The Washington herald., 1907-03-10
ART GIFT IS COMING
Evans Collection Will Be
Shipped at Once.
GOES TO NATIONAL GALLERY
VIII BE Temporarily Loaned to the
COrcOrnn-Pfctures valued at $780,
600 Comprise Some of Best Works
OF Modern Artists-Mr. Evans an
Exceptional Keen Patron.

Works Of art aggregating about 100000
In value have been presented to the Ma
tional Gallery by William T Evans. Of
Montclair, n. J. The gift consists Of
forty elegant paintings b. the best Amer
lean artists.
The display Is to be brought 70 Wash
ington at once 1t Will be known as the
William T. Evans collection" Owing TO
the lack of room in the National Gallery
the exhibit will be placed in the atrium
Of the Corcoran Gallery as a loan coIlee-
ton.
Among the paintings In the collection
are works by such living painters as John
La Fargo, Francis Murphy, Henry W.
Ranger, Louis Paul Desser. Ralph Albert
Blakelock. and Winslow Homer Paint
ings which are also Of great value by
such men as John r. Twachtman, George
Inness Homer Martin, and Alexander H.
Wygant are among the specimens.
Twenty-Five Years "A Collector.
The Evans collection, which is one Of
unusual merit. is the work of a connois-
seur of works Of art for many years. The
addition TO the national collection is re-
ceiying many favorable comments on ac-
count Of the rarity Of the pictures and
the high standing Of the painters who
contributed TO the collection
For more than twenty-five years Mr..
/ Evans has been interested In art collec-
tons. He became interested in art at
a time when the works Of American
/ painters had hardly been recognized TO
! the full extent Of their real merits. He
greatly encouraged the work of the paint
! ers Of this country and it IS said that no
+ one has done more than he in bringing
/ about recognition of American painting
and action to stimulate its progress.
Buys from Artists Direct.
Collecting only the best and buying DE-
/ rectly from the artists themselves, is one
/ of the ways that Mr.. Evans has bestowed
! his patronage. Seven years ago he sold
/ his collection so as 10 be able to purchase
/ more wall space and continue purchases
/ OF other paintings This sale. together
/ with that of the Clark collection. OF the
/ year before, is said 10 have set a CONNER
/ cial value for American works Of art
/ and marked the inception of several
American collections that have since be
come notable.
Since he began his last collection, moro
than 90 works Of Unquestioued standing
have been secured. These paintings are
now al his home at M0ntclair. From this
{ collection the gift 20 the National Gal
/ lery Is 10 be taken and many Of the
finest works Of art will be among those
I that are 90 be transferred 10 this city
1t is said that there is no collection in The
/ United States Of American paintings thai
either equals or compares IavOrably ig
size or merit with that OF Mr.. Evans.
Strives for Advancement OF Art.
Mr.. Evans was largely responsible FOL
the institution and success of the Com
paTalive Exhibition OF Native and For.
eign Art" which was held in New Yori
three years ago. Nineteen Of the can
vases shown in that exhibit were from
Mr. Evans private collection, several o
which are 10 be included In the gift I,
the National Gallery.
The opening Of the National Art
Clubs new home In Gramercy square las
fall was snaugurated by an exhibition
from Mr.. Evans collection. Recently thu
Wiuslow Homer shown in the Pennsyl
vanid Academy's exhibition IN Philadcl
phia, and various canvases in the Cor
coran Gallerys current display were Ike
wise loaned By Mr.. Evans.
From the very beginning Nlr. Evans Ia,
been generous with his possessions, an,
/ ever ready to assist in the advancement
Of the interests Of the American artist
His gift 10 the National Gallery is actu
ated by national pride, accompanied by
desire 10 advance the cause Of art,