Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-16
High Art in Photography Soon to
Be Shown Here.
1 new MOVEMENT uAUGURA4ED
E<hibiti0" Of Ei"e Pictures to Be
Held at the Cosmos Club.
BEA UTIFUI SPECIMEN

Washington has had several exhibits of
photographs during the past few years.
since photography became possible as a
popular art, but until this year there has
been no distinctly national movement set on
foot here to bring together the very best
specimens that the camera can produce.
Such an effort has recently been made and
Is about to be crowned with degree of
success that, it is now certain, will amply
reward the enterprise of the men who have
undertaken to establish a truly American
Photographic salon.
such title may sound a trifie strange to
those who are unacquainted with the fact
That such cities as London Paris and
Vienna annually hold salons where the most
perfect products of the camera and the
dark room are displayed. The keynote of
them all Is art, and there is a cons tant eff
fort to the refinement of that art that Is
apparently SO wide in its possibilities and
so beautiful in its results. 1t was no I'M
common thing a few years ago to hear art
lists deridng photography as mechanical
fldicGlins the pretensions of its followers
that 1t was more than a machine-like trans
ferance OF images from the plane of ma
ture through the chemical action of the
sensitive plate to the surface of a sheet of
paper The idea that art could ever have
anything in common with the camera was
put aside as little else than absurd.
Today there are few Wielders of the
brush and palette that do not recognize in
the camera not only one of their most USE
1ul adiuncts, but also the means of pro-
ducinS real works of art that have as little
OF the mechanical about them as the finest
canvas that was ever painted. Most of this
advance has been ACCOMPLISHED by the ma
| tient. careful work of amateurs, men and
women, who, seeing the great poss.b. lilies
OF the sensitive plate, and realizing the
wonderful combinations Of light and shade
possible with llsh-power lenses and quick
shutters have gone quietly ahead with
their experiments and their work. trying
subject after subject varying all the pos
| Sihie conditions Of atmosphere and steadily
! e!eNat:ng the Photographic art until il is
today well established on a high grade as
one Of the fine arts known to man.
A New school of Artistic Work.
1t has been of comparatively recent de-
Velopment, the formation of this distinc-
tive school Of art work with the camera
but it has been readily recognized by the
citizens of three capitals named, who have
II: ed every effort to encourage such work
and through the exhibitions held there the
possibilities Of artistic production have
been demonstrated unmista kabiy that
there il no longer amy question as to the
true rank of the followers of the camera.
mat there has. teen certain amount of
| popular euuCatiqQ n"ceSsary in all this de
Neiopnent, even the most ardent cam
artists of this higher plane will today con
fess. and they declare that but for the
Folding of interLaiional salons in Paris,
Berlin and LONDON little could have been
accomplished ia this direction. But today
the number of these who admire sharp
ness of detail Highly CLOSED surfaces and
other such points tPat were once consid-
cred evidences Of first-cIass work has
become very srlan indeed in comparison
with a very short time ago.
The movements Quite new in this coun-
try, however, Although its adherents nave
for several years Contributed to the foreign
salons. and thus The American salon has
been considered Lhdnly as a far distan: pos
sib,lity. 1t is therefore gratifying to learn
row that Washftgtor is to have the honor
OF establishing thf; i1i$titution, considera bly,
ahead of the time When ii has for some
Years neen considered as feasible plan.
The Camera Club Of the G. Ri. c. has for
some weeks been rerfecting arrangements
for holding this year, in connection with
first washington salon. which viii be
opened to the public in the assembly l all
of the Cosmos Club May % 10 -, inclusive
= National Movement.
When the plan was first preached it was
regarded as too great an undertaking, but
with characteristic energy the members
Of this popular and enterprisins organiza-
ton fostered the project until it was adopt
cd and placed in charge of 4 committee Of
three of the best-known amateur pho
tographers of this part of the country
Messrs. Charles Richards Dodge, Eugene
Lee Ferguson and Charles II. Schaaff. Their
first act was to send to a large number Of
photographers, whose rames We're care
fully selected, circulars announcing the
proposed salon. and stating the regulations
IIder which it to be conducted.
The response to the invitation has sur
priSed the committee, and the present pros
poets are that the walls of the Cosmos
Club hall week after next will contain some
of the finest works of Photographic art
ever exhibited in this country, represent
t,@rr
ers of every section Of the contin ert Many
of those who accepted the invitation have
international regulations that they will en-
deavcT to sustain at this exhibition. The
date for making entries has closed. and
the work Of selecting the printS that are to
hang, that especially distinguishes the
salon from the ordinary exhibition, is now
completed.
classes Glass a is designed to comprise the
salon proper and will consist of such pic
lures only as possess special merit from an
artistic standpoint; showing definite arts
tic aim as regards choice of subject and
composition, effects of light and shade, soft
ness and other points that will identify them
works Of art, all considerations rela ting
to Photographic technique being elimina ted
though a knowledge of technique is rccog-
rized as essential in the production of any
picture. This class will include work which
may he termed "impressionst." if produced
intelligently and with definite art aim
Class 3 will embrace photographs of merit
thou gh not of sufficient artistic excellence to
be admitted to the salon. In this class spe-
ciai attention is given to technique clean
and nice mechanical manipulation and good
Judgment in the selection or ARRANGEMENT
of the subject. 1t will include all of the
better class of the average exhibition work
This class in itself will he an exhibition sec
ond to none in point of excellence for gem
eral Photographic work. Glass B is open to
amateurs only.
\ Handsome Exhibit.
Each exhibitor, is limited to ten prints
those intended for class A to be framed as
we'll as all prints from local exhibitors This
will add greatly to the attractiveness Of the
exhibition, as usually the prints are submit
ted without framing, are grouped in
unique and oftens inartstic styles that de-
tract from the real merits Of the work.
Naturally the laTger number of prints con-
tributed were entered for class A, but as
these selections for acceptance were made
under the most rigid rules, and as the work
of the committee must be finally passed
upon by the judges fer this class before the
works can be hung, many of these contri-
buttons will be found in class B when the
salon is opened. / Z.
The work Of choosing and CLASSIFYING the
pictures has been severe task upon the