New-York tribune., 1902-01-14
MEDALS AXE NEVER FREE
". A. COFFIN REPLIES TO ENGLISH
CRITICISM ON METHODS OF THE
PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION.

OF all the departments Of the Pan-American
Exposition. the art department has probably
come in for the largest share Of criticism The
award OF medals to the different painters ex-
hib,ting caused ink storm of no small pro-
portions and articles in all sorts OF papers We're
written by all sorts OF men. ranging from
criticism to ridicule but all finding fault with
the Judgment shown in the awards. Now that
the storm is over. the artists who received the
prizes and who before were silent (unless they
were in the lower classes) having their In
ming at the Pan-American Art Department
Their seIf-enlisted champion is no other than
the formidable London Chronicle" and their
grievance IS that. though they received-so they
were told-god or silver or bronze medals, ac-
cording to the merits of their pictures. these
medals have never come 10 them. II they want
them they must buy them themselves. no in
considerable burden to artist,
The London Daily Chronicle" for December
80 says:
American artists in London have Just received a
be sent them If they write and it! But their
request must reach Buffalo not later than January
got %hen thene IN te OF If it dd they would then
the privilege OF buying the medal awarded to them
ordered in Paris or indeed In Dresden or
Munich II Is Wei known rd 'at nat % world exhibition
or the Americans would have TO listen 10 a little
Exhibition in 1858 is TO be international Mr.. Ives
the director OF the section, is expected In Lon
foreigner IL would be worth his While at the same Ii
time look into the foreigners methods or DIS
tribuling awards.
William G.. Coffin. director of fine arts at the
Pan-American read this article yesterday, and
replied 20 it to a Tribune reporter as follows
" The Chronicle is nasty. usual, and wrong.
as usual To be sure. put on the circulars a
request for reply before January l. but that
was done to hurry the replies. that we could
get the diplomas sent OF to the right addresses
If replies as late as February the d.
plomas would be sent just the same, OF course.
Do the Englishmen reply TO dance hVtatloh
always the date set for a replyF
Now. as regards the buying OF medals oy
ire artists which The Chronicle makes so
much Of I've been all through a Paris exhlol-
ton and I know. everybody knows, that gold
and silver medals are never given tree any
where and never will be- A gold medal costs
about S150, a silver medal SO. When an ex-
hibition is awarding hundreds OF medals, COM
mon sense would teach a man not 70 expect
gold or silver medal given him. what was
done in Paris and elsewhere was TO give a
bronze medal TO all three classes aHke, ana let
the gold and silver men buy their medals II
thew wanted TO. 1 admit that we did not
give away even the bronze ones They were
nor given away in any department or the eN-
position. That was because the Pan-Amerlcan
was bankrupt, and couldn't do II dollar ana
heavily when there are hundreds of medals
THAT is absolutely all the ground for criticism,
and the artists have no more rlght 10 MAKE II
than any other class of exhibitors.
about not getting their medals?' Mr. Comm
was asked - -. .-o
inexperienced artists not familiar with eAnIp aI
tions-or with prize winning-and thought Sloo
gold medal coming to them by the next
express.