Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-22

JnAI1 = EH10.
tenn On January 81 1881, q committee of
ninety members elected by the mass of
artists already admitted to the salon voted
the constitution and bylaws of the Society
of French Artists, with a capital of 200, 600
francs furnished by 1000 shares at $50
francs a share. The original committee of
ninety became ipso facto, the first COM
mittee of the new corporation. with power
to renew its membership and to generally.
run the financial end of 1t. and Ii Is ex-
pressly stated that membership in the
committee shall not be incompatible with
membership in juries of admission.
The Jury of Admission.
For paintings the jury of admission is
composed of sixty French artists who are
"hors concours"-that is to say, who have
obtained either a second-class medal or
two or more other medals whose united
value is equivalent to a second-class medal
Such "hors concours'' men have their
works admitted by right, not being obliged
to pass by the jury of admission, which Is
renewed every three years by election. OF
the sixty members twenty serve the first
year, twenty the second and twenty the
third year, and it is on the favor of these
twenty 'hors concours'' French artists
themselves "out of compettion''-tha
young painters must depend for getting
into the salon."
Practically the young American-even II
he be newly arrived. with but five days
before the closing of the entries-has but
to sit down and paint picture and send
1t, ali charges paid" to Monsieur the
president of the Society of French Artists
at the Grand Palais of the Champs Elysees
Beginners, when they wish to economize,
often push their works to the grand palace
in handcart hired in partnership by two
or more of them.
Sweller artists send their paintings in
furniture-moving vans. All paintings must
be correctly framed. Out in the vestibule
hn loic TOW Of fI,n
arrivals. inexperienced workmen in
white blouses handle them tenderly. The
Vestibule of the grand palais is itself pala-
tial. Day after day in March and April
the VeStibule receives enormous quantities
of paintings, like great mill. They dis
appear from the sight of their creators.
Judging the Paintings.
Inside the grand palais are unending
suites of great halls, in an enormous hol-
low square. Along the walls the paint
ings stand in endless rows awaiting the de-
clslons of the jury of admission.
9 These are the men who raise their canes
whose admiration means favor. whose ia
Vor means world-success for the young
painter They pass. business-like and
prompt with their overcoats and hats on.
with cigars and cigarettes between their
lipS-the only persons who dare smoke In
side the sacred precincts.
The group stops before a canvass. Every
member of it glances at the work at the
same moment: that is how they can decide
their minds quickly. There is a moment
of silence.
Look in the air above their heads How
many canes are up? Two canes and one
upstretched arm-that of a juryman who
has no cane. Three votes? Is that all?
Perhaps those three jurymen glance APP
pealingly at other jurymen. Perhaps an
other cane goes up and then another, then
another, until-the thing has been known
to happen-a majority of all the twenty
votes to let the picture in.
Before other canvases the canes go up
as If by one accord There Is no doubt
about some paintings, even paintings sent
by beginners.
Then before others not q single cane Is
lifted. Again 1t may be said there is no
doubt possble-there are efforts that are
really too bad.
This is the first rough sorting. BY article
of chapter 3 of the bylaws of the society.
the jury of admission has the right to ad-
nit each year LOO paintings in addition to
those presented by right by artists who are
"hors concours." When the jury finds it
has allowed its enthusiasm, and indul-
gence to liftits cane before greater number
than LOO 1t must simply go back on its
track and throw out the surplus.
Many Works of Merit Crowded Out.
Now, you see how 1t may be that paint
ings fairly well inside the limit of a pos
sible salon acceptance may. this year or
that, be kept out of the salon by the press
Il.
dame paintress. who invites number of
the jury to her dinners and receptions, do
you think her work will be refused? Sup
pose she have a protege. a young painter
of great talent, will his sending be refused?
Each juryman has regularly students of his
own. They run good chance of getting
in by reason of the good instruction given
them, to say the least. Then, do not for
get, there is, besides, the largest class of
ALL the class Of paintings that must be
accepted. Why? Why, because of their
merit.
What are the chances of a young Amer
lean getting into the SALON. In any given
year? Last year there We're ,352 painters
received into the salon of the Society Of
French Artists. Because 1t has no official
recompenses. few beginners send to the
secession salon. of which say nothing, i'm
portant as it is.
Out of these 1852 lucky ones must be
subtracted 325, who We're "hors concours,'
and therefore admitted without the inter-
vention of the jury of admission.
There thus remain 1.027 artists of all ma
tionalities who had paintings received last
year into the salon of the Society of French
Artists.
How many of these 1.027 were Americans?
I have had the patience to pick out the
American names scattered In alphabetical
order through the great catalogue. Well,
there were "a Americans-6O men and IA
women.
Value of Getting Into the Salon.
Now, II we could know what proportion
sent In paintings we could strike a proper
ton. This is something that the Jury of
admission does not tell. The rejected ones
simply come with their push carts. and no
more is said about 1t. How many American
artists and art students there are in Paris
is not really known, but the 1903 census
taken by Miss Laura McProud showed the
names of T45 such. If each one sent to the
salon, then one in every ten got in" last
year; but there are quantities who GER
tainly did not send. the true average must
be far more imposing.
AS to the value of getting into the
salon." there is no estimating it. 1t makes
the young painters reputation over all the
world. Right here in Paris at the Students
Art Club / saw an example of It, A young
fellow had painted a very pretty landscape
He had intended to send it to the salon.
but, being hard up, he consented to sell it
to an American tourist lady for the
wretched price of $50.
The tourist lady at the last moment
proved herself too grasping. She showed
the $5N-250 francs; 1t looks lot in French
10-franc gold pieces, and she insisted he
should throw in three small studies. The
young fellows stomach turned and he re-
he Low