Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-27
A NATIONAL GALLERY
First Step Toward Its ReaIiza-
ton Taken.
HALL IN NATIONAL MUSEUM
Remade Into Picture and Exhibition
Gallery.
HARRIET LANE JOHNSTON
Bequest Of Paintings and Historic
Relics to the National Government
Now In Its Custody.
HARRIET

The first step toward the realisation Of IA
National Gallery Of Art has been taken.
The lecture hall Of the National Museum
has been remade into q picture and exhibit
tion gallery and therein have been placed
the Harriet Lane Johnston collection. some
casts from the antique and work OF
sculpture by Edward Kemeys. This was
opened to the public yesterday and gives
concrete form to an interesting project.
A National Gallery of Art. under the
sponsorship Of the Smithsonian Institution.
Is not a new proposition. Justice Stafford
did not. as has been commonly reported.
find mislatd organisation when he de-
clared the existence OF q National Gallery
of Art In his decision relating to the Harriet
Lane Johnston bequest- According to the
charter Of the Smithsonian Institution. It
has always been the rishtful custodian Of
all works of art belonging to the federal
government. and when Its first board Of
regents met plans for national gallery
were discussed and determined upon.
Curiously interesting is the report of the
special committee which had this work in
should include boti, paintings and sculp-
ture, as well as engrarings and architectu-
raj designs; and II Is desirable to have In
connection with 1t one or more studios In
terruption, being admitted under such regu-
lations as the board may prescribe. Your
committee also think that. as the collection
Of paintings and sculpture viii probably &C
cumulate slowly, the room destined for
gallery OF art might properly and usefully
meanwhile be occupied during the sessions
OF Congress as an exhibition room for the
works Of artists generally, and the extent
and general usefulness Of such an exhibit
ton might probably be increased II an ar
ransement could be effected with the Acad-
envy of Design, the Arts Union, the Artists
Fund Society and other associations OF
similar character, 50 az to concentrate at
the metropolis for a certain portion Of each
winter the best results Of talent in the fine
arts
The Beginning Set Forth.
Here was the beginning practically set
forth. and as a further earnest OF belief In
the establishment Is the record Of the pur-
chase. in 1S49 Of the valuable March col
lection Of prints and engravings at q cost
Of about $4,000: Later on other accessions
were made. though OF less value. and
gradually. on account Of the greater ur-
gency of other matters. the original scheme
was showed under. II not forgotten.
Mr.. Freer's offer of his art collection to
the nation through the, smithsonian Insti-
tuition, made two years ago about this time.
again focused interest In this direction.
Later came the Harriet Lane Johnston be-
quest calling for immediate action. and
now the national gallery has literally
made a beginning
The Freer collection, which consists Of
Ter. works by Abbott Thayer,' T. ,w.@Dew-
Ing and Dwight Tryon, oriental paintings
and pottery. valued at about $500 CO., has
been decided to the Smithsonian Institution.
but will be retained by the donor during
his lifetime. 1t Is eventually. however. to be
brought to Washington and will be housed
In a separate building. also the gift Of Mr..
Freer. to be designed under his super
vision and at least x,N0 ono While
this will be reckoned q part of the national
collection and will doubtless lead to the
development Of an original exhibition
scheme. 1t Is in measure thing apart
from the national gallery-a single unit
in itself. This and the question of per-
petual maintenance were among the stum-
acceptance but all difficulties were eventu-
ally cleared away. and six months ago the
formal transfer of the deed was happily
contaminated.
The Harriet Lane Johnston Bequest.
The Harriet Lane Johnston bequest was
of a different nature. Not appreclating the
fact that a National Gallery OF Art already
existed. Mrs. Johnston. President Blu
chanan's niece left her collection Of paint
Gallery. provided that institution comply
with certain impossible Ito them) restric-
lions. and be prepared to turn the gift over
at any time to a national gallery. should
y,
tees OF the Corcoran Gallery refused the in
heritance. and then 1t was discovered that,
according to the will of the teStator. the
collection must be claimed by the govern
ment or be dispersed. The heirs, or those
nearest of kin. were as anxious as the re-
gents of the Smithsonian that the collection
be kept together and an amicable suit es-
tablished the nations legal claim and gave
establishment to a national gallery.
Almost Immediately the collection was
transferred to the custody of the Smithso-
MAN. and the paintings-about fifteen in
number. chiefly by celebrated artists of the
early italian and English schools-were
placed in the regents room. While beauti-
fully arranged and pleasingiy set forth,
they could not there be opened to the in
spection Of the general public; hence 1t was
decided to convert the museum lecture hall
into temporary gallery.
This great room Is not an ideal gallery.
The natural lighting was in-planned for
this purpose; so the windows have been
closed completely and shielded electric
lighting instituted in its place The walls
have been tinted harmonious gray-green
and the appointments are all good. but GER
tain architectural features preclude the
happiest results. However. as beginning
1t Is admirable and for the present ade-
quate.
Only a First Step.
That it Is only a first step, an earnest of
good intent is certain. Now that this mat
ter has been definitely taken up IL will not
again lapse Interest has been awakened in
the project all over the country and the
Smithsonian authorities are going to &C
lively carry on the work. No definite plan
can be announced or. in truth, determined
upon until after the board of regents meets
and the matter Is given careful considera-
ton. The course that will be recommended
and probably pursued, however. will be,
first, the appointment OF capable curator
and then the remodeling Of the Smithsonian
Hall into series Of three connecting gal
leries- This can readily be done by the
means Of partition walls and skylights at a
comparatively small cost and would furnish
excellent exhibition facilities. The archi-
lecture of the Smithsonian Is peculiarly
charming, its environment specially artis-
tie, so that 1t seems indeed the logical home
for the infant enterprise. Later when this
Is outgrown other quarters could be pro-
vided and by then it Is thought the national
gallery would have indicated ITSELF
Many suggestions have been made as to
the character Of national gallery, some
writer's declaring that II should be re-
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