The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
TO SHOW Us ART TREASURES.
A NEW ORGANIZATION FORMED
TO BRING EUROPE'S TO Us.
Leading Art Patrons In This Country In II.
and some Great Foreign Collectors
Will Intrust Masterpieces to Their
Gare-A First Exhibition This Fall.

| VrNopth RcHtIdL dtLentlpU, dlHouhh d"
was the birth record of one of the most i'm
portant movements in the American art
world. The paragraph from the State
| capital told the bare fact of the incorpora-
| ton OF the International Fine Arts Associa-
| ton. Tts formation opens before New
| York and the United States the delectable
prospect OF series of important art ex-
hibtions far excclling any fine art shows
| which have been given in this country.
The organization of the new association
has now been perfected. and it's plans have
so far taken share a. to enable preliminary
statement Of what is in store for lovers OF
art here who have not the opportunity
to go abroad. or, being abroad, have not
facilities for visiting the famous private
collections Of Europe.
The International Fine Arts Association
| is established both for the delectation OF
the art lover and for the encoura cement
Of the arts by means Of public exhibitions
OF works OF art, at stated periods, in the
interest of art education or for the benefit
| Of deserving charities. The association
is bound to keep to the exalted plane OF
it's public service and to hold itself and it's
affairs distinctly removed from the COM
mercial aspect of familiar art exhibitions.
Its charter says:
This corporation is not formed TO, nor
shall it. engage in business of private
or commercial character, and its capital
shall be used exclusively for the purposes
OF the corporation. as herein set forth"
This is the wish OF the incorporators,
who have associated themselves in the enter
prise primarily to bring before Americans
at home some of the famous works Of art
held in Europe In private ownership, which
periodically are shown there at public ex-
hibitions, but never get here because there
has been no organized responsible medium
through which they might be solicited or
transported and exhibited.
The associations plans, however. conf
prehend the exposition Of paintings and
other art works owned on this side Of the
Atlantic, as we'll and the productions Of
| contemporary art are not excluded from
the field Of its attentions if superlative
merit have shrived them Of commercialism.
There has long been lament that worthy
and notable works Of art not yet housed
permanently in public museums could not
be shown upon occasion here, as they are
from time to time in some of the cities
abroad-for instance, in exhibitions ar
ranged by the Burlington Fine Arts Club
in London. where a noteworthy exhibition
Of objects Of Greek art from private col
lections in England was lately held. Or such
as the exhibition held in Paris before the
close Of the last season when, for the benefit
Of a charity the Louvre opened special
Ua1Iarv for vh ihtirp ~
from private collections 1t is Instructive
to note that at this Louvre exhibition there
were shown several objects once owned
by New York collectors.
The International Fine Arts Association
will provide such exhibitions in New York.
and just possibly in other cities of the United
States. It will bring to them paintings
and other art productions from private
galleries OF this country and from the
homes Of private collectors abroad.
Members Of the association abroad during
the spring and summer made inquiries to
learn whether some OF the European owners
whose collections were represented in the
Louvre exhibition would permit any Of their
treasures to come 70 America. They found.
much to their qualification and with some
surprise that those thorough lovers of
art-some of them eminent-held them
selves quite willing TO do so, requiring onlv
that responsible Americans undertake their
care and conveyance.
The International Fine Arts Association.
not then formed. and in part a develop
ment Of those tentative inquiries, repre-
sents the required responsibility. and has
projected first exhibition for the late fall,
the members expressing their Willingness
to furnish the necessary funds and making
II their pleasure to give their services to the
enterprise.
The officers and directors of the associa-
ton are: President. Charles T. Barney.
Vice-President, James Henry Smith: treas
urer, J. Mclean Walton; secretary, Thomas
E. Kirby; directors, Mr.. Barney, Mr..
Smith. Mr. Kirby, and Stanford White.
Frank S. Witherbee, Charles W. Gould.
William NJ Laffan, William C. Whitney,
John l.. Cadwalader, James l.. Breese
and Frank d. Miet.
The exhibitions, it is announced, will
cover every field of art. and will comprise,
as has been already said. objects loaned
by the prominent collectors of the world,
the associations charter having been so
uku"il w elfmOIr u, uiHleT Itc eNlAtlnX
customs laws, to bring from foreign coun-
tries art objects and antiquities intended
-for exhibition and not for SALE" under
bond. Under these conditions, and in
view Of the fact that the association will
assume the expenses incurred and provide
for insurance, many rare and interesting
works of art may be obtained to exhibit
here which would otherwise be kept out
of the country because subject TO duty.
One Of the most welcome announcements
made in connection with the formation
Of the new association, and one Of the most
important to New York and to the country
at large, is that the association will ulti-
mately possess its own art galleries. erect
ing building which will have not only
ample exhibition space, but facilities for
art lectures. With the lectures, az with
the exhibitions, the aim s to be the advance
ment Of art and art education, without
cognizance OF arts commercial side.
In providing this new building the Inter-
national Fine Arts Association will give
to New York what the various art societies
comprised in the Fine Arts Federation have
SO long endeavored to secure. The
associations membership shows that this
temple Of art will he free Of the handicsps
felt so severely by the existing societies
in their efforts to procure the erection Of