The morning call., 1893-01-14
THE NEW ART HOUSE.

The difficulty which stood in the way Of
the devotion Of the H0pkins-Searles man
sion TO the uses of the Art Association has
been solved by the agreement of the donor
to supplement his gift by an annual endow-
ment of 5000 for the next five years to pay
taxes and other expenses on the building
Other objections have been removed by
making the transfer TO the Regents Of the
university in trust for the Art Association,
so that the fate of the new institution will
not depend upon the vicsSitudes which may
Overtake voluntary organization without
fixed income. The Regents will move into
the building, one room in which will be
allotted to them to hold their meetings in.
But after their installation the control of
the business Of the association viii rest with
its members.
Upon them will deyolve the duty Of de-
termining whether the Searles gift shall
really inure to the interests of art ON this
coast. or shall merely be ornamental. AS
mere picture gallery, the edhce would add
q charm to the many attractions of our city,
but would not necessarily be thing of
utility What the leading members of the
association want, and what the public ex-
Dects, is that the Art Association shall turn
its new fortune TO good account by housing
serious work under its roof. There is On
this coast remarkable wild crop of artistic
taste. Considering the opportunities they
have had. our native artists have displayed
remarkable ability. Every one who attends
school or academy commencements is struck
by the promise which the pupils frequently
show. What they have wanted is school
of art on larger scale than that which now
exists. where they can study and copy the
works which the world agrees to be master
pieces.
1t is already suggested that gentlemen
who have purchased works of art should
donate them TO the SearIes gallery in order
that they shall form the nucleus OF a collec-
ton. But that is perhaps too much to ex-
pect. People who have spent money for
pictures are apt TO want TO keep them in
their own houses to decorate their parlors
Perhaps they might be willing to lend their
paintings and their statues for a couple of
months 20 the city collection; the other ten
months they would keep them at home to
feast the eyes of their guests. The objec-
ton to lending valuable works of art is
that they may be injured IN transportation,
but that objection could be overcome by en-
trusting their transfer TO a responsible con-
Germ like Wells. Fargo & Co., which is
used to moving valuable and perishable
property.
In the East, as in England, owners of
works of art rarely allow them to leave
their own roof. In New York the old AS
pinwall and the Belmont collections and the
Vanderbilt, the Huntington and other col.
leetions of to-day are open to public inspec-
tion Oh few days in each year. and almost
s-ft
application; but an artist is net salts
fed to see a great work of art once;
he wants to see it frequently and
for hours at a time. Sensitive people
object to write begging letters for tickets of
admission. In England, noblemen's gal
leries are thrown open with the other
bar0nial apartments on given days and on
payment of a fee. The consequence is that
they are seen more frequently by travelling
Americans than by resident Englishmen
Some Of the finest paintings in the world
have been really lost 10 art by passing into
the possession of rich Englshmen. In
France, the Louvre and the Luxembourg
compete actively with private collections
for paintings or sculptures of repute which
come into the marker. Since the Napole0nic
era of extravaganza some fine collections
nave peeu Hiaue III L dEiS, Jul HoHo CdE COLL
pare with those of the TWO palaces, whereas
in England several noblemen would not ex-
change their collections for that of the
National Gallery.
Onr political system would forbid an an
nuaI appropriation by the Legislature for
the purchase of works of art. Meanwhile
II ought to become point of honor with
rich men to bestow on the Searles gallery
fam #
form the nucleus of an art show CD the
Poai6e