New-York tribune., 1906-11-26
NATIONS ART GALLERY.
WILL BE OPENED TODAY.
Harriet Lane Johnston Collection
10 BE Shoscn in Washington.
TFrom The Tribune Br-ean

tffon the Tribune
Washington. Nov. 25.-To-norrovy the United
states VIII actually possess national art gall
lery Although there has been provision for
such gallery since the founding of the Smith
sonian Institution In 1916 little has been done
III forwarding the development throughout that
period OF sixty years. Through the generosity
OF the late Mrs. Harriet Lane Johnston, who was
mistress OF the White House during the admin
lstration Of President Buchanan, her uncle. and
, that OF Charles A Freer, OF Detroit. who has
devoted much OF his life to gathering a most
valuable private art collection, the National Gal
ieries Of Art have received great impetus and
virtually their first actual start
Mrs. Johnston who died several years ago in
Washington. left a collection of rare paintings
for the National Galleries of Art. They were
willed by her TO the Corcoran Gallery of Art, to
be exhibited there until national gallery should
be started. She did not at that time know that
the National Galleries of Art had legally existed
almost sixty years, although they had not ac-
qufred enough art objects to form an extensive
collection. Last spring, after the Corcoran
Gallery declined to accept her Request upon the
conditions stipulated, and by direction of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. the case was taken into the
Supreme Court of The District Of Columbia,
which ruled that there was National Galleries
OF Art in existence and that under the terms Of
her will her fine collection of paintings should
go 10 thai gallery
JOHNSTON COLLECTION READY.
Under this ruling the Harriet Lane Johnston
collection, which in danger OF being put up
at auction and scattered, was turned over in its
entirety to the Smithsonian Institution, and has
now been placed in the National Museum. Dur
ing the last week workmen have been placing
the Johnston collection the walls of the lect-
ure hall of the National Museum and it will to-
morrow be thrown open to the pubcs for exhibit
ton. These paintings many of them of rare
value and by old English and Italian artists.
will then be shown publicly for the first time
since they have been in the possession of Mrs
Johnsten's estate. For years they were on the
walls of the home of Mrs. Johnston at 18th and
streets, Northwest, in this city.
The collection will be known in the National
Museum as the National Galleries of Art, and
will be an impressive nucleus of what promises
day TO be the finest art gallery in the coun-
try. After the death of Mr.. Freer. of Detroit,
the National Galleries will receive another i'm
portant acquisition. Mr.. Freer has made a will,
under the terms of which his entire art collec-
ton will be Immediately turned over TO the gov
ernment. His will also contains a provision of
| S5OOOOO, which viii be used in the construction
of a building in which to house the Freer paint
ings and works of art.
Mr.. FREERs OFFER
More that year ago Mr.. Freer submitted two
propositions TO the Smithsonian Institution,
which were considered for a long time and it
began 10 look as though the Smithsonian regents
would not act. Mrs. Roosevelt became inter-
ested in having one of the two offers Of Mr Freer
| accepted, and President Roosevelt. as presiding
| officer ex oficio of the Smithsonian wrote a
! letter to the regents which resulted in action
! being taken by them last spring whereby an
| agreement was drawn up and signed by both
| the regents of the institution and Mr.. Freer
/ providing that his collection go to the govern
! Smithsonian now owns the Freer collection but
the actual ransfer is not 10 be made until i'm
/ mediately after his death. NIr Freer is to add
| to the collection from year year as long as he
| lives and when he dies the collection. with all
additions, is TO come 10 the Smithsonian. The
| SoOopD VIII be spent in erecting a handsome
/ building Nothing but the Freer collection will
occupy that building, but the structure will be
! so erected that II viii conform TO the other
/ buildings TO be ultimately erected TO house the
! rest of the National Galleries of Art. Mr Freer
and the Smithsonian Institution regents will
confer with each other during his life relative
/ TO the style of this building, and arrangements
! will be made so that Immediately after his
! death work the erection of the structure
may be begun. The Freer collection contains
| a large Whistler collection. including the IA
nous Peacock Room, which was removed bodily
| to Detroit
Under the terms Of the Congressional act
| founding the Smithsonian Institution national
! gallery OF art was established in connection
| with the Smithsonian in 1916 for the housing OF
| all objects OF art belonging 70 the federal gov
| eTnment- The act makes the Smithsonian the
| custodian Of all Of these art objects 1t is said
! that the act is so broad that every painting and
| statue belonging TO the federal government in
any public building III Washington could be
| placed in the national gallery The Smith
! sonian regents have always known this. but
/ have never insisted upon having that provision
Of the law carried out. The law made IL "a
right" Of the Smithsonian but that right" has
| never been assumed by the regents.