order to
develop.
"Wbat we want is museum with first
class pictures. Not pictures chosen as
man would choose picture for his parlor,
because it pleaseS the eye, but good pictures
student something. The museum should be
more TO educate art students than to please
aud amuse the general public. 1t would be
difficult for US TO obtain statues of an
tiqui'y, so we should have good casts of
classical subjects and copies of noted decor
auons.
AT present we have no art traditions, but
1t would not take many years to build them
las for the preference shown by our stu
dents for exhibiting still life. they can draw
we'll from life models" Then Mr.. Mat
thews showed some excellent drawings
that had been executed by the life class.
But we never get them beyond that stage,
for as soon as they get into condition TO
compose they 20 to Europe. We cannot
hope to retain them till we have created
more Of an art atmosphere.
"One Of the greatest drawbacks to the
success Of the Art School is to be found in
the parents of the stud ents, who ex ect
them to learn in an impossiby short time.
You have 5 tudied two years and what have
you doneY they ask. Every one knows
mat student cannot become an accom-
pushed artist in two years.
"Dne OF the greatest advantages of foreign
study Is that students are removed from
these home criticisms; they have not to pro-
duce SNOWY work to please their families,
bui can follow the natural bent Of their al
tls,ic iuciinations
IF we had a good museum and gallery
Eere the people would compare the pictures
contained therein with work by our own
artists and students and be able TO Judge
that work better"
RUPERT SCHBID.
Rupert Schmid is OF the opinion that the
ART school, Judiciously encouraged and d.
recied wOnld cause san Francisco to be-
come al important art center
AS this city is situated it could be the
market Tor South and Central America,
perhaps in future Honolulu, etc" he OBJ
served. at rests principally with the Art
Association TO see that the younger genera
ton learn something, not only of painting.
bnt also nl practical art in Its yarinns