Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

that inhabit Il. OH often Ia confused with
Washington's seE5nd city is indeed dis
tinctly individual, and somewhat the oppo-
site Of its first. It is made up OF small
laboring class. a large governmental con-
tingency, an ever-shifting army and navy
,, representatives IF the several states. with
their visiting constituents, departmental Of
thoroughly catholic, unconventional and
cosmopolitan. There Is no localism. and
therefore little civic pride. But, on the
ether hand. 1t is splendidly conducive to
Washington public today you Will be
known ten years from now by some one In
not only every state in the Union, but
every country Of the world
That 1t Is not easy to impress the WASH
ington public IS true, as is also the fact
that Americana have not been discriminat-
ing patrons Of art.
A prominent collector explained this the
other day by saying that the reason Amer
leans do not appreciate art Is because,
heretofore, they have not had the time to
learn 1t. Ruskin has defined art as Ian
guage, and ethnologists testify that 1t Is
native to every race Of man, but In Its
highest development, in the so-called fine
arts 1t is, to a great measure. matter OF
education a matter chiefly of seeing and
feeling. One who has been surrounded by
such paintings as those of Rembrandt. IT,
tan, Reynolds and Corot Is not likely TO
prefer solar-prints or colored photographs,
and it is these people who have known the
best that go largely toward making up the
representative society of Washington. This
is not business city, but it is the pleas
attest place IN the world in which to i've
and do nothing. 1t is the leisure class
which Is coming more and more to WASH
ington to find homes: people who can nave
what they want and want the best The
hustle and hurry of a great city Is as re-
moved from Washington as though 1t were
five days, rather than hours from breath
less Gotham. There Is a provincial air or
plenty of time" about it which, while not
inspiring to the worker, is perfectly In mar
mony with the seerS Of visions and dream
ers of dreams.
But there is another side to Washington
side which is by no means all play or
ease-whicb has had potent bearing upon
its intellectually and in the development oI
its art. There is permanently residing here,
a coterie of scholars and scientists con-
nected with the Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum and Geological Survey
who are not only liberal patrons Of art, but
have themselves become skiliful In Its sew
eral branches.
The National Museum offers every oppor-
tunity for the study of the origin ana de-
velopment of art among the nations, or,
rather, races; and the Congressional LII
brary places within the reach OF all COL
lection OF writings on art and artists sec
ond to none in this country, in connection
with which must be reckoned the treasures
and privileges Of the print department,
which are likewise free to ALL
There is also an economic reason Tor
Washington being an art center. Living
here is not only pleasant. but comparatively
reasonable. To live comfortably and on
small means for artists as a rule are not
people who accumulate wealthy is not here
impossible; nor is 1t necessary to ALLEVIATE
oneself from congenial surroundings to ac-
complish the feat. But be all this as it may,
Washington has In the past given to the
world more than one capable artist. From
here have gone men and women who, hav-
ing first met with recognition at home, have
among the great struggling masses won
90. %L1,,, hair ffryn Ntfy
Artists Who Have Won Fame.
Perhaps 1t Ii scarcely fair to number
among these James Mcneil Whistler, as it
was not until after he had left West Point
that he came to live In Washington. but 1t
was while he was here, period OF several
years, during which time he was connected
with the coast survey, that he, metaphori- |
cally. found himself, and discovered his real
vocation. Eastman Johnson began his art
career in Washington. Healy for years had
a studio In this city and considered 1t his |
home when in America. Alexander Harrt- |
did his first important work while in |
the service Of the geological survey, and |
within recent years a goodly company OF |
young artists, all Westinghouse born and |
bred, have gone out TO meet with eXtraordt- |
nary success. There is, for instance, Geo. |
Gibbs, the author and illustrator, and his |
colleague, Mills Thompson, who Is now the |
art editor of the Philadelphia Saturday |
Evening Post, as well the designer Of |
one of the most artistic covers in which the |
Scribner's Magazine has yet appeared. |
Lorenzo Hatch, who Is one Of the principal |
engravers in the employ Of the American
Bank Note Company, learned his profess
sion as an apprentice at the bureau of en-
craving and printing and, with Mr.. Gibbs
and Mr.. Thompson is an ex-student of the
Washington Art League. There Is VIII |
Coffin, the portrait painter; Rudolph Evans,
the sculptor, and George Senseney, the |
etcher, all of whom studied almost solely in
Washington. Then there is Everett War
ner, the winner of the first Corcoran prize |
at the Water Color Clubs last annual ex-
hibition. A High School boy who with little |
other than self training has fought his way |
in seven short years to the front ranks Of |
American water colorists; and there is |
Juliet Thompson, whose brilliant, vigorous
portrait work in pastels has for many years
found a prominent place in the foremost |
American ANNALS
Not Yet Good Market.
But, why, you say, if Washington Is SO |
inspiring and pleasant a. place to live do |
artists leave it? Because, Washington, with |
all it's natural charms and uplifting en- |
vironments, does not to put it rudely, offer |