Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-21

came up here. where | have all the COM
forts of winter studio and a good north
window to work by The Hill as this end
of the town is called, never was SO full OF
summer people as this year, and the young
people have been very gay. The country is
as lovely as ever and l have not seen one
warm. uncomfortable day, Ir. Noser is
trying to arrange to have the date of the
annual exhibition of the Washington Water
Color Club of which he is the president,
fixed for January this year instead of No
vember. as 1t will then come in better sea-
son and not conflict with out-of-town shows.
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Again and again some one is heard 10
remark that there is no art appreciation in
America, and yet very recently little book
has been published which contain the
names of six thousand art collectors and
patrons in New York Boston. Philadel-
phia Chicago. Washington and smaller
American cities. To be sure some nay be
included on this list who are merely inter
ested. but equally probable is II that 9TH
ers deeply so have been omitted In the
eyes of foreigners the American collector
Is in fact portentous person both TO be
courted and to be feared. A note of warn
ing was sounded in Germany not IOng ago
urging vigorous legislation to prevent the
wholesale Importation of European art
treasures to America, and now that 1t is
almost certain that at least the greater
here the German wiseacreS are sadly nod
ding their heads leading English art
journal recently published an article on the
astute judgment OF American collectors
which pUt some things In new light and
showed that despite some laundering they
had most often made discrete choice. In
deed, If an inventory could be taken of Inc
private collections in this country it would
be found that America is richer in art
treasures than many of her citizens be-
ieve.
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Mr.. ]. F1erpont Morgan. who is perhaps
one of the most Unsuitable American col
lectors has made, among other things, a
speciality of miniatures. and of these is said
to have one of the finest collections in the
world. So valuable, in fact, is his collec
Il 4 and so highly is it esteemed that Mr..
Morgan is having a catalogue of it made
which will in itself be work Of art. There
will be o:-.y ten copies in the first edition
and each of these will cost $500. There
will be groups of miniatures on every page
reproductions made on ivory b. skilled ar
tists-and all the printing and binding will
be done by hand The first two issued are
for President Roosevelt and King Edward
and the remaining eight will go to royal
collectors. There will also, however. be a
second and third edition, and the last will
consist of fifty copies which are to be dis
tributed among art museums and educa-
tional institutions in this country. This
reads somewhat like pleasant fiction and
may be Condemned as an extravagant freak,
but its object Is the multiplication Of I'M
questioned works of art and the distribu-
ton of real treasures among many.
And after all, there is no type OF portrait
more attractive or satisfactory than the
miniature. If properly handled 1t may be
SO finished md yet so personal-quite as
vigorous as an oil painting and yet less in
sistent. New York and Philadelphia both
have societies of miniature painters, which
hold annual exhibitions and show much
good worn In this city there are quite
number who make a specially of this work
and who from time to time contribute to
these exhibitions.
Miss Hattie E. Burdette has just finished
a charming transcription in miniature of
Van Dyck's portrait of Maria Henrietta,
the child wife of William ii of Orange. and
is now at work upon portrait Of Mr. Rich
ard Adams little daughter. Both IRE on
two t1,ax-