The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-17
.HAT a nations status may be
pretty accurately gauged by
the relative number OF its beau

"HAT a nations status may be
pretty accurately gaugeu by
the relative number OF its beau
tifui women and their accom-
plishmrnts as well as. by the doughty
deeds of its wayriors has long bean acs
cepteti' asa truism. ",rhe higher the
type OF. each class the more. advanced
the country that produced them.
Fair women and braye men. with the
heroic events OF history. have engross-
ed the attention OF artists from the
earliest times In which sculpture and
painting were practiced. In compari-
son with other countries, America In
the past has suffered not from dearth
of fair women but from a lack OF art
lists TO portray them, painting I'm oils
having come into vogue only during the
century In which this country was dis
covered. II was not until well into the
eighteenth century. in fact that our
country produced artists or eminence.
like Copley West, AIlston. Trumbull,
Stuart and the three Peales, all OF
whom, with the exception OF West, con-
veyed TO canvas the beautiful faces OF
many OF theiy fair contemporaries IL
Is TO them. and particularly TO Copley'
Stuart and Allston, that we are IN
debted for these glimpses or the peau-
ties of past generations.
There has been during the past hum
dred years a great increase in the num-
Der of American artists who nave won
worldwide recognition. and while Eu-
rope enjoys the distinction OF having
the oldest art schools and the best ex-
amples OF the old masters. there can pe
no two opinions as TO Americas supe-
afFsF Af
themes for the artist in the grandeur OF
its scenery. its stirring history and
notably in it's multitude OF beauuful
women.
Since the times OF Michael Angelo, Da
Vinci and Titan the worlds art center
has shifted successfully from the ltal-
ian cities 70 Paris and London, some
artists. as Abbey and Sargent declar-
ing a preference for the last named city
in which TO work II not TO study; but
in view OF the preponderance of Amer
lean art and artists in recent years and
the perfection OF an atmosphere or art
environment suited TO the creation OF
great works. the opinion is growing
that not many years viii elapse before
the art center will be transferred TO the
western hemisphere.
The most recent as well as one OF the
most interesting exhibitions in which
Americana is particularly prominent
is that OF the Copley society, which is
now open in Boston. 1t is ca@led an
exhibition OF fair women" and has in
consequence a special interest and even
fascination that attach TO very few
art exhibits. Considered merely as an
art show 1.-The fair women immedi-
ately assumes importance as in many
respects the most remarkable loan col
lection TO which the public has had ac-
cess.
IT might with propriety be called "a
century OF American beauties" al
though There are I'm this collection OF
more than a hundred OF the fairest OF
the fair sex several types from abroad
1t would be practically impossible tc
bring together the portraits OF even 12t
OF the typical beauties of four centu-
ries, as is done here, without stirring
many delightful memories and revivine
almost lnnumerable charming stories,
but when many of the portraits are. as