New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-01
GREAT ART UNION, MAYBE
,orrvENT on FOOT TO JOIN SEVERAL
SOCIETIES.
ANS GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON ThG PLAN
SOME FAVOR IT. OTHERS Ne
nOERTFI-L

movement on foot 10 unite all the art
,.,,ss ~ this city in one organization frehm-
~ a. this Il Is proposed 10 hold an e<nlo'uon
",A,,, IN Madison Square Garden, OF painting
',.,,re and architecture. TO when CONTRIBUTORS
scup Wade by the best known representatives OF
WI orofessions The societies which. II is hoped
,, No eventually united in one association are the
VIII Academy Of Design, the Society Of Amer
,.,s,s the National Sculpture Society. the
Ns" water Color Society. the New-York
80 color Club the Architectural League OF
work the National Society OF Mural Painters
- ,v,orioan Fine Arts Society, the Municipal Art
80 ~ New-York and the Society OF BeauX
AVIS Architects.
- movement originated with the Architectural
u,,o ~ Nev.-York which has appointed com
,,.oo 70 consider the question OF an eXhihiuon OF
49, united arts and Of union Of all the art soci-
us NJ this city. 1t comprises George hester'
'x..oc+ chairman and II. X. Bush Brown,
,,,,o- representing the Architectural League j.
49,, reckwith Of the Council OF the National
s.,,y Of Design. Charles Stewart Smith and F.
,,.L,rsor smith II this committee reports 10 the
,,a IN favor ~ either or both projects, the league
IN a. once send invitations 10 the different socle-
- - snnoint committees to meet in conference.
"..o-i,r ~ the committee has. individually. ex-
n-as.ed approval both OF the proposed exhibition
- - N. union OF the art bodies, but no formal
.,,on has vet been taken.
GEORGE KEIsTER's VIEWS.
>. talk with Tribune reporter yesterday
60. Keister chairman Of the committee. said;
u have made the contention all along that instead
- = multiplicity Of art societies We should have
o,s society and that the different classes OF art
-rorkers should he represented within the mother
ejaculation Ny idea is that we should not only
- enc society for exhibition purposes, but one
S. ,hst The public could look 10 in all matters
:, ,rhrc interest pertaining 10 the arts we
tsbt IN time obtain A large property ana ouhu d
.a structure to house all the present art socletes
n some central location. like Forty-seoond-st ana
v,fth-ave. where people are constantly passing.
The public. as rule. won't 90 out OF us way 10
40. piciures and West Ffty-seVehlh-sI'
.hs-, the Fine Arts Society Building is, has been
,o,,a N Ia too far uptown. in such home as
-. maintained students would he not only IN an
,,nosnhere Of their particular branch or arr out
a, all the combined arts. 1t would be possible 10
have a permanent exhibition Of the arts IN esIap
ushei galleries where visitor 10 NeW-1 orA' VIM
r,sbed n buy objects Of art for his home wou!d
ratrrsuv go some Of the pest paintings are now
ols for the lowest prices because artists are poor
sales,oan but good statesmen could be employeu III
such building 10 represent all the artists
u should think that the members OF the Academy
NJ Design the Sculpture Society, the society oi
American Artists and the other societies would De
,r,,,,s - mite IN one organization and. in fact
,,, members OF the different societies. includns
the Academy Of Design have told me so. nave
heard only two men hesitate over the matter anu
,be+ VAS because they thought the scheme was
too big"
WHAT HERBERT ADAMS THINKS.
Herbert Adams. sculptor said that II it could be
made practical for all the art exhibitions wihch
are now scattered through the year IN uiIerehl
,lacaS 70 be brought together and made one Dig
sxbthition II would create interest that could
NOT he aroused by separate exhibitions. II all the
art societies could unite in one organization 'hey
would have much more power and eccohpAsIi
more than they do now. There could he union VI
an the societies and still they could absolutely
preserve their Individuality and if home could
~ hrut IN some central place such as Forty-sec-
ondst and Fifth-ave. Il would be splendid thlhs'
Mr. Adams knew OF many men OF wealth In New
York who would take a specai interest III 'ie
artists here provided they would work together
J. @ A. Ward. president OF the Nauohal soup
ture Society after stating that he had not given
the matter serious thought. went on 10 say:
co,,id imagine that such an exhibition would be
exceedingly Interesting and more Impressive t1an
the individual exhioiions OF me tard ,Initing
the art influences and such an exhibition would 90
much toward %nss G mgbt possbiy
unite in a general way and In the general interest,"
II this moyement should 4e@6 10 er rne could be ex
hiblted that would be union sufficient. and at the
ity Of the different societies.
CITY MIGHT LEND A HAND.
An exhibition that would show all the art forces
Of the country including the industrial and apphed
arts would be interesting ana instrucuFey anu
Madison Square Garden could be filed with the ex-
hiblts believe in the artists uniting Tor some some
specific purpose for the meTai ISree 81 tHo ~ arr
and IN order 70 present grand exhlDlu0h OF az az
productions. New York people are busy ana 40
not 10 see many arr M hod5g an exhibition
al Madison Square Garden II would prove much-
some OF the possibilities and some Of the inposSi
think, however. that this city ought to contrib
ute the money TO build home where all the airs
could be exhibited. because II is too much OF a
burden for the artists: The city mas gwen a none
Museum OF Natural History. and. partly, 10 the
NeW-York Public Library. and why should II not
The artists could make such a presentation OF art
10 the community as would attract the Afternoon
Of the Nation.
J. Carroll Beckwith who is chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee Of the Academy OF
Design engaged in raising $4,000 for the Academys
home on Mornlngsde Heights. said
At a recent League dinner the discussion was for
he unihoation Of the societies tn an exhieitlon.
resenting the best painting sculpture and archi-
tectural York done in the country. all UNDER one
ana enlighten the people on what is being pro
duced here. The mass Of people do not attend Ihe
ton has a recognized audience and clientele The
free sunday openings of the Academy Of Design
represent the largest audiences that attend any
exhibitions OF art in this city.
Mr. BECKwITH HAS HIS DOUBTS.
Al The present time series OF galleries In one
building centrally located in which exhibition
should be held by the Academy OF Design. the
Society Of American Artists. the American Water
Color Society. the Water Color Club, the Sculpture
Society and the Architectural League all at the
same time. would he a public event Of great
artistic and educational importance. and unques-
uonably would be enormously attended.
As member Of the Academy OF Design, believing
n he institution originally founded when paint
VIZ sculpture. engraving and architecture were
,,tpfesented in It's membership and In It's exhibit
Hoik should think that the return TO It's original
ssotnpass would the ground Of an association
r,Reseni!ng the various branches. There mas
ia Hases the non-appearance Of architectural work
H. ~ exhibitions. The Academy to-day Is very
..,os5Ia BODY. Ny opinion would be that this inst-
v glgn should carry out this idea, rather than
igneren societies which have sprung! up in the
!ast twenty ,ysar~