The Washington times., 1908-12-18
PROPOSED ART LAW
CLOSELY WATCHED
Removal of Tariff Not Ex-
pected to Stop Sales
of Frauds.
500 CUSTOMS DUTY
is ONE SUGGESTION
Beautiful Creation of Leonard
Ochtman Has Been Bought
for Corcoran Gallery.

for Corcoran Gallery
Present indications concerning the at
ten 2t OF the American Free Art League
TO nave the tariff removed from works
OF art which were produced prior 10
1850 tend TO the conclusion that while
Congress may not enact a law IN the
form recommended. something undoubt-
eddy will be done by Congress. and that
a new era for art in the United States
Is at hand. Whether this will be an era
without Disadvantages only the actual
test Of the proposed plans will decide.
II now seems that the brief and
arguments presented by the Amer
lean Art News suggest instead OF
law providing for free entry one
10 place a specific duty of 500 upon
each work OF art OF foreign pro-
duction- Such a measure will have
its supporters among those who con-
slider that the fine arts are not so much
OF a necessity that they should be re-
heved from proper contribution TO the
revenues of the country. and that such
legislation will effectually dispose of the
recessity OF the formation OF a board Of
the Secretary of the Treasury intrust5d
with the duty Of determining whether
a work OF art is Of educational value.
and, what is far more difficult. the
duty Of determining whether the work
was produced prior to 1850.
II Is evident. however, that any Iegis-
latiOn will be Intellectual to guard the
unsuspecting purchaser from being de-
ceived concerning spurious work OF art
a specific duty Of si00 will be no OBJ
stacle 10 turn from his purpose the
man intent upon deception. when the
sale OF the counterfeit picture may be
wrapped up in a transaction involving
many thousands OF dollars. nor would
the free Importation OF works Of art
produced prior 10 1850 stamp. such works
with a hallmark OF Eenuineness,
upon which the Incompetent could safe
iy rely.
New Acquisition.
One OF the most important purchases
made by the trustees Of the Corcoran
Gallery OF Art from the present ex-
hibitiOn Of paintings Is November
Morning" by Leonard Ochtman, now on
exhibition in Gallery G, No. 80 This
purchase is important for the reason
that thus far Mr. Ochtman Is not rep
resented by any picture In the perma-
nent collection OF the Corcoran Gallery,
or in the collection Of paintings as
sernbIed by William T. Evans IN his
gift 10 the National Gallery. The more
important reason, however. is that the
picture is a valuable accession as a
work OF art, the only desirable test I'm
adding to a collection the work Of a
painter who is yet in the field OF art
activities.
November Morning is a landscape
whose full qualities are not comprehend
ed in a hasty glance The first sensa-
tion will probably be that OF pleasing,
although not striking. color qualities.
In the composition there is but little
out or the ordinary. in fact. those who
have studied nature closely and are
fond OF the fields, have probably seen
material fully as attractive as this a
score OF times without being moved bv
its beauty. Its rarer qualities are more
Of temperament than Of fact. although
what is presented has been painted ad-
mirably. The rolling and slightly IN
even slope Of the closely cropped pas
ture is green and brown where patches
OF fern abound.
Dew covered under the chill and frosty
air it possesses a quality of early morn
ing Of real and not imaginars value.
The scattered trees in the middle dis
lance are leafless and gray. The sun
is just above the horizon, slightly OBJ
secured by the hanks of clouds in a
MINDLESS sky. These are the facts as
sembled by Mr.. Ochtman. A cold field
an2 drear under the sunrise
Of what does not promise TO be a cheer
ful day, but closely study the picture
under the varying light Of the gallery.
and you will find that its color changes
that the sun at times seems 10 be more
dimly seen th.tn at others. and the SEN
Sation of dnTiag clouds: OF motion
among the CLOUD forms in an apparent
~ MINDLESS sky, is conveyed by the
slightly varying light Qualities like
these are not the result of chance but OF
that knowledge of conditions which en-
ables the painter TO endOw his work
with suggestive qualities which pro-
duce upon the mind impressions never
to be aroused by a mere recital of facts
told in a manner OF eY2ctneSS which
leaves no part for the imagination to
perform.
Celebrated Collector.
One of tho most celebrated art col
lectors OF this country, Charles /. Freer.
Of Detroit. Mich. has been in the city
for the past two days. Although a man
OF large business interests, his relaxs-
ton is found in art collecting. He found
time to visit the exhibition Of Robert
Reid in the Forrest Hall studio in
Georgetown.
The cooperation OF Mr.. Freer IN the
present exhibition at the Corcoran Gal
lery has been of great assistance 10
the success of the exhibition and II
tunity to examine some OF the paint
ings which are included in his Gift TO
the Smithsonian Institution. known as
the Freer collection.
Among the pictures referred to is the
portrait OF President Roosevelt, bv
Carl Melchers, THE Virgin" by Alb
bolt Thayer, two excellent Tryons, ana
a fine example of the work Of Dewing,