Evening star., 1901-12-12
MUCH YET TO BE DONE

MUCH YEI TO BE DUNE
BEFORE swAsHyNG4oN CAN BECOME
IAN ART CENTER.
|
The Capital Lack.f 1uAslns.. Studios,
Government Aid and Private
ApS+eei1t,on.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The writer Of an EDITORIAL in The Star OF
Friday, December6, asks why Washington
should not. in the near future, become an
| art center.
| There are many reasons why Washington
Is not an art center now, but there are also
| many reasons why 1t may become If not
a rival of Paris or London, or even OF New
| York, at least worthy to be called home
| Of the fine arts
| Art centers, so called, do not spring sud
denly into existence at the touch of some
magic wand, unless, like Munich, they have
| their Louis to spend fabulous sums In Great
| Ing the conditions which alone attract great
| artists. If the national government should
| suddenly decide to spend the whole Of the
| surplus now in the treasury on the build
ing and equipping of a magnificent gallery
| school so bountifully endowed that the
| best artists from all over the world would
| be proud to be enrolled among i.s corps
| Of instructors; on an appropriate building
where annual exhibitions of contemporary
art could be held, rivaling the Salon of
| Paris; and II, finally, the government should
| make liberal purchases of the works OF
! modern artists, and do everything to en-
| courage the fine arts, Washington might
| suddenly become an art center.
But this, alas Is an idle dream. 1t is bet
| ter to consider why Washington is not an
| ideal city for the artist now, and what can
be done to gradually better the conditions,
so that in the future, not SO very far cis-
tant let us hope, artists will flock here as
they now do to Paris London, Berlin, Mu-
Mich and New York. In the first place, there
is no large collection of works of art to act
as an inspiration to the student and the
amateur. While in the Corcoran gallery
there are many good pictures. the collection
does not take rank with the magnificent
galleries of the old world.
In the second place, there is no building in
Washington where comprehensive eXht-
bition of even American art may be SHOWN.
The local societies are doing their best to
keep alive an interest in art, and the tIus-
tees Of the Corcoran gallery are seconding
them to the best of their ability, but the
work is carried on under great disadvan-
tages on account Of the lack of space.
In the third place, Washington IS not
a good picture market. Whether this is
due to the shifting character Of the popu-
lation, to the fact that most of the people
of wealth are identified more closely with
other localities, or whether other causes
are at work. do not know The fact re-
mains that, at present, the inducements
for artists of note to come to Washington
or to send pictures here are practically nil.
Finally, there are no accommodations for
those artists who do wish to come here,
either to fulfill some commission or in the
IN n no
studio buildings, or even isolated studios,
such as are found in other Cities and an
artist is either forced to build one to
put up with makeshift in the shape of an
office or an ordinary room with a small
side light.
1 might add that until the present Con-
gressional Library was built the govern
ment gave but slight encouragement to the
fine arts.
Now, what can be done to change this
state of affairs?
The question of a national gallery has
been under consideration for some time
past but shall not dwell upon it at length
at this time. l consider the second need
as worthy of more immediate attention.
Washington should have, and at the ear
lest possible date, building where proper
exhibitions may be held. I believe that the
park commission contemplates such a
building in it's plans for the beautifying of
Washington. Will our representatives in
Congress rise to the occasion?
Taking the Congressional Library as an
example Of what can be done when the
timorous advocates of a false economy are
vanquished by the champions of a far
sighted and intelligent cuiture may we not
hope soon to laid the corner stone of
another noble building which shall be dedi-
Gated to the fine arts? This structure could
be made of such generous proportions that
1t could be used for the inaugural ball and
for the many conventions which are an
nually held In Washington. The galleries
around the large central hall could serve
for the exhibition of other fhinpS ho-
sides works Of art and provision could be
made for concert hall, which is SO much
needed here
Is this plan Utopian? Is 1t not better
that the government should follow the ex-
ample of the enlightened governments of
the old world than that the matter should
be left to private enterprise, as Is now con-
templated in New York? Following out the
idea Of an Intelligent government encour-
agement of the fine arts, it Is safe to say
that before long secretary Of the fine arts
and Of education will seem as necessary as
secretary Of commerce and industries
But this is too large a theme to treat at
length in this letter. 1t is simply given as
a suggestion.
make Washington an art center is accom-
modation for the artists.
One Of our broad-minded merchants and
an Intelligent art patron withal. has in view
the erection Of an apartment house the
top floor Of which is to be devoted to prop
erly constructed studios. This is an ex-
ample worthy of imitation by other build
ers of apartment houses, and If a studio
building should be built, with single studios.
and studios with apartments attached /
firmly believe 1t would be paying invest
ment New York has found this out. as
Paris and Berlin have long ago.
An art school literally endowed and
founded on broad principles, embracing in
duStrial art as wen as the fine arts, so
called would also attract the elements
which go to the making Of an art center.
Here again the government could do a no
BILE work, or private individuals of large
wealth could easily endow such an institu-
ton.
The appreciation Of good art is SLOWLY but
surely increasing in the United States
American artists are recognized the world
over as the peers of the best in Eurone
An era of good taste in architecture and
interior decoration seems to be setting in.
and there is every reason why the national
capital should be a leader in this move
ment.
The coming exhibition Of the plans of the
park commission will, am sure be an oh
ject lesson and an inspiration. The en-
bellishment Of Washington has come to he