Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-24
Splendid Project That Only Awaits
Official Recognition.
PROPOSED INSTITUTE In PARIS
Where Young Students VIII Be
Given Every Advantage.
MONEY ALREADY IN HAND

line engraving and etching gem engraving
and architecture have the chance to win
in wide-ooen competitive examination four
years free board and lodging IN Roman
palace There, in environment of dig
nitv leisure culture and beauty, the French
government asks nothing of them but the
DEVELOPMENT of the talents of which they
already have given proof. 1t is the IA
nous '.Prix de Rome" conducting in each
branch of art to fame and fortune for the
individual and prestige and prosperity Tor
the French capital as an art center. 1t IS
proposed to create American scholarships
of the same kind for Paris, and the money
contributions already in hand, the gener-
osity of the Paris municipal council ana
the active co-operatio of French painters,
composers. politicians and academieians'
when taken into consideration WIN tne Ia
vorable clause Of President Mckinney 5 iate
message give the new Prix de Paris a
good chance for coming into existence;
When it is asked what the Prix de Rome
has done for France the names of its past
winners give a partial-thouSh only par
tial-answer. Among the musical compos,
ers are Ambrose Thomas, Gounod ana
SIaSsenet: among the Sculptors, Barrlas'
Nercie aud Falguiere: among the painters
Henner. Charsran and Bouguereau. and
among the architects, GARNER. Nonot ana
Rernicr The full list of the PriX de Rome
men is in great part the list Of the eeiebri-
ties Of France. And their confessions, now
that they celebrated, d1Scose with
frankneSs and gratitude in how many
eases prize winning made their careers
possible
Rules of the Academy.
The institution of the Academic de
France at Rome was due to Colbert, the
great minister of Louis XIV. Inspired
by an elevated thought the minister in
serted in the statutes of the institution
clause making obligatory the respect for
religion thing necessary in an estab-
hshment aedicS cd to virtue" More than
one student. in the old days. given to fri
yolity and reckless living. found himself
expelled from the Villa Medici. not to be re-
insjated- In modern times, however. gay
ETY. has not been bar. and the GOOD peo-
pie of Rome have curious tales to tell OF
the freaks Of the long-haired young French
men in the Villa Medici-
According 10 the present regulations,
which have been in force since the time of
Napoleon l. every concurrent for the Prix
de Rome must be at least fifteen and not
more than thirty years old, unmarried. and
must present himself armed with a certifi-
cate of capacity given by professor The
BeauX-Arts concOurs for painting takes
place every year in March or April first
trial in drawing th1nS out the number OF
competitors. A second trial in composition
further reduces the ambitious crowd The
third trial is definite A story from mythoi-
Ogy or history being given out, each young
man is required to sit in locked room and
make a picture of it This last trial lasts
two weeks, the competitors coming to be
locked up in the morning and leaving
erything behind them at night In the end
the three most successful receive recon-
penses and are called the winners of the
Grand Prix; but only the first Grand Prix
goes to Italy to live for four years at the
governments expense
In other Professions.
1t is much the same in architecture.
sculpture. engraving and gem carving-a
good profession, this last named, and better
paid than many another. In musical COM
position 1t is the Conservative that super
intends the competition Six days they
struggle together in first trial to display
IN great deal of written well oral
examination their fundamental knowledge
of the things of music Those who emerge
successfully allowed twenty-five days
to c0mpose-in locked room again-three
pieces showing their technical skill. their
theoretical knowledge and their originality.
As in the other cases, many are called, but
only one is chosen. But he goes to the
Villa Medici.
These six lucky young Frenchmen leave
their country every year in great good luck.
Each one-the painter, the sculptor. the
composer, the architect, the engraver and
the carver Of precious stones-has 600 francs
In his pocket for preliminary expenses
They are lodged free in the Villa Medici.
The food allowance of each one-for they
mess" Ike officers-is l 200 francs a year.
and each has annual salary of 2. 500
francs TO see him through his clothes his
paper, his wine bill and his little pleas
ures- The architects must go for their
fourth year to Greece, and for this purpose
draw 500 francs more The musical com
posers are obliged to spend year, or
two. II they desire 1t. travelling In Germany
Austria and Hungary. for which another
500 francs is allotted For the painters
Rome itself is deemed enough.
Their Ideal Life.
Most tourists in Rome have had the Villa
Monte Pncio. From the height there Is a
splendid panorama-in Itself an inspira-
ton From the first moment when the new
men are met at the railway station by their
settled conrades-hurrahed at and well
coined as great men and brothers-their life
is a continual delight The twenty or more
young men form one artistic family. and as
the arts are one. a perfect sympathy per-
FadeS IT, At night. after the labors of the
day, a musician Will irnprovise for them by
the hickering light of the olive wood fire.
The painters and engravers talk shop or
amuSe their fellows with light-hearted carl
catures- The architects talk of the noble
ancient buildings they have SEEN recon
structinS them In the minds eye And
there. in the magnificent library before the
heroic statue Of Louis XIV, with no wo-
men folk to object to cigarette smoke or
the sound of popping corks, the evening
merges INTO night-night on the heights of
the eternal city. The young artists stroll
out into the starlight dreaming. planning
all they dream. but the French government
mas given to them an almost perfect oppor-
tunity.
The American Project
Now this is what the founders of the
American Institute. Prx de Paris, desire
our government to do for American stu
dents Of the arts. AS far as / can learn. 1t
is not so much the money that they ask of
Congress-for they have already money
OF their own-as the official action that will
give to the Prix de Paris It's official place
In Paris. where much more work has been
done than at home thus far. the project has
the active support of the best people In
deed j fancy that academicians politicians
artists and composers who have guaranteed
70 do almost anything asked of them for
the infant institute would be trifie sur
prised TO learn Of its problematical charac-
ter so lar as home action IS concerned.
With the exception of Mrs Frank Leslie $
gift. all the money has been raised in the
american colony of Paris. The late Mrs
Walden Peh. who took an interest in the
institute from its Incorporation in New
work in 1895. bedueathed to 1t $4,000
scholarship In music. Mrs. James Jackson
OF Boston. long a resident N pa bas