The times., 1899-05-21
THE Need OF AN ART
CLUB In WASHINGTON
A Meeting Place for Painter
and COnnOisseur.
Boston and Philalelphia's Model
Organizations.
Lovers of Pictures and Those
of the Studio.

Much OF the most important work of
home painters is sent away to exhibitions
in other cities. 1t is sent away after be-
ing shown here for the double purpose of
making reputation for the painter and
finding purchaser. 1t is seldom that
neither is accomplished; often success in
both respects is obtained. A picture by
local artist hung prominently in the an
| nual exhibition of the Water Co'or Club
last winter being unsold was sent to the
Philadelphia Art Club exhibition this
spring. 1t is safe to say this one of the
younger artists is unknown in that city
| and that this was perhaps his first picture
| submitted TO Philadelphia jury. The fig
| ure picture, an excellent one. was well
hung. highly regarded on all sides, and
sold for ST5. This amount is a third more
than was asked for it here and 4 third
more than any picture, OF the few sold,
brought at the exhibition here last winter
Another instance of this recognition and
support away from home. often quoted, Is
| that of another OF Washngtons painters,
whose portrait sketch OF his little daughter,
only d 10X14-inch canvas, and for which
$50 was asked in public exhibition here,
where he is well and favorably known. was
afterwards sent to the New York Academy,
where it was well placed, and sold for $l5O
This condition is primarily due TO the
fact that there is no close association OF
artist and layman, no clubhouse. no place
where artist and layman can meet So
cially.
The question of local patronage OF To-
cal artists is often discussed in the studios
and evidence like the following seems to
point clearly to the dscouraging fact that
there is little local pride on the part
of Washington art patrons. Singularly
enough, there is here circle OF stronger
men than any other American city of its
size can claim, but most of the very
wealthy citizens are not OF that class one
might call, broadly speaking, natives"
They have not been reared in the same
schools in their youth with these artists.
They have not been for a lifetime in
touch with each other. Mutual pride and
ambition for Washington is not deeply
rooted in their lives. This is 10 a large
extent true of the one as the other, art
lists as well as patrons.
The Explanation.
The reason for this lies in the simple feet
that without being metropolis Washing
ton is more metropolitan than any ether
American city. Its floating population OF
wealthy and influential people possesses
the town. The natives of wealth and cul-
ture resent this 10 some extent, and lind
their highest interest is best served Ly
encouraging an exclusive and independent
set, or sets, which enjoy in a quiet way
the real home pride. The reius OF govern
ment and social leadership have been taken
from the old Washingtonians and passed
from one political set or party TO another
in such rapid succession that one -eturn-
ing 10 Washington after a fve or ten years
absence is scarcely less a stranger than
that person who comes here for the first
time. All this has developed in a marked
degree in the past fifteen years.
The following quoted from a letter re-
Gently received from a local connOisseur
bears witness to the fact that this is not
alone painters point OF view;
Il have often wondered whether the
general lack of interest in art in this city
is due to the nomadic character of our peo-
ple-for they come and go with every Ad
ministTation and with every European
steamer-or to the nature OF the amuse-
ments of our leisure class For Some rea-
son there has never been, In my time, any
large number of artistic people brought
together in any cohesive body-in short We
have no Bohemian atmosphere. | have al
ways been interested in music and have
observed that IL is hard to excite and
maintain any enthusiastic interest for a
long time among our singers. Almost all
of our singing societies have disbanded
after few years existence. hope that,