Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-04

1t is fully expected that he will make the
proposition to Congress in his next mes
sage. The building when authorized will
unquestionably be erected to front, like the
new National Museum. upon the grand
boulevard which, according to the plans
OF the park commission, Is to traverse the
Mall. from the Capitol to the Potomac
The national collections have, by order of
the secretary of the Smithsonian. been
placed In charge of Prof. VIM. H. Holiness
chief Of the bureau of American ethnology,
who has achieved merit as painter It
has been proposed to house the national
gallery in the great castellated Smithsonian
building after the removal Of its present
natural history collections to the new Ma
tional Museum and pending the erection of
the national gallery.
National Portrait Gallery Also.
One space of the national gallery. when
built, will probably be devoted solely to a
national portrait gallery such as maintain
ed by the British government. The British
national portrait gallery was founded in
1885, but had no prospects Of a perma-
nent home until 1885, when William Henry
Alexander commenced its construction at
his own expense upon site in the rear OF
the national gallery. Its cost to Mr.. Alexan-
der was StCO.0CO and to the government
100000. In 1896 1t was opened with $50
portraits. but the collection has now grown
to include over 100 Tae standing rule of
the trustees, in adding to the collections, Is
to consider the historic importance of the
subject rather than the artistic merit OF
the painter. This portrait gallery is
great aid to students Of English history
and of English costume. 1t presents a pic
Otral history of England from the time of
Robert. Duke of Normandy. represented by
an electrotype of his wooden effgy upon
his monument in Gloucester Cathedral.
Many of the early English notables are
thus immortalized at the national portrait
gallery in electrotype reproductions of
statues. as we'll as in facsimiles of portraits
on old enamels. tracings from mural deco
rations. drawing from stained-glass win
dows and, in fact. In many other processes
exclusive of portrafture upon canvas. AS
far as America is concerned. 1t already
has scattered about the public buildings in
Washington sufficient portraits OF the ma
TONS great men and women to make an ex-
celent showing If assembled In one space.
In the White House there is collection of
the portraits OF the Presidents and their
wives. while each department building dis
plays those of it's successive executive
heads The House of Representatives has
collection of the portraits of its many
Speakers and the Senate similar exhibit.
in oil. of the Vice Presidents. Besides
these there are hundreds of other portraits
and statues Of the nations great tucked
away in various odd and often obscure cor
ners. All of these should unquestionably be
collected in the national gallery of art
and arranged in series for the benefit of the
multitudes Of pilgrims who constantly visit
the capital Apparently, the Smithsonian
already has the authority. by statute. to
take over all such portraits now in WASH
inston as are the property of the United
States.
England's National Gallery.
Now that we are to have a national gal
lery of our own. 1t is Of interest to know
how those Of our great world neighbors
have been builded. England's national gal
lery was not founded until 1924. when the
government purchased thirty-eight pictures
which had been collected by John julius
Angerstein. This was the nucleus-a mere
drop In the bucket compared with that
about which we already have to build. Par
lament paid about $3.50. OG0 for the pictures
and gave $4,000 for incidental expenses of
exhibiting the collection in Mr.. Angerstein's
house. Two years later Sir George Beau
mont added sixteen valuable masterpieces