The morning times., 1897-01-22
PAINTING FLOWERS HER Art
Mile. Irma Kombosy Has Opened a
Studio in Washington.
She Has Plan for Founding an 4 rt
Building Here, Where Annual
Exhibitions Can Be Held.

Mile. 1rma KomloSy the Hungarian flower
painter, who has come to Washington under
the patronage of the Austrian ambassador
and Baroness Won Hengemuller, has taken
studio in the Corcoran building, where II
reporter Of The Times visited her recently.
The artist was at her easel, on which
was canvas OF carnations blooming with
lfeiike freshness in tall delft Jar. Be-
fore another easel the young daughter of
the Austrian ambassador, Miss Felicie Won
Hengelnlulier, sat absorbed in Copying in
crayon trailing spray of ivy leaves.
Mile. Komlosy speaks English with the
distinctness peculiar to educated foreign
ers who have acquired our language without
its idioms and slang. She illustrates her
words with expressive gestures, and, again,
like all foreigners, he talks straight along
with her eyes. 1t is her intention while
in this country to make studies OF the
flowers here that do not grow in her ma
tive land She viii also teach her art and
If her efforts meet with the success her
friends anticipate, will locate perm anently
in Washington, which she considers one Of
the IN ost beautiful cities in the world
on the walls of her studio are thirty
eight original studies ofsAustrian flowers
that make one Of the most beautiful ana
valuable collections OF floral art that has
ever been exhibited IN ttIis city, and over
the mantel is an immense canvas OF gor-
geous chrysanthcmuhis, painted in New
York during her stay there the past autumn.
On January 2S the Austrian ambassador
and Baroness Won Hengelnauller will give a
private exhibition OF Mile Komlosy,s paint
ings at the embassy, TO which admission
will be by card. In addition to her regular
classes Mile. komlosy has generously de-
cided TO give free lessons on the second
and fourth Saturdays Of each month from
O'Clock until .. Among other interesting
things the artist said;
Il have a big i6ea--such a big idea
that only the United States can hold 1t. 1t
Is founded on different experiences in diff
ferent lands, and j will sketch you the
idea n as few words as | can.> Rich people
from every one of Your forty-four States
must put together some m0ney-oh, great
deal OF money-to form a capital that must
never be touched. Then permanent art
building must be erected in this beautiful
city, and there must be art exhibitions every
year. Artists from all over the world must
he allowed to send one painting annually,
free of duty. Each visitor on entering the
gallery will be presented with q cata-
logue-free and Will be expected TO check
off the forty-four paintings that please him
most and return it a the door. Those forty,
four paintings having the greatest number
of approval checks will be selected, one for
each state. Do you see?
"By this method the pictures are Sc
lected by the public. and in course of time
each State in the Union Will own its own
museum of art. The Capital fund will buy
these forty-four paintings annually at "A
good price but the bulk ofthe money will not
be paid to the artists, but only the interest
of the amount, which will be theirs for
life, and will 20 to the widow or to their
children until they reach twenty years OF
age. when the annuity will cease
Among the royal pupils of Nile. Kolmosy
have been the Archduchess Marie Therese,
who has recently sent her picture to the
artist, which graces a place on her walls;
Archduchess Valerie, daughter of the en-
peror; the Duchess of Parma, the Princess
OF Parma, the Princess OF Bulgaria, and
the Countess of RotterlinSky. The artist
is the daughter OF n prominent Hungarian
painter, and has two brothers who have
achieved success in the same profession.