The times., 1901-04-07
GENTLE HINTS TO ARTISTS
The Exhibit Of the Society of
Washington Fakirs.
Understood That the Display Is In
tended for Criticism. and Not Bur
Icsaue or Imitntiou-Must BE Seen
to BE Thoroughly Appreciated.

tended for Criticism. and Not Bur
Iesaue or Imitntiou-Must he Seen
to BE Thoroughly Appreciated.
Tomorrow the Society of Washington
! Fakirs makes it's bow to it's appreciative
/ public for the third time. In the rooms
/ OF the society in the building of the Art
Students League for days hammers have
been changing and step ladders groaning.
! Now nearly all the pictures are hung.
The work of the hanging committee was
/ finished amid heart -burnings and anguish.
ana all pictures submitted were hung on
the line. Every exhibitor is now awaiting
the verdict Of the dear public.
y wonderful array of fine art work is
shown. and it must be seen to be appre-
ciated. prerequisite to the proper un-
derstanding of the exhibit OF the Fakirs
is a visit to the exhibition by the Society
of Washington Artists, now being held
in the Hemicycle of the COrcoran Art
Gallery. The Society of Fakirs individu-
ally and collectively disavow being imita-
tors or copyists in any respect of the
work of the artists exhibiting at the Cor
coran Gallery. They pretend only to cor
rect any giaring errors they have observ-
ed, and to offer, in their modest way, hints
and suggestions to the painters whose
works are hung in the Hemicycle.
That their efforts may be more readily
understood the Washington Society of
Fallirs have issued d most elaborate cat
alogue, which is a sort of wade mecum,
Eaedeker, and silent courier to the show.
The catalogue bears upon its title page
the announcement that it is a condensed
list of the true titles of authors and works
shown by the S. w. A" and that it was
Printed for cold cash 1901 "
The foreword. which purports to have
been done into English by Ann Drew
Slang, states succinctly the purpose of the
Faltirs in giving the show. 1t says: The
Society of Washington Fakirs, in present
ing its third annual exhibition thinks it
we'll to preface this catalogue with a few
| words explanatory of its purpose. As is
| well known, the interest in progress of
art in the Capital was for many years
at a low ebb and only through the patient
and persistent efforts of the Fakirs has
great part of this Indifference been over
come and the general public forced to re-
alize how much talent was hiding its light
under a bushel of ignorance.
Although but in it's third season, many
young and struggling artists have by its
aid been brought to a degree of promi-
nence for which years of work in the ordi-
nary course of study would not have suf-
| feed. While not neglectiug out of town
workers, the Fakirs have always made
! point of encouraging home talent They
! have extensively advertised the fact that
there is a society of artists modestly but
hopefully awaiting pdblic approval.
Three years ago the Society of Wash
ington Artists was holding it's excellent
! exhibition in small poorly lighted room
which barely accommodated the members
& u.
cally gazed upon the familiar canvas. 1t
was then that the Fakirs discovered them,
and this year the group of struggling
artists, thus encouraged and stimulated,
is holding it's exhibition in the magnifi-
| cent Corcoran Art Gallery, With Agui-
naldo Ell route to lend the grace of his
august presence. 1t is far from the idea
of the Fakirs to discourage merit, but
they nave at all times fearlessly rebuked
| error and afectation With a smile for
those who heed us. and sigh for those
who don't, or wont, we shall serenely
| amble on and
When earth's last picture is painted
And the tubes twisted and dried,
And the oldest cOlors have faded.
And the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest. and faith,
WE SHALL NEED IT.
With this statement of principles duly
set forth the members of the Society of
Washington Fa6irs have given their at
tention especially to the exhibit by the
Society of Washington Artists, and what
they offer on the walls of their small gal
! lery they claim to be merely gentle hints,
suggestions and quiet criticism.
The following are the officers of the so
ciety as set forth in the catalogue under
the title of Chief Cooks: Richard \.
x~ioa baf
! acknowledge is PoweI'O: James Henry
| Moser schratcher ('The pen is mightier
than the sword ,; Robert Coleman Child,
holder of the dough C'L enfant terrible J:
Among the "eXtinguished patronizers
| who will lend the eclat of their name ana
presence to the opening night are Count
| Yerchicens 3. Fortheyhatsch. Duke INTO
| r. Sho, Colonel O'KOrn. Mrs. Good Asa
mile Ma ior Maddas Hopes Kip Ling
Sir lie KusstOmer, Chessep Exc BeY,
/ Capt. De Climax, General Humidity
| Sienor Dooit, and many others whose
names, perhaps under a different orthog-
raphy, are familiar to all
| other distinguished guests We're to have
/ come but some, such as King Edward,
| declined at the last moment His Britain
| mic Majesty, in explaining the necessity
! for his absence says: Il find travelling
very deut as PaSe 7Ssda0t mot PT9feR MeinldR IN
| states that he recently attended an eXhi-
bition and reception in the Corcoran Art
| Gallery under the impression that he was
| the guest Of the jolly FakirS. 1T was
| not until | received your very KIND lnNl-
| tation," he concluded, that | realized my
| mistake.
In approaching their exhibit and in get
| ting out their catalogue the members of
| the society profess great modesty in the
! following words:
On a certain little subject,
If we exercised our wits,
| We could be so dreadful funny
II 'ud drive you into fits
It's the chance that a lifetime
Makes us geniuscs feel cheered,
We could be so killing funny,
But we all too skeered.
We could fiji this little book right up
| with awful funny jokes,
So you'd go and buy a dozen
To take home TO the folks.
We could set yer all a laughin
and keep yer, ii deered
But artists are so sensitive,
And we're all too skeered.
! A good portion Of the remaining writing
parts of the catalogue is given up to com
Washington artists and their work, in
/ tanning to art in general. all of which are
/ keen and good natured. The catalogue
DrODer is headed List Of Fakes and
| contains the titles. paint brush parodies
! of the most noticeable works in the more
derful array of striking things now on the
| line in the rooms OF the club would be in
adequate and futile in the extreme. They
/ ..;..t. IL Inc a 4f.,.T