The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-02

can art schools with whose work I am not so well acquainted-a very desir- able harmony in the quality of the teaching. The artists here sympathize | with each others point of view. and each endeavors to prepare his pupils for the work of the other. so that there is little or none of that learning under one master and unlearning under an other, which Is so fatal to progress. Particularly for women students, American cities such as Boston, New York or Chicago offer distinct advan- tages. They know under whom they
 are going to study and what the work
 will be like. while in foreign city, ig- norant of the language. they resort gen. erally to those ateliers in which a ma 5ority Of students are already Ameri- cans. The social conditions there are unfavorable, the American girl discov- ering that many things which she has always been accustomed to do subject her to annoyance in Paris. The finds herself more or less narrowed down to a small circle of acquaintances of her own nationality; she may not come into con- tact with the men who are destined to be great, unless these men are also Americans. In every way she would be
 better situated for learning the ele-
 ments of her profession in her own country.
 oI CouTSe, dlteT the student, man OT woman. has become thoroughly well
 trained in drawing and painting. and 1t
 Is nearly time to strike out independ ently. then he should uneuestipnably
 spend as much time as he can afford
 abroad. Art knows no country. Wher ever 1t Is found to be at It's best. there
 the young artist should live for a time.
 In particular the opportunities to study
 the art of other periods are greater in
 Europe than in Ameicra.
 One thing which I wish might be brought about Is a better public appre-
 citation Tn this country of the work of
 young American artists recently re-
 turned from abroad. The promising painter or sculptor from whom accom- plishment may fairly be expected is one who has obtained a travelling
 scholarship. such as the Paige scholar ship of the Museum School in Boston or the Rhinehart scholarship in sculp- ture from Baltimore. Not many mis- takes are made in the choice of the holders of these prizes. As a rule they are taken by young men or young wo-
 men of marked capacity for succeeding g in fine arts These scholars go abroad,
 spend two or three years in advanced
 study, living upon an income which,
 though sufficient for their needs, does
 not permit saving anything. Once the
 young artist has reached the end of his
 term, he returns to the united states
 without further support.
 Here he finds that despite his un-
 doubted skill 1t is often exceedingly diff
 ficult to be recognized: not infrequently
 he Is obliged to lower his Ideals In or
 der to furnish the means of support.
 Some there are who will get out of the
 rut; yet the artistic temperament is such that once habituated to do more hack work. 1t Is often spoiled for any thing better. It would, therefore. be very desirable were the public disposed to accept the findings of competent tu- ries of artists and to regard the young prize-winners as men or women who deserve to be encouraged at the outset of their carer in order that there may be fewer cases of failure among artists of promise. Even from a commercial standpoint 1t is certainly true that in- vestment ia the works of young paint CTS of talent has frequently proved to be exceedingly profitable" Mr. Gay on his return to Paris will continue to direct the work of the hold CTS of the Paige scholarships from the Boston Museum. -..: