Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-02
ART NOTES.

T-2 ~ UCH interest attaches to
"a III the announcement that there
will probably be held in this
!, a country next winter a loan
exhibition from Japan of rare
and renaT!5a lie examples of oriental art.
For IOnS time it has been the earnest
desire 0t a small group Of art lovers that
such an exhibition should b. held in
america. and after much thought plan
wa formulated and a proposition made.
This proposition came from a group of
Prom .nent gentlemen in Japan-a group
whinfl included several well-known COM
mercial and financial leaders. some mem
bers Of the present cabinet. administers
and representatives Of ancient noble
houses of the daimirs.
They are to select from the leading pri-
Vate collections of art i'll japan sutf-
Gent number OF rirst-c,ass sps cinens to
illustrate the true national art at its best
periods. and to send them over. on loan.
for exhibition i'll Washington ami other
cities of the United States. provided Il
responsible committee in this country
shall agree to receive them. care for
them. see that they are properly exhibit
ID and eventually returned 10 Japan.
The thought was that. III such d plan
could bs ma1ured il would not only lead
10 a better understanding of the wonder
1uI art OF the orient but tend toward &C.
mpnting friendship between people of
taste in the two nations. The proposition
las commercial aspect. as all the ar
ticles are to he imported in bond for ex-
hibition and returned intact Ia tn ir orig
inal owners In fact. it Is gu st.onable if
these exhibits could be purchased, as
they are the priced poss essions of thoSt;
who are keenly alive to their inherent
Charm-aTt lovers and collectors
The collection will include sculpture.
i1ti- -
works OF q kind rarely TO he seen outside
OF Japan. This is certainly an extraor-
binary opportunity. and If the cities to
which the exhibition is offered will give
fEia requisite financial support the plan
will assuredly he carried out. central
committee has been formed with repre-
santatives from the several cities and
these representatives are TO form local
committees.
Mr. A. J. Parsons and Miss f. r. Scd
more are the Washington representatives.
ard If the exhibition Is held here il will
be set forth in the Corcoran Gallery,
probably in February On tn" commit
tee Of organization are Mr.. Char,es l..
Freer Mr.. Ernest F. Fenollosa. Mr.. Ar
thur w Dow and Mr.. Howard Mansfield.
whose names naturally lend confidence.
Al present however, the outcome OF the
plan Is not assured. for many details
have To be arranged and the expense Of
transportation. exploitation and insur-
anca guaranteed
The aggregate value of this collection
ia estimated at about one million dollars,
and IL IL being brought from great dis
tance but If each of the nine cities TO
which 1t has boan offered will ray its pro-
tortional part the burden none could
be heavy. Those who have not seen the
great art works Of China and Japan
cannot Seeafize what this exhibition will
mean-to such 1t will indeed be a revela-
ton. II the plan can be carried through
the intention Is TO mako the exhibition of
educational value. setting il forth under
the most enlightened museum manage
support.