The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-22
AN ART EXHIBITION
FROM A LOCAL VIEW

d, T Is ALWAYS n source Of surprise why people
| will buy oil paintings by the yard. There
| was time when Oil Painting spelled Art.
1t covered the entire ground before the ad.
vent Of Timothy Coles Cngravings and Included
even the Early Matramc Period, except in the
great ccntcrs of civilization. Slowly in and
through provincial life crcpt the new idea that
perhaps after all there was something beyond tie
lightning artist. and Chronos and their kind he.
| came u little unpopular. The etching mania fol-
lowed, and was violent and disastrous while II
lasted, but 1t had good effect on the public
taste, even II II did place brother TO the OK on
every parlor wall.
Then came the era Of Gibson and the Poster
Girl. Gibson did good work in instiling prin
Ciples OF simplicity, but II has come to the place
now where there Is Il difference between having
| simplicity and being simple. MIR. Gibson is sim
pie TO his everlasting uudoing, and his insoient
methods and careless audacity have wrought his
| ruin. Those who started far in his wake have
passed him long ago. and their faithful. pairs.
taking efforts taking them into wide. calm
channels Of honest rcnown where his frail craft,
| ovcradcn with rcpicas Of naughty girl with a
tip.tilcd chin may never hope TO sail BY the
| side OF the work OF Smcdley, Wcnscll, Sterncr
iIutt and many Others, who have branchei out
into original lines, Cibson's monotonous, gloomy.
browcd maidens are more than little tircsomc
One would rather live with a nice old lady of
Smedleys than with one of these il.tempercd.
! looking young women, the whilom favoritc of the
matinee girl.
| But there are still people in the smaller towns
| and cities who continue to buy oil paintings and
| this is not meant to include those who purchase
really good works from artists Of leputc, but
| rather those Who buy all sorts OF nondcscript
subjects, done in a viciously bad style. One Won
| ders at them, particularly when original draw.
| ugs Of charming and interesting subjects may
| often he purchased for les, money.
| 1t is just possible that the explanation may be
made thus: Indifferent artists with acres OF big
| canvascs, make pcrimagcs from city to city with
| their work. They camp in each place for few
| weeks and stock up the homes OF the ndscrimi-
! nate buyer with atrocouS pieces OF art. Some.
| times the ncw owner has misgivings on the mat.
| ter, hut there is the receipt for large amount
and there, too, is the statement OF the artist that
! the pictures are good. Where is the friend who
| will dare undoccve him? The busy man has no
time to follow the exhibitions catalogue in hand,
and learn to iidgc for himself and acquire art
| iargCn. lie says: Il must trust somebody Why
| not you?" to the willy artist as it would never
| occur to him To trust Il reliable home dealer
The reason the busy man doesn't buy original
drawings and fine water color studies is because
| they not brought to his door by somebody
with wnsomc smile, portfolio. and on Install
| mcnt plans and spccilcat ions He does not know
where to 20 to hunt out cngrayings and drawings
| in New York and would scarcely bother to do it
| ii he knew. So he continues to buy oils-and
| other things.
| The visit OF the Association OF American Illus
traitors to this city is epoch in art for us. We
have had art in doses varying in size and clarac-
ter, fer YEAR,. 1t has ranged from Art clubs, the
memory OF which makcth sad the heart OF the as
prInt after The aesthetic, to bogus etchings and
| yard-widc oils. We have il always in the sGt
chiaroscuro, formed by faces lifted from the mine
| shaft against dulled cobalt mountain of culr',
| stretching far in level lines. and in the genre
| pictures OF many landsgloupcd in our little
! ltalys, POlands, Aromenias and Ilungarcs. But
| to have original drawings, such as have never be.
| fore been collected in this country brought to
| our home for inspection, is an event
| The Illustrator speaks to the multitude as no
| orator may. His pcturcs tell the story often
| better than the author. lie opens a window to.
ward the wide world for a million eyes and reads
| 4 poem of aspiration to a million cars. Every
magazine makes him the friend OF the public and
| the great throngs outside learn TO know and love