New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-19
Il JURY OF ARTISTS.
Hoo the Pictures 4re Selected for
an 4rt Exhibition.

OF the crowds which viii visit the twenty
seventh annual exhibition of the Society of
American Artists, which opens in the Fine Arts
Building. in West 57th-st., on March % proba-
bly, few viii have any definite idea of the amount
Of work connected with the selection of the pict-
ures placed on exhibition. They should have
seen the jury of admission at work. That COM
pany Of thirty men, surrounded by hustling at
tendants Juggling back and forth the paintings
TO be viewed and accepted or rejected looked
more like TIE audience at some auction than
committee in charge OF preparations TOT fine
art Inhibition. For three days the jury of ad-
mission sat in judgment upon 100 works of
art Including paintings and statuary. AS only
about four hundred paintings can be hung for
the exhibition it is readily seen that the task
Of he jury was easy one. Indeed, the men,
bers found it such a waste of valuable time to
go out TO luncheon that they ate at a table laid
for them in the galleries, in this way being able
to put in a day Of continuous work from 9 a. m.
to ; p. m. or as long as the light held good
The scene in the galleries the different
works OF art were passed upon was picturesque
Seated in 4 body the committee of thirty, Of
which Kenyon Cox was chairman smoked and
chatted upon various topics they viewed the
works submitted Upon a big easel placed in
the most favorable light the paintings were
placed as they were brought forth by the at
tendants Each member of the jury was fur
nished with printed ballots, marked yes and
no Every painting piece of statuary
ceiring two-thirds vote more was marked
NO J." Those receiving a vote of one-half
were marked NO. ." and those getting one
third no. 3" Any receiving less than one-third
Of the votes cast were marked r." and placed
among those rejected. To save time the jury
cid not 90 through the process of a formal bal
lot on pictures obviously unworthy Of a posi-
ton in the exhibition. If no response was re-
eelFed 10 the chairman's inquiry as to whether
any member Of the committee desired to vote on
the picture under consideration il was marked
T. and quickly gave place to another. No
pictures rejected at the first view were
AdeTed again, unless called for by some COM
HIttee member. The others were, however, gone
over again, the numbers being changed by the
culling Of those Of questionable merit from those
concerning The merit of which there was no
ooubt IN this way the number of those finally
accepted was reduced to suit the available hang
ing space.
Again when it came to the hanging, the
paintings finally accepted by the committee on
seecuon We're passed upon, this time by the
hanging committee, consisting of Herbert
ADAMS, Charles c. Curran and Louis Loeb. To
nose marked No. T. were accorded the best
positions, 70 NO. p" the next best, and then
8 many Of the NO. 3" collection were hung as
'ne remaining space would admit.
The work Of the hanging committee was even
more trying than that of selecting the paint
Igs' since the pictures must be tested beneath
ne electric lights well under daylight
amer placing In all, the committees work
coupled four days and four nights.
me decisions Of the jury of admission are
-l-aI' and those submitting paintings have long
ago learned the futity of protesting against
t-e verdict passed upon their works. The action
VI NE uury seemed, at least to the uninitiated
.O"eFer' 10 border on barbarism when a paint
,-s upon which some young artist had expended
- OF her best endeavor was brought before
s-n Tor few seconds only to be marked