Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22

chlef prize, tho great gold medal. should
new Reichstag building; but his divinely-
appointed hiEhness held his imperial win
above everything like the judgment Of mere
artists. He not only refused to sanction
the award, by striking out the name Of
Wallot, but he inserted in its place that Of
Frau Parlashy. an obscure portrait paint
or. who barely holds the position of q sec
ond-rate artist. AS q practical protest
against the emperor's strange course. the
Berlin Artists Union unanimously elected
Prof Wallot an honorary member Of their
body, and gave grand banquet In lis
honor.
The sixty-fourth annual exhibition Of the
Pennsylvania Academy Of the Fine Arts
opened in Philadelphia last Saturday even
ing. with one hundred and twelve oils
and water colors on view. and forty-one
pieces OF sculpture. While there are some
q whole the standard is not high. Among
the exhibitors are several Washington
artists. namely: Richard n. Brooke, Robert
Coleman Child. Jane Brigham Curtis.
Howard Helmick. Wells Sawyer and Juliet
Thompson.
Boston is to have another statue, in the
ef1gy of Rufus Choate. for the procuring Of
which Mr.. G. B. Hyde, for many years q
ScnOOl tedCner IN tnat CITY, WHO Nlduo u
handsome fortune by judicious investments
in real estate, left the sum q 81, 900. The
artist has not yet been selected.
The two statues contributed this week
by New Hampshire to the hall of the
gods" in the Capitol building add that
many to the number, but can hardly be
said to heighten the artistic average of the
collection gathered there. Briefly stated
they are neither better nor worse than the
majority of their company,-not SO good as
some, and not SO bad as others. II Is
doubtful whether the effigy Of Webster will
satisfy the admirers of that great states
man who remember his imposing person.
ality, and of the two 1t Is likely that that
of Stark will be regarded as the better
work Of art.
1t is, by the way, most unfortunate for
the statues in this hall that all of them are
shown under such conditions that what
merits they have are obscured, while their
shortcomings are made more apparent
The light Is not at all good, but the great
est possible injustice is done to marble
statuary by placing it, as in this case,
against background that is white in
color, and the surface of which is broken
into irregular lines. The blunt truth is
that the room Is in no way fit for the use
" WnicH IL is no" put. While larger than
need be for that purpose, it is nothing more
than mere passage way between the two
houses of Congress, the atmosphere and
spirit OF which make totally different con-
ditlons from those required for the proper
display of statuary. Instead Of a garish
ana changing light, white and broken
walls, the hurrying to and fro of mes
sengers, the buzz of lobbyists, and the
chatter of guides, there should be steady
and subdued light, a darkened and even
surface background, and a general air of
Qulet, dignity and repose. These necessary
conditions can never be obtained I'm the
present statuary hall, nor anywhere in the
Capltol building. Congress owes it to the
several commemorative from which 1t has
already accepted these offerings-and to
the others that are sure to follow the ex-
cellent example thus set,-to see that they
are properly housed. 1t should therefore
provide a suitable building expressly for
that purpose where effigies of the heroes
ana statesmen of the republic and paint
lngs representing great historical events
could be adequately displayed. Such a COL
lection as would thus be brought together
would soon be to this country a promoter
of the national spirit and a quickener of
patriotism, as Westminster Abbey is to
al