The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06


New York, May 5.-Several meetings
have been held in New York recently for
the discussion of a project to inaugurate
IN this city a series of International art
exhibitions similar in character to the sa-
Ion exhibitions in Paris, to include in their
scope architecture, sculpture, painting,
engraving, the allied arst of decoration,
and the various arts termed indus
trial" And while there have been some
differences of opinion as to the practica-
hiity of the plan, and the frequency of
the shows, should the scheme be put
through it is now almost foregone con-
clusion that the first of a series of such
exhibitions will be organized at an early
date.
The fact is that New York, the second
city in the world in population, if not in
wealth. is far surpassed in her annual
art exhibitions not only by many com
paratively small European cities but by
at least five cities in this country. Phila-
delphia, Chicago, Pittsburg Cincinnati
and ST. Louis hold annual exhibitions of
paintings that are incomparably better
than any held in New York, and in these
cities American art is to-day receiving a
degree Of recognition and support denied
to it in the city where the great majority
Of American artists live and work
New YOrL's Divided Art Forces.
The reason for this is not far to seek.
In New York there are dozen or more
societies of artists which annually hold
comparatively Insignificant and almost
futile exhibitions in so far as reaching-or
at least producing an impression upon
the public is concerned. In an average
year the exhibits at those societies which
show paintings Accommodating works in
oil and water color-will aggregate to-
tai OF from 1900 to 1000 pictures. OF these,
fair proportion consists of tolerable
work; still smaller proportion may be
termed good, while a very much smaller
proportion is admirable from an artistic
viewpoint. There may be a dozen really
masterful works in the entire 1000
To discover the dozen masterpieces and
maybe 200 other fairly good" pictures, the
are lover Of this town must visit the exh-
billions of the National Academy Of Design,
the Society of American Artists, the Amer
lean Water Color Society," the New York
Water Color Club, the Society of American
Landscape Painters, and the Society of the
Ten American Painters. This leaves out
the Woman s Art Club-which has held ex-
hibitionS with more or less regularty-the
Society of Miniature Painters, the Society
Of Painters in Pastel, and number of
n other art societies holding periodical exhi-
bitions.
3 At each of these exhibitions the visitor
g must laboriously winnow little wheat
n from great deal of chaff. Some of them,
q of course, contain more wheat in proper
3 ton TO the chaff than others, but in every
case the few good pictures are usually
more or less discredited by their surround
tngs, and are so scattered that they pro-
duce little realiimpression. The dominant
81 ing effect of almost every one of these eX-
81 hbtions is that of mediocrity.
~ On the other hand, the exhibitions of
81 American paintings held annually in the
81 five cities mentioned. are composed of
81 carefully selected pictures from all these
81 various New York exhibitions supple
81 mented by the best of the most recent
81 works from the studios of American ar
|# lists at home and those residing abroad.
81 No New York exhibition is organized upon
81 any such lines. The pictures shown here
81 are almost exclusively the work of New
III York artists.
81 The "Out of Town" Art Shows.
Ell The methods Of selection employed by
E the principal institutions outside of New
FL York which hold annual eXhibi ions of
81 pictures vary considerably. The Carnegie
M institute of Pittsburg, establishes advisory
hi committees in the principal art centers
following the plan originated by the art
lumoia Exposition. The director OF
E the institute visits these COM
miuees and the principal art exhi-
: bitions held in this country and Europe
ana from each exhibition prepares lists
# OF artists whose works are considered
desirable. These artists then are invited
70 submit pictures for the exhibition 20
the nearest advisory committee acting as
IL jury or to the jury al Pittsburg. Each
artist is also asked to nominate his choice
s. lot the membership of the jury of award,
Which assemblies at Pittsburg prior to
N4fifr yl.tH
determines the distribution of the various
prizes
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
arts at Philadelphia, has a home jury
hnd also invites specific contributions
which come without jury action. The
ehnsyivania Academy's last annual eX-
iOton was, perhaps, the finest of its
ana that has ever been held in this coun-
The Chicago Art Institute establishes
urles IN the principal Eastern cities and
Chicago, and employs a competent
seht IN Paris to chose and secure de-
laDle works from the studios of Amer
an artists residing in Europe
Inc Cincinnati Art Museum follows the
nod of the Pennsylvania Academy of
e r Inc Arts, and the St. Louis EXPOSE
on Association has conhded the selec-
on OF works for its annual exhibitions
ueN to the director of its art depart
H' VINO each year has visited all the
lhclpal art exhibitions held in this coun-
ana abroad as well as the studios of
S OF the leading artists of America
EUROPE choosing for the exposition
r works as seemed most worthy.
nus u Will be seen that all these tout
own exhibitions are composed main
"a carefully made selections from the
e ned Of contemporary art, instead
~ sonlroutons from the limited number
e'hoers and followers of a single so
or resident artists of single city.
What Might he Done.
ia '"e fact Of the matter is that the varl-
annual art exhibitions held in New
III rrtn.. ulreet what may be termed a scat
do., nre toward the public. They
l strike an important amateur. The
Iecosnized collectors of American
Ann,,aYlN rarely buy from the New York
~ ~ exhibitions, and the well-to-do cit
Htnrcn General knows little of their ex-
And 80 But If all the artists united
l1Nw