New-York tribune., 1906-04-29
TWO EMINENT ARTISTS.
Personal Traits of Daniel Hunting
ton and Eastman Johnson.
To the Editor Of The Tribune

10 the Editor of The Tribune
Sir; / note in The Tribune Of yesterday. while
visiting friends in the historic town where
Washington took command of the embattled
hosts needful for the exigencies and response
bilities of that day. and where Harvard now
does its large share in planting the seeds for
the enduring and universal peace OF the future,
your obituary OF Daniel Huntington. soon fol-
lowing that of another old friend in the field
of art, Eastman Johnson
The professional achievements of both of these
eminent artists of course the admiration
and patronage of the public. but it was the at
tractive personality of each that insured them.
among those who best knew them. the addi-
tional need Of esteem and affection the value
Of which the too ambitious hustler is apt to
underrate overlook till his time comes-often
too late for retrieval-for suffering from their
absence 1t was Darwin himself who placed on
record his conviction that wealth. position in
fiuence or fame (and whose fame was greater
than his ownO were but small possessions COM
pared with the affection Of friends and lovers
Mr.. Johnsons characteristics. outside OF those
necessary for success in his profession. found
genial expression in gift for good fellow
ship; Mr.. Huntington's in a still rarer natural
serenity and gracioUsness, grateful 10 all and
of soothing effect for the overwrought and the
unhappy But his benevolence did not rest
passive. H1StnetlCal demands IN Iie case VI TINS
artist we're never allowed to override ethical
law. In his more. active days no slight portion
of his time and not overhowing means given
to charity. and especially to the reclamation of
women whose lives had been marred by evil
training in childhood and youth. by dire poverty.
or by the treachery Of the other sex. practised
on unguided, too lavish too trustful affection.
Those who watched his youthful tendencies
doubtless ftly thought "artes honorable; but
when the youth himself had grown in spirit
we'll as body enough to realize all the re-
sponsibilities Of worthy manhood he evidently
none the less honoring the arts-said in his
heart Homo sum, ct humani nihil a me
alienum puto."
The artistic output Of Huntington and East
man Johnson contributed much 10 the prestige
of the several associations in which they held
membership but the former know and the lat
ter l think quite recognized the worth of the
quid pro quo returning through their close rela-
tions with the personnel and the atmosphere Of
such fraternities as the Academy Of Design
the Society of American Artists and the Cen
tury Club. Mr Huntington for years presided
over the first and last named Of these assocta-
tions. and. though he rested in his latter years
from active participation therein. he retained 70
the full his interest in and sympathy for them
So. indeed. he did regards every other or
ganization sincerely and altruistically con-
Quoted. 10 his apprehension, in behalf OF the
development and advancement Of genuine art
in any of its fields. Years ago, referring to
paper Of mine published by the American In
stitute of Architects which included protest
against the practical exclusion of architecture
from representation in the membership OF the
Academy he expressed his regret for that fact
and his hope that in time the prejudice of some
of his fellow painters might be overcome /
may add that 1 did not dispute the relevancy or
his accompanying remark that by that time the
roll of architectural practitioners might aHord
the Academy a fuller opportunity To dtsCrim-
mate for selection between archltects ana
'artchiteks'
10 verbosity or self assertion. did not fail when
convenient opportunity afforded TO set forth his
views quite distinctly on any quesuon pertain pil
ing 10 the fine arts and the bodies more or less
efficiently representing them | particularly
recall a pretty long conversation l had Win
him in his own house some years ago, when
had the satisfaction of receiving his prompt
assent to my proposition that artists-seldom
richer in historic lore than most 1aymen-reaIly
tend to beIittIe art. and sometimes. indeed. 70
pOstDona their own professional success by IN
sisting that examples of true art were unknown
to their neighbors till they themselves appeared
on the scene and handled its vehicles Such
cOmplacenCy cOmpOrts best with the failure 20
foresee that the rising tyros Will In a decade OF
two raIegaue their immediate seniors work 20
the same limbo assigned by the latter 10 their
own predecessors, while, on the other hand al Z
critics destroy their usefulness to art and thelr
own prestige by-as soon as the public has ac-
cepted an artist-classifying his prehninarles'
his experiments his most inchoate studies. MS
merast memoranda with his serious matured'
finished output
AS with most artists. Mt Huntingtons por-
traits were not invariably Of equal merit
whether as regards technical points or thelr
likeness to his sitters; but II is safe 10 say that
his high place in portraiture. even outside OF ths
limited list you produce. viii be freely granted
by future as we'll as by present connolsseu eurs iS.
Rv the way. one rather wonders why that hSI
fails 10 include the portrait of the Robert Col
gate Of a generation ago. which might wen oe
placed at or very close 10 the head OF Danlel
Huntington's professional achievements AZ
least in the line of pOrtraiture.
A ]. BLOOR-
Cambridge. Mass. April p, 1906