Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-01


has been entirely reorganized. and the
tasteless, unattractive structures which
have been superseded by buildings of fair
proportions and well-studied design. Re-
form can rarely be accomplished by a sim
gle stroke, and improvement wrought
through steady progress IS therefore COM
monty the more significant and lasting.
The Washington Architectural Club,
ganized In 1892 chiefly by the employees of
the supervising architects Office, but now
including in its membership a majority of
the leading local architects. held its
nual meeting last Saturday evening. The
policy of the club tacitly requires a change
OF officers with each succeeding season.
the annual election resulted in the institu-
ton of an entirely new regime Mr.. c. L.
Harding the outgoing president. gave place
to Mr.. Louis A. Simon, formerly one of the
board of directors. and Mr.. p. c. Adams,
vice president, to Mr.. A. l.. Harris, chair
man last year of the lecture committee. Mr..
Leo ]. Weissenborn was elected secretary
and Mr.. w. w. Young treasurer while on
the list of directors were placed the names
of Messrs. Francis B. Wheaton, c. l.. Hard
ing and Percy Ash This organization has
jut passed through a most successful sea-
son. Its membership has increased and its
meetings have been well attended. Through
us Wei1-ulrecte0 eHOftS DEFINITE progress
has been made in local architecture and an
appreciable Improvement shown in public
spirit
An evidence of improved conditions is to
be found in the competition lately instituted
by the board of directors of the National
Metropolitan Citizens Bank for the pur-
pose of selecting an architect for the new
bank and office building to be erected on
18th street. Five of the leading local archi-
tectural firms We're invited to submit de-
signs, for which service each unsuccessful
architect paid 500. The competition
was, however, open to all architects in the
District of Columbia and to the unlimited
competitors a first and a second prize of
$3.50 and 500 respectively We're offered.
Prof. Percy Ash of the Washington
University and the Architectural Club was
appointed architectural advisor, to prepare
the program of the competition and TO re-
port upon the relative merits of the sub
mitted designs. No competitors work was
signed and names of the competitors in
connection with their designs were I'M
known to the jury until after the award
was made The evident fairness of these
methods of selection and the tangible rec
ogntion given through the restrictions OF
the competition to the standing and ability
of local architects are both gratifying and
noteworthy.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art closed today
for three months, during which time 1t will
undergo a thorough cleaning and all need
full repairs. If the midsummer heat proves
extreme the paintings in the upper sky
lighted galleries will be removed to the
lower floor, where, even on the warmest
day, the tempera ture is moderate. Some
few of the canvaSeS will be restored, GER
tain frames repaired and the burlap wall
covering In one or more of the rooms is to
be renewed. This is undoubtedly all very
needful, but to the summer sojourner in
Washington and to the summer visitor who
passes through this city on his way to and
from the north the long-closod doors of
this excellent institution prove both a con-
slant deprivation and keen disappoint-
ment.
For the benefit of summer travellers the
Copley Society of Boston is holding in Cop
ley Hall this year for the first time a sum-
mer exhibition of paintings. 1t opened on
the 10Th of June, and continuing until the
18th of September embraces in its cata-
logue works by the foremost artists of
America.
At Worcester, Mass, which is likewise
on the route of northern travel, there is
also a most excellent exhibition of modern
held in the Art Museum for seven years.
Two hundred and ten canvases are shown
by 125 representative painters.
Mr. Max Weyl of this city is still in
Ashevllle, n. c., where he went about a
month ago to execute a number of COM
missions. He writes enthusiastically of the
country and has ten canvases finished or
under way. That he has found not only
much pleasure but splendidly paintable ma
terial during his so1ourn in the south none
can doubt, and many are looking forward
with interest to a view of the studies which
he will probably bring back with him to
his local studio
widening general interest in art mat
tiers is strikingly demonstrated by the in
creasing frequence and greater prominence
given to articles upon art subjects in the
current magazines. The Century for July,
for example, sets forth as an Introductory
article a pleasing and well-llustrated dis
course on the session movement in German
art. the Harper's Monthly gives a promi-
nent position to Christian Brinton's appre-
citation of ]. j. Shannon's pictorial por-
traits, and the Scribner's yields fair
amount of space to an exposition of the
character of the Fine Arts Federation of
New York. Thn modern magazine is no
longer published primarily for the benefit
OF its readers-owing to the keenness of
commercial competition it must please it's
readers in order to obtain its advertisers,
and through them livelihood. 1t publishes
not merely what il good or clever, but what
pays, and it is more than significant to
know that on this basis the art article
finds inclusion.
The first student to be appointed to the
American Academy at Rome since that in
sttution's incorporation by Congress. last
March, is Lucien Smith of New York a
graduate of the Columbia School of Archi-
lecture who recently won the privilege
through competition. The new home of
the academy the Villa Mirafiore, is not yet
ready for occupancy, but the endowment,
which at the time of incorporation through
lie f,anarnsitN o. four individuals aud Iar-