The times., 1899-05-21
s5:;; ss5 i5''s1 Pa' ARs' Free.

with the growth of the city, there will be
a corresponding increase OF interest in all
the arts"
There is, however. one feature of this
; condition that must not be overlook d,
Tor 1t is the most promising factor in sight
! and Is In measure compensation. 1t Is
/ this: The new generation of magnificent
homes here are adorned with so excellent
and choice an array of high-class art OBJ
1ects that the painter or sculptor has cn.y
to produce something good enough for
Paris or London to discover that there in
market for it here at home
II this is not altogether true at present
1t soon will be. This class OF able and
discriminating patrons has only Just ar
| rived They must be reckoned on in con-
sidering the art patronage of the imrae-
| diate future.
Work Must Have Merit.
The artists. however, need not expect
that the occupants of these beautiful homes
are going to continue hanging cheek by
jowl with masterpieces mediocre work
simply because it was done in town. That
was not unusual years ago and may go
now in Chicago or Kalamazoo, but it is a
thing of the past here.
The art guild is certain to grow more
cosmopolitan every year. The best men of
the great cities are going to spend a sea-
son here and be as much at home as the
native. Washington art will make itself
felt the world over. II will not be local
in that narrower sense, but il will bs
American, and 1t is not improbable that
the next generation OF local painters will
ind that not in New York reside the great
American artists. but in Washington. Just
as today the leading Dutch artists reside
in The Hague, that lovely aristocratic lit
and in ftrI Ia-
cities OF Amsterdam and Antwerp.
What Washington needs more than any
one other thing to develop and centraIizs
local art interests and create that sort of a
cultivated Bohemian atmosphere to which
the connoisseur calls attention as SADLY
lacking with US is a well-organized art
club fashioned after those of Boston and
Philadelphia-models OF their kind. Wash
ington's Metropolitan Army and Navy. and
cosmos Clubs have been signal successes
What the latter club has done for science.
the art club would accomplish for art.
SUCH club viii be a long time coming il
the painters themselves are expected to
oulld II. The connoisseurs, the wealthy
and influential men OF the town who col
lect pictures and take an interest in art
must do it.
They alone would be able to organize
and establish 1t satisfactorily. The artists
long :or such a home. Their enthusiasm
and success with the new gallery shows
clearly they are interested in progressive
art Development. These painters do not
want the management and control OF guch
an organization; that should be entirely i'm
the hands OF business men, whose i1eaus
and experience will insure its success.
Clubs in Other Cities.
Such is the arrangement in Boston and
Philadelphia, the artists being prominent
only on the art and the exhibition COM
mittees- With a club of this kind untold
good would be accomplished by bringing
the earnest painter frequently into touch
with the patron and art lover As things
are now, intercourse, chats over art ques-
tions between artist and layman, are rare
The stu 10 hours of most OF the artists are
business hours that the layman cannot
spare for a studio visit, and the casual
meeting of half dozen business men and
like number of artists rarely IL ever oc-
ours. This contact would give the laymau
a more comprehensive, up-to-date knowl-
edge of art matters, and greatly encoura
the painter.
Another excellent reason WY Waship.
ton should have an art club Is r 3
quent lost opportunity that o.. n
the season to receive and ente-
guished artists from abroad.
of Washington Artists has ae
much good and is grateful to it,
members for their loyal support
sociate and active members are lie re
than strangers to each other, and le-
cause there are so few opportunities for
them to meet on common ground.
The writer has no suggestions to oAer.
II remains for some one of the Capitals
connoisseurs 10 move in the
natter 1t is very certain that once start
ed, the gentlemen who take the matter In
hand will discover that the scheme will
have friends in all quarters who will rally
10 the cause, and artists themselves Will
join hands in any capacity these organ
izers may decide they can be most useful.
There need be no moving in the dark. The
constitutions OF the Boston and Philadel-
phia clubs, almost identical, are compre-
hensive and explicit on every point. There
are Wauy fine old houses here. any one Of
which might be leased remodeled and
with a small. well-lighted gallery added.
be transformed into a satisfactory club
house. That accomplished, the Washing
ton Art Club would at once become not
only an institution here at home but also
an influential factor in shaping the na-
Iional art of the future.
JAMES HENRY MoSER.