Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28
with painters and patrons he is known to
have been entirely honorable and just.


The Photographic saiofs closed yesterday
evening and the next attraction scheduled
for the Hemicycle is the Washington Ar
ehitectual Clubs annuah4exhibition which
opens about the fifteenth of February.
Heretofore the Architectural Club has held
its exhibition in conjunction with the So
ciety of Washington Artists annual show
and has Occupied the atriam rather than the
Hemieycle. This made the arrangement OF
exhibits difficult and caused the exhibition
to be open to the public free of charge
only three days of the week and during
merely such hours as the gallery itself
was accessible 1t was. therefore, deeiaed
TO give TINS YEAR, an independent display
and every effort is being made to have it
OF such character that it will prove in
teresting alike to the general public and
the profession. There is. moreover, no rea-
son why this should not be accomplished.
1t is done in New York and in Philadelphia
every winter, why not then in Washing
ton? Architecture is too often disassoeiat-
ed with art and there are comparatively
few who realize it's relative Importance.
The Architectural Club has already done
much to improve the standards of local
work and to awaken the interest of the
local public. and 1t seems reasonable to be-
Heve that 1t Will make the best of the OPP
portunities which the approaching exhibit
ton will afford.
*
The announcement of the appointment of
Sir c. Purdon Clark to the dictatorship of
the Metropolitan Museum has created a
small hubbub in New York and no little ex-
element in art circles throughout the coun-
try. Sir Purdon Clark was at the time of
his appointment and has been for a num-
Der of years director of the South Ken
sington, or as it is now called, the Albert
and Victoria, Museum of England. He has,
as it were, been trained up in museum
work. and he is considered an authority
on many art subjects. He is said to have
unusual executive ability, to be of broad
mind and great cultural man in every
way capable of filing the position to which
he has been appointed. And yet while the
selection Is fitting it is odd. The question
is being asked, was there no American who
was equal to the trust? Possibly there was
not, but it seems scarcely probable, for it
is understood that Sir Purdon or any one
who took the dictatorship of the Metro
politan henceforth is to be merely the
executive head of committee of experts.
He need not be all wise in all departments,
but merely wise in suggesting or selecting
his advisors The feeling of America
for Americans" is not altogether boorish
an American have been found who was
equally well equipped for this position as
the distinguished Englishman he would
have been a better man for the place. On
the other hand, however, If Sir Purdon
Clark is the best man to be had and is
willing to undertake the charge there is
no American SO narrow minded as to with
hold his appreciation. 1t seems more than
a little odd that an Englishman of rank
holding so important a position as the di-
of the South Kensington Muse
UNI should be willing to leave his home and
country to assume for even slightly
larger salary similar position in smaller
museum in a, to him, comparatively UNI
known land. 1t seems a little out of the
ordinary that the appointment should have
been made by the president of the board of
trustees, who alone of all that governing
body was acquainted personally with the
appointee. The Metropolitan Museum with
it's wealth, treasures and position has
passed beyond the Importance of local
institution, and its affairs in consequence
are the affairs of the nation-of the people
of all communities.
X X
Reviewing the progress of British art dur
ing the past year, the Burlington Magazine,
a leading English art publication, states
that the position of the British painters
has been materially strengthened "by the
commercial depression that put an end abb
ruptly to the extravagant American pur-
chases which have for several years dis
outraged all collectors of moderate means"
This natural abatement" it adds, 'of the
mania for the products of eighteenth CEN
fury France has left people free TO take an
interest in contemporary work.
= y
According to this same maya zine there is
an interesting group of current exhibitions
in London awaiting the midwinter visitor
At the Royal Academy works by the late
c. F. Watts, drawings by F. Sandys and a
model of the Victoria Memorial are the
chief attractions. At the New Gallery the
International Society of Sculptors, Painters
and Gravers is holding its annual exhibit
ton, and at the White Chapel Art Gallery
a collection of work done by London school
children is being shown. The Burlington
Fine Arts Club is showing in its winter eX-
hibition painting by the masters of the ff-
teenth century, and at Agnew's Gallery
Abbey's painting of the coronation of King
Edward VII is on view.
The very attractive cover in which the
February number of the Booklovers Maya
zine appears was designed and executed in
color by Miss Hattie E. Burdette of this
city. 1t pictures, in Semi-conventional
fashion, a young woman in blue gown,
with an open book on her lap. The back
ground is made up of dark oak panels and
stained glass window panes, and on the
floor, to the right and left, giving breadth
and charm to the design, are two terra
Gotta crooks of white hydrangeas The color
is harmonious and the lines graceful and
expressive. 1t is decorative, and yet at the
same time pictorial.
!: x
The Minneapolis Society of the Fine Arts
has recently purchased John W. Alexan-
der's picture of the celloist entitled "A
Ray of Sunlight, which, it will be rennem-
bercd, was shown here two winters ago in
the Society of Washington Artists annual
exhibition. The purchase was effected by
telegraph. being the result of a sudden de-
cision. and the price paid $1,000
LEILA MECHLIN
Quaint Quakerisms,
from the Philadelphia Record
It's a wise cork that knows its own non
an't