The times., 1899-11-19


nectcut Avenue galleries last Tuesday
night There were present fifteen active
members-W B. Chiffon. Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Coleman Child. William Fuller
Curtis. L. s J. Dunbar, Samuel Hodgkins
E. C. Messer, Miss Menden, James Henry
M0ser. Miss Perrie, Max Weyl. Carl Weller.
Miss Solomons. Mrs. Hovenden, and Henry
J. Morgan. These names, while not com
plete, fairly represent the active member
ship which may be counted on in the con
duct and management Of the society's
affairs for the coming year.
The election Of officers made small
change in the personnel of the manage
ment. President Miller was reelected. IS
were also Vice President Child. and Sec
retary Moser. Mr.. Chiffon. finding il i'm
possible TO serve as treasurer another year,
Henry j. Morgan was elected to this Office
Mr.. Morgan is a new and valuable addi-
tion TO the ranks OF the society. Visitors
% the last exhibition of the society viii
recall his deIicat6ly rendered and alto
gather charming little summer landscapes.
Mr. Curtis and Miss Menden were elected
members Of the executive committee.
Following is the fun list Of officers for
die ensuing year: z. H. Miller. President;
Robert Coleman Child, Vice President:
James Henry Moser, Secretary: Henry J.
Morgan, Treasurer; z. C. Messer. Carl
Weller William Fuller Curtis. T. s J.
Dunbar. Mathilde Menden, executive COM
mittee
The affairs Of the society are controlled
by the executive committee, OF which the
officers are members eX oficio.
The reports OF the different officers. in
cluding the treasurer, showed that the So
ciety is on a solid financial basis, notwith-
standing that public patronage is small. In
seeking a cause for this lack Of cordial and
hearty support on the part OF the pub
lie il is believed TO be largely due 10 the
isolated location OF the gallery.
The Question OF Location.
The location Of the present gallerey has
been a veXed question, some Of the mem
bers contending that Il could not be better,
while others insist that the public viii not
60 10 an arr exhibition so far from the
business centre. The society, however, has
& goodIy number OF true friends who are
loyal 10 local art and devoted 10 the or
Eanlzation Some Of them are people of
means who buy pictures by home artists
mere Of them are cultivated people well up
IN arr matters and full Of home pride but
whose incomes 90 not admit OF picture buy
ing. These faithful ones would so anywhere
10 see an exhibition OF local art. they would
lot be kept from the annual shows if the
gallery were located in Florida Avenue or
WooGley Lane. This is fact. If the So
cial leaders gave the society their cordial
patronage there is no place iu the city that
would have any advantage as 10 site over
the present location of the gallery but
some nov the wires seem TO be down be-
tween the fashionable set and the local ar
lists organization, and everyone knows who
knows anything about the successful con
~f -1e
society does not cordially support it, the
organization and lis exhibitions must sJrug-
gle on uH such time as society snail
awaken from this aDathetIc condition and
come 10 its rescue.
A veridcstion OF this. though it really
ueeCs none. may be found In the history OF
the American Water Color Society. This
organization Of water colOrists was organ
lied thirJy-four years ago and struggled
Tor recognition in It's early days. Its ex-
bihirions were held IN the old Academy
building, In Twenty third Street New York.
The OIL painters had society entirely vith
them IL those days. After q time water
col0rs became fashionable and the AMER
lean sold many more pictures and reaped
larger harvest at its annual exhibitions
than the painters in oil were able TO
gather al their annual shows The c0nze
queuce was that with the increasing pat
il the quality Of the work shown, til TO-
day this society is second tC uone of Amer
lean art organizations. and probably has
more painters al its doors waiting TO be
admitted than any other in New York.
Last year the National Academy Of De gu
sold its building 10 great.insurance com
pany which desired 10 extend its already
mammoth Madison Square building and
the Academy Is now without q hoLe
though be ii remembered. it has a We Y
large and handsome new academy in p-o-
cess Of erection just north OF the Park on
the west side The American" is. Of
course, also without home.
Galleries In Ney, York
Nov, New York is fun Of Gue, large gal
leries, which would feel honored TO have
the American" as a guest, notably the
Fine Arts Society, where the Society OF
American Artists and the New York Water
Color Club hold their annual exhibitions,
the latter, by the way, being an OrganlZa-
tion formed o. outsiders, whom the Amer
icau could not accommodate. Even last
year the American" hung only 490 pic
tures. and ii Is said. rejected 500 pic
lures. il viii thus be seen that the club
came naturally enough into being. and
there is enough reason for the existence
u both organizations. The clubs eXhlb hi
tions are high class, but less conservali i've
than .'the American" and for some reason
II has never been able 10 interest society as
.-the American did. and does yet
These facts must be borne in mind 10
appreciate the wisdom Of the homeless
American" latest move. Instead Of
holding its next exhibition at one OF the
many prominent New York galleries the
thirty-fourth annual exhibition is 70 be
held in February at the Waldorf Astoria.
Local artists may struggle along with the
patronage OF a few loyal and appreciative
friends. but what is needed TO make it q
genuine success and credit 10 the town
Is the cordial support Of fashionable So
ciety: that society which when Interested
IS generous to a fault, and when it does
take hold Of anything as il took hold OF
the famous War Art Loan Exhibition al
the old Corcoran Gallery, carries IL, al
any cost. To a successful conclusion
The local Water Color Club viii open
its doors az the Society OF Washington
artists galleries 20 the public on the
1Tth instant with "a collection Of water
colors that should arouse the town and
make WashinEtonisus proud of her paint
ers in this attractive medium.
IL a personal letter received last week
Everett l. Warner who is painting IN
New York and studying al The League
there. has this 10 say % the present eX-
hibtlon Of the New York Water Color
Club. The New York Water Color Clut
exhibit is in some respects very interest
ing but ] am bound 10 say that there are
some things that would not find a place
b the Washington exhibition"