The morning times., 1896-05-17
-~ ENTLEMEN aud fellow-ar-
% AZ tists!"
Hear, hearI''
" "Gent lemon and felow-ar-

tist3!"
~ "Gentlemcn and fellow-ar-
fists: | take this occasion
che event of a convivial dinner and reunion
or all the great art departments of New
York city
Hear. heart
to suggest the formation Of a club
OF artists for mutual benefit-play and
profit. ! suggest that we band ourselves
together in q friendly brotherhood, securing
TO ourselves the same rights and privileges
enioyei 10y other clubs. Gentlemen and fell
low-artiSlS. we have been too long the scat
tered hanGers-un OF other clubs. We have
been entertained in the Kit-Kat, tolerated in
the Players club. worried IN the Sala-
magundi, and tormented in the Quaint
Club. II is time we had a distinctive
club OF our own, wherein we can invite,
tolerate, worry ana entertain outsiders
as we see fit, reServing always to ourselves
the right. a owners of the club, 10 dominate
its doings.'
"Hurrah-l-hr' from the threats OF the
art departments there represented.
And il was thus thar the Illustrators
Club of New York City came into existence
this spring, when the violetS were blooming
and the salons OF 90 getting ready for their
annual exhibit. Before the same had closed
the Illustrators Club was an established
institution with club rooms, officers, CON
stitution and treasury.
ALL WORK, NO PLAY.
The artists Of New York have felt for
some time that their social advantages
were not keeping pace with their work.
In the stress OF advancement and estab-
lishment--an accomplished mctaInOrpho-
sis within the last five years--they had,
like all workers, thought more OF the
task than OF the comfort and honor.
But the day Of the pioneer in the ar
a F,,d md rr-7Th ne "
papers planning better printing facilities
for them. and magazines catering TO them,
the illustrators fe.t they should establisE
themselves III the world in a fitting manner.
The initial step in the Illustrators Club
was the hiring of club rooms. These are
located upon New York's picture street,
Fifth avenue, and following IL came the
admission into membership Of all worthy
rtists who cared to join. The first
enrolment was fifty artists. Fifty more
added themselves the first week. and now
the daily mail of members and the general
mail Of thc club is filled with letters from
would-be members inquirng into the club
rules and laws, advantages and benefits,
and its features. social and business.
The primary object OF the Illustrators
Club is n club room. a place where ar
fists can meet, get acquainted, discuss
art. see the journals and enjoy the social
advantages Of any club. Back OF il are
tie more staple qualities.
The dra whacks that have alwa VS. attended
a union OF artists and which invariably
hangs around club of any set profession
is the strong clement OF business attached
to IL. The club becomes a mutual benefit
organization. The members are supposed
20 share and share alike in worldly projects,
enjoy the same pOCkctbOok, weep with each
others sorrows and merge their individ-
ualily into a brotherhood more or less dis
tasteful. To the artistic spirit that must be
untramme.lct u do its individual work tins
feeling of obligation is particularly CALLING
and 1T was decided that nothing OF this
nature should intrudc itself. Each man
should preserve his own work and his own
counsel, and his business or lack of il
should rot touch the club life.
THE BUSINESS SIDE.
The club dues are $40 year; the annual
membership fee SIS. Beyond this there are
no fees each man assuming his own eX-
penses al the restaurant. Its the wish
of the club to keep out the extras that
make club life so arduOus.
The meetings OF the Illustrators Club are
held the first Saturday evening in the
month. AT these smokers all are asked