Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-28
lacquer and wood carving. which are
equally worthy of consideration.
Works of American Artists.

lacquer and wood carving, which are
equally worthy of consideration
Works of American Artists.
1t is on account of the whistler works
and the oriental objects and paintings that
the Freer collection has become famous but
1t possesses still another factor, whifh' IN
the light of public possession Is SCARCELY
less important. This Is comprehensive
end exceedingly veil chosen collection OF
pictures in oil, water color and pastel
painted by leading American artists. In
this section there are about fifty exhibits,
but each is perfectly related to the collec-
ton as whole and thoroughly representa-
tive of the art of America. Those who had
the privilege of visiting the comparative ex-
hibition in New York last winter will re-
cali among the finest of the American ex-
hibits canvases loaned frcm this collection
by Mr.. Freer.
The Offer and Its Stipulations
There were naturally many ways in which
Mr.. F'reer could have disposed of this col
| lection, but after mature consideration II
seemed to him wise and well to offer 1t to
the nation through the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition and after year or more of pre-
liminary negotiations the offer was made.
Beyond the question of maintenance Mr..
Freer in making the offer made two stipu-
| lations. that the gallery should bear his
ns me and that after his death the collec-
| ton should not be added to. But at the
Sc me time he earnestly requested that be-
| fore the regents either accepted or rejected
these terms they employ expert advice to
Tasure and properly estimate the value Oh
the collection. To the present time this
| request has been entirely overlooked or dis
regarded
In February two Of the regents did go to
Detroit and interview Mr.. Freer, but even
they did not examine look carefully into
the merits of the whole collection. The
| gift 1t was offered appears from the
o. Aar,n n7nv-cf nod n
| to have awakened small enthusiasm, and
while 1t has been suggested to Mr.. Freer
| that he might allow his collection to be
used as a nucleus of national gallery OF
art that he might found a free art school
| in connection with it. and that he could
establish, If he SO chose. college of art
a. the nations capital. the simple, straight
forward proposition which he himself set
forth has not as yet received consideration.
Indeed. a surprising lack of interest has
marked the whole affair, and so far as Mr..
Freer is concerned the only definite propo-
sition he has received Is request to APP
pear before the library committee next Win
ter to describe the value Of his collection
and urge the appropriation of fund sufii-
GENTLY large to cover its continual MAIN
tel ance, and at the same time to urge the
establishment of a national gallery Fol
Lowing the visit of the regents to Detroit
the annual March meeting was held, but
as officially announced at the time, too
poorly attended to warrant the considera-
ton of so weighty matter as the accept
ance or rejection of this collection, and
therefore negotiations were broken off and
the matter definitely dropped or pigeon
holed until the next meeting in December.
In the meantime the nation runs the risk
Of losing the collection by the owners pos
draw the offer which has met with such
lukewarm appreciation.
Three Obstacles.
The seeming Indifference of the Smith
Snni1n' pOyarOjpp hoard might he pyDlaiD-
ed by the usual lethargy exhibited by all
enterprises dependent upon a multiplicity
of counsellors, but the root of the difficulty
apparently lies deeper than this and takes
t he form of three definite objections. First,
that In permitting the building to be called
by the donors name the government Is
erecting monument to an individual: sec
end, that the cost of maintenance would
exceed the amount of expenditure, which
could be cautiously provided by the insti-
tuition; and, third. that in time the collec-
ton would lose interest in as much as 1t
could not be increased and therefore must
he Exchanging.
it might be well to recall the fact that
great opposition was manifested In the
United States to Jemes Smithson's gift
upon the same grounds, and that but for
the wise counsels and enthusiastic labors
of John Quincy Adams it, and its vast
benefcence, would have been lost for all
| time to the people of this and other lands
Then, as now, however. the cry was I'm
| mortality at too small an equivalent"
The second objection is less difficult
to refute, unless indeed the Golfers of the
| institution are painfully depleted; for, from
expert advice. 1t has been learned that the
n aXimum cost of maintenance could not
exceed $1,000 year. which from the purely
commercial standpoint would be but a small
interest (probably less than 1 per cent? on
the worth of the collection. Purely as
| investment. therefore, It's acquisition would
seem to be desirable.
Coming to the last objection it will only
be necessary to point to the great galleries
of Europe which have unchanged stood
splendidly the test of time and to recall
the fact that work of art worthy of the
name never becomes an old story.
The National Gallery Project.
Every one who is interested In the up
building of American art must of necessity
advocate the establishment of a national
gallery. but 1t should be perfectly under
stood that the bringing of the Freer collec-
ton to Washington and the establishment
of 1t here in a home of its own would adj
vance rather than retard this project The
small galleries of Europe have a value of
their own. and do not in the least take from
the great government collections.
There is indeed in this country a prece-
dent for the establishment of such a gall
lery in the Fogg Museum of Harvard, and
iE a number of similar institutions. The
placing of such a collection as this in
Washington would do much toward making
it art center. 1t would bring art lovers
and connoisseurs to Washington: 1t might
induce similar requests, and it would I'M
questionably benefit. local artists and ar
tisanS.
So patent is this to all who have looked
into the matter that other cities have come
forward while the Smithsonian regents have
been hesitating and made overtures to Mr..
Freer for the collection, agreeing in every
instance to comply with all the imposed
conditions
Washington the Art Center.
This being the case. it may seem strange
to some that the offer was ever made, or