The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-28
SHOCKS COMSTOCK'S M0DESTY
PICTURE or CHILDREN ORDERED
OUT or ART STORE WIND0W.
It's All Right to Show II Inside, :lc says
Which Leaves Art Dealer Macbt Tn
Wondering How What Il Corrupt In One
Part OF His store Is Pure IA Another.

In the front window Of the gallery OF
william Macbeth art dealer at 237 Fifth
avenue, there hung n picture. The EX-
plorers, showing three little girls and
two boys nude, wading down brook
whicl ran between two cliffs into a lake.
The boys were ahead the one in advance
standing on two stones in sort of Colossus
of Rhodes posture. The girls were pick
ing their way gingerly in the rear. All
the little ones were facing away from the
spectators. Artists. who saw the picture
admired ID for it's coioring and Tor the
originality of the study. Spectators con-
sidered it attractive because OF its por-
travail Of the innocent play of childhood
Down Fifth avenue, while tho picture
hung there came Anthony COmstook and
one OF the agents in his Society for tn
Suppression of Vice. Eyes prnctised in
detecting the immoral the lasci vlous and
the voluptuous in literature and art fingered
upon the picture moment and then looked
for the proprietor of the gallery inside,
Mr. Macbeth was not in, but to an Office
boy Mr.. Comstock eaid:
1T IL highly improper to present such
n picture as that 20 the public gaze. 1t
must be removed at once.
Il think If the picture was Improper
Mr. Macbeth would not have it, yentured
the Office boy
The Court Of Appeals of the State OF
New York has recently decided in cases
which | have brought that such pictures
are decidedly improper and must not be
shown Have il taken inside at once. l
shall not object if it is shown within the
gallery but in the window never VIII l
permit IL.
A short time after Mr.. Comstock had
finished expounGing the import Of Court
OF Appeals decisions to the awestruck
youngster Mr.. Macbeth returned. Told OF
the occurrence he lost no time in endeavor-
ing TO communicate with Mr.. Comstock,
and had a conversation with him the follow
ing day. Saturday. Mr. ComRtock did not
add much TO his lecture as repeated by
the Office boy. He spoke amiably enough,
though. Mr. Macbeth says. and insisted
only that the picture be kept out OF the
window. How prominently II was shown
inside he did not care. He promised TO
come and talk the matter over with Mr..
Macbeth on Monday
The art dealer never left his store yester
day, taking no chance OF missing the pro-
tector of virtue. Mr.. Constock did not
nupear. He was seen as he left hiS otfice
in the afternoon by a Sun reporter and
asked to specify the particular danger of
immortality from an exposition OF the
picture.
-AlI that will shy of that picture, said
Mr.. Cornstock, "s that saw it ana ordered
1t out What Of it,
Then he departed
Mr. Macbeth was IN IuGnuHIN II INV
close Of business AN day long, he said,
Il have been debating in my mind the fine
distinction MIR Comstock has. drawn.
can show the pict ure ~ much n / like in
sice the gallery, can call the attention OF
every caller to it and presumably can even
advertise II in the papers. On the other
hand | mustn't show it in the window In
other words can corrlut the public as much
as Ike IN one part Of the gallery, but must
not do no In another.
i don't know what is coming next. II
there is no innocence in the portrayal OF
Young childhood as II s I'm afraid there
Is no innocence anywhere. | have another
picture here OF some boys ut ~ INNING
pool. and that one there showing baby =
feet Who knows2 Perhaps they WEI
have to be turned ri the wall.
Bryson Burroughs. who Painted The
Explorers, is well known. He Is u member
OF the Society Of American Artists, an
associate Of the National Academy Of De-
sign, a member Of the Architectural League
and other prominent art organizations
Before Painting this picture Of the children
he had done no work in nudes. The idea
for The Explorers" he secured last summer
in watching young children, none Of then
over years old. wading in brook in YER
mont Two Of the children were his own.
From ske.c che of theri~be painted the pic
ture on his return To the city
81 ring suits were ordered for the heroic
figures on the stock Exchange when Mr.
Cornstock' 8 latest activity was made known.