The morning call., 1895-02-15
ARTISTS ARE
NOT SATISFIED.
THEY MEET IN THE ACADEMY AND
MAY BOYCOTT THE SPRING
EXHIBITION.
BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS BAD
THE GRAND SALON KILLS PICTURES,
AND NOT ONE HAS YET
BEEN SOLD THERE.

A meeting of artists, most of whom are
officers in the Art Association School OF
Design, was held Wednesday afternoon at
the Hopkins Academy. There was no
formality about the session, which was
held for the purpose OF taking some action
with regard to the spring exhibition now
near at hand. Not one of those who par
ticipated in the discussions was in favor of
hanging picture for exhibition. Each
and every one agreed that better light
must be secured for exhibition purposes
than the best now afforded by the Hop
kins mansion, and greater distance must
be added before anything like success may
be hoped for through exhibiting pictures
to the public.
Instead of helping artists who place
pictures on view the spring exhibition has
injured them, as paintings seen there for
the first time by picture buyers were dam
aged by conflicting lights and shadows. In
most instances these same pictures repre-
sented the best work of local artists during
the year, and yet they appeared to be very
indifferent efforts and certainly not all that
buyers expected.
When it is remembered that the Art As
sociation's yearly exhibition is not merely
something to please visitors or satisfy an
artists desire to show off but chiefly a
means to sell paintings, the feeling of dis
content which found expression at Wednes-
days meeting can be appreciated.
Emil Pissis is one OF the artists who say
they will not exhibit. He had quite large
number and variety of subjects at the last
exhibition but they were killed" by the
shadows.
Mrs. A. B. Chittendens exquisite paint
ing of flowers with all the subtlety of color
and refinement of feeling was frequently
passed. The luminous flowers, the strong
treatment, and, above all, the truth ex
pressed, were hardly noticed, save by criti-
cal eyes. And it was all because the ex-
ecrable light played hideand-seek over the
canvas.
These are two instances of the baneful
effect of bad lighting in the Hopkins man
sion.
1.-THE worst Of it all is" said Mrs. Chit
tenden, mot picture has yet been sold at
exhibitions in the academy since we
moved to the Hopkins mansion. In the
last two years no artist exhibiting there
has sold picture. Now, at the old rooms
on Pine street an exhibition never was
held without seeing some pictures sold.
We had good light there and our pictures
were not killed by shadows falling across
them"
At the last spring exhibition Oscar
Kunath, who is an officer of the school,
remarked that mosts of the pictures were
ruined for want of proper light. "The
frames cast shadows down upon the can
uas," he said, looking up at one that was
then half darkened and utterly valueless
under its temporary condition. zone can
not judge a picture with half of it dark
and the other BRIGHT
The great trouble lies in the roof and pc
cullar construction of the grand hall. This
portion of the mansion was made feature.
1t extends through two stories to the roof,
with really imposing effect, and gets its
light from a beautifully cut and how-
cred glass ceiling. The roof around rises
steep and high, leaving the glass ceiling in
a deep well. So for only short time
about noon the sun can cast rays directly
into the interior.
The high roof at all other hours of the
day protrudes and casts a shadow over the
picture hall. But this is not all. Even the
dimmed light cannot reach the paintings,
except at an angle through the well-like
salon, and consequently the least extension
of frames will cause a deep shadow to be
cast upon the pictures, and so the ex-
hibition is seen in the natural light of day
at many degrees of shade lower than it
should have.
Secretary Martin said he believes the
main hall is perfect at night. In the day
time, however, he admitted that the light
is bad.
''The artists have made complaints" he
added, "and I believe some of them talk
of refusing to do anything for the spring
exhibition. They want to get the consery-
atory, but it is too small, and you know if
all could not be given the same show there
would be jealousy and trouble.
eve have project under consideration
now which may result in obviating the
difficulty of poor light and give US a good
gallery for exhibitions. The intention is
to extend the conservatory along the west
side of the house and make it one long
gallery with glass roof. think this can
be done for $4,000 and know we can
erect very fine gallery for $4,000, Until
this is done the academy will not give
satisfaction to the artists"
when do you expect to make this i'm
prevement?" was asked.
''That question am not ready to answer
just now Though l think within year
we will have gallery that will please ex-
hibitors and visitors alike
1t is now settled fact that the artistic
verdict ON Mr.. Searles' munihcent gift is
that the mansion has proved disappoint-
ment. The unprecedented record remains,
too, that in two years not single picture
has been sold at its fashionable exhibi-
tions.