Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-06
The Washington Salon.

With the opening tonight of the first ma
tional exhibition of paintings at the Cor
COran Gallery of Art Washington advances
materially toward the point of becoming a
great American art center. 1t has been pro-
crossing in that direction for years. The
establishment of the Corcoran gallery and
its maintenance upon a high artistic plane
furnished the broad foundation. Gradually
the advantages of the capital as not only
place To work but as a field for exhibition
have been appreciated by the artists of this
country and they have been coming here in
such numbers as to give practical force to
the idea that here is the future meeting
place of all who are interested in art. The
gift of the famous Freer collection to the
Smithsonian Institution while not yet com
plete in the matter of actual transfer. has
greatly facilitated movement which is
based upon the essential requirements Of
an art center. Here are gathered repre-
sentatives of all parts of the United States
and of all nations. Here concentrate all the
currents of the national intellectual life
Here are the vital expressions Of the Amer
lean civilization in it's relationship to the
whole world of thought and action.
These elements have during the last few
years been widely recognized by both
artists and appreciators of art. and the
consequence is that from all sides are con-
stantly heard expressions of the hope and
the belief that in time Washington will pos
sess a great national gallery and will be
the scene of exhibitions of national art on
large and widely representative scale.
The salon now opening is a beginning in
that direction. The start is most encourage
Ing In the number of paintings, in their
distinctly high grade and in the standing of
their creators this exhibit is notable. not
only for Washington but for the country
With such a start the Washington salon
should develop into an Institution of estab-
lished prestige and should indeed become
a standard for the western art world
Encouraging public appreciation of this
exhibition is assured. The people of Wash
fngton are keenly interested in art works
and many of them ar, highly educated in
this form OF cultural expression. The pub
lie taste, indeed. is well developed through
study and travel. The salon itself will
greatly stimulate this interest and it may
not be do'ibted that next years exhibition
will be eagerly awaited by even larger
number of people who are capable of dis
eliminating jud 1ment.., -r Ma.
Great credit is due to the trustees of the
,orCordH GaAlery OIL ATT Tor their enter
prise and public spirit and. to the other
donors of prizes: whose cooperation has
made il possible TO enlist the interest and to
encourage the participation of Sc many art
lists of the first order of merit. Such enter
prise is constructive and is deserving of
the warmest communication. The example
thus set should be and doubtless will be fol-
lowed by others, whose ample means enable
them to participate in a movement which
ma.ies for the encouragement of American
art. the development of the public taste and
the evolution of the national capital into
the recognized center of the western art
world