The Washington times., 1907-02-24

In art matters there are always
some to inquire whether art is appre-
ciated in this city 1t is no. unusual
to hear TIRE assertion that this city
has less real interest in art than other
cities OF the same population This
claim is without foundation. and TO
make il either shows an ignorance OF
real conditions. or such "A pessimistic
view Of affairs in general as 70 make
the opinion valuelsss.
AS an evidence that the people Of
Washington feel a deeper interest in
art, and a greater appreciation of the
best in art, in proportion TO the pOpu-
latiOn, than any other city in the coun-
try, il is well TO remember that the
attendance at the exhibition at the Cor
coran Gallery Of Art IS far I'm excess
Of the attendance at other exhibitions
Of this character in other cities of a
much larger population. In Philadel-
phia. during the 1920 annual exhibition
at the Pennsylvania Academy OF Fine
Arts. which has just closed, the at
tendance during twenty-five days, ac-
cording 20 a Philadelphia paper, was
31,948. while the attendance at the
CorcOran Gallery during eleven days
was above 10000.
The comparison between the cities Is
hardly fair for the reason that the
population Of Philadelphia Is nearly
five times as gree, as that Of Wash
ington- 1t is interesting. however, to
know that in Washington the proper
ton OF persons interested in art in
proportion TO it's population is prob
ably double that Of any other city in
the country
The reasons for this condition are evil
dent TO any who have ever given the
subject consideration. The residence in
this city Of a large number Of persons
In the service Of the Government. whose
educational advantages have been Of the
best. combined with a large number Of
people Of culture and wealth. who have
been attracted TO washington has
given to our population an unusual per-
centage of people who are interested in
art
At the Corcoran Gallery the attend
ance still continues 10 surprise the
most enthusiastic. Last Wednesday
afternoon a large delegation Of teachers
from the public schools visited the ex-
hibi1ion and We're conducted through
the different galleries by Mr.. Messer,
the principal Of the COrcoran School
OF Art Mr. Messer enIivened the pill
grimage with brief discussions Of some
OF the more prominent pictures. eX-
planning from the standpoint OF an ar
list the reason why the various pic
lures appealed especially TO painters.
Pictures Of Big Game.
At the Cosmos Club there has been
placed on exhibition an unusual collec-
ton Of works in oil by Carl Rungius,
whose speciality is studies OF big game
In this particular he occupies the same
place among painters. as Edwin kemeys
occupies among sculptOrs. The pictures,
some twenty in number, are Of elk.
moose, deer, antelope, caribou, bear,
and mountain sheep, which are pre-
scented in connection with the topograph-
zeal and pictorial characteristics Of the
sections OF country in which these ami
mails are found.
In the treatment Of these various sub
jets one popularity IS noted. and that
is that the pair Ter has one kind Of ap-
probation for the game which he has
studied, and another appreciation for
the surroundings IN which the game is
found. This IS better understood when