St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-03-02
WHERE ALL THE ART IS FREE.
New York Has Many Places Whe-e Fine
Painting Are Exhibited.

New York Has Many Places Whe-e Fine
Painting Are Exhibited.
In tile words of st. Paul, says the
New York Herald, we are citizens
Of no mean city," For instance, in
addition to the great public art gal
leries-like the Metropolitan Mu-
scum Of Art, the American art GAL
1eries, and other free or semi-publio
resorts for the lovers of pictures
there are no less than 76 dealers in
paintings and objects Dart in the.
metropolis, whose places are always
open to the lover Of the beautiful,
whether he comes intent upon
spending money or merely to graft
ify his penchant for admiring the
linnner's productions.
From Madison square to Central
park one may stroll into gallery aft
er gallery and feasts ones eyes from
dawn till twilight upon ancient and
modern works Of art, paintings,
aquarelles, photographers, platinum
prints and the like, without let or
hindrance. Courteous treatment at
the hands Of dealers and their as
sistants is the inevitable rule. In
deed, the dealers are shrewd enough
to know that if the art lover has
not the wherewithal himself to pur-
chase this, that or the other ex-
hibit he or she most probably has
friends swho may buy chef d'oeuyre.
Many an onlooker is delicately IN
formed that commissions are not
unknown largess for those who sue
cessfully negotiate the sale of new
importation to a connoisseur who
has not the time mayhap to haunt
the galleries and aequaint himself
with the newest treasures there dis
played.
AS matter of fact, few of the
well-known buyers of costly paint
ings make it practice to purchase
pictures directly. Their presence
in a store or gallery might incite
the dealer to inordinate cupidity
and inflated prices. But the COM
missioner, who is usually a man who
knows his business, duly inspects
the stock and makes his report to
his patron, gets an option, perhaps,
and finally effects a sale. Still, most
of those who drop into the art deal
ers' shops go to satisfy their longing
for artistic things. Many visitors
from Boston or Cincinnati or San
Francisco who are in New York a
few days spend part of their time
looking at the pictures exposed
gratuitously by these dealers.
Schoolgirls from the normal col
lege often stop to admire and ado
lescently critieise the exhibits, their
arms full Of text books and their
heads full Of SEhigh art and 'true
ideals. ," They are always assured
a cordial welcome, for their bright
eyes, ruddy cheeks and enthusiastic
remarks add piquancy to the gen
eral run of habitues.
Then there is the old-timer, who
had ffin years .agone wonderfully
fine collection, SIR He haunts the
galleries of the dealers con amore
and vents his inner longings andret-
respective views in picturesque
phrases, albeit trihe sadly reminis-
cent. He, too, is treated circum-
specify by the salesmen, even though
they may be prene to set his Older
knowledge down as inconsequentlai.
Altogether, the free art museums
Of the city afford as good a field to
exploit the philosophers trs1is1n,
esThe proper study Of mankind IS
man." as the hurrying, heteroge-
neous mob at big railway depot
or the idlers in the parks and by