The sun., 1908-05-22
The Indiscretions OF the Pillars Of Art.

The Indiscretions OF the Pillars OF Art.
Native art has attained the distinction
of being counterfeited. That is to say
the work Of some American artists is in
sufficient demand to stimulate its criminal
dead, more or less inconvenience attach
ing to fraudulent speculation with the
works of the living. Occasionally the
domain of extant painters is invaded, but
mostly with humorous intent or for subtle
purposes of advertisement.
There has been for some time privi-
legged acquaintance with the fact that it
was not very difficult to procure pictures
by INNEss, MARTIN and WYANT which
those lamented artists had not painted.
These were not great artists, but each
possessed an individual quality Of tone
which had it's charm; and tone is some
thing to which people who are learning
to be sensitive in respect Of pictures are
particularly susceptible. The knowledge
Of this furtive art industry has now be-
come general by reason Of dispute be-
tween a dealer in the same and one Of
his patrons, a gentleman belonging to
that important class described in the
newspapers as collectors.
Collectors" are always 'connoisseurs, I"
and in the profane marts of London and
Paris are distinguished by the term
"amateur dealers, which conveys deli
cate intimation that their conservation
to art is tempered with mild inclination
to trade. They are quite numerous
abroad and enjoy the execration Of the
orthodox dealers, with whose practices,
legitimate and illegitimate, they interfere.
The late Mr.. FORBES, chairman Of the
London, Chatham and Dover, was a
type. He collected the Barbizon and
modern French school of pictures, paper
ing his railway offices with them, and
was always ready to illustrate his devo-
tion to the cultivation of the arts by
selling half dozen Corots, Daubignys,
Rousseaus or Millets Of a morning before
lunch. Mr. FORBES was good man,
knew his subject well, as became his
older civilization, and practised whole
some circulation of his favorite school
We have not attained here to the stature
of Mr.. FORBES, but we have all the zeal
Of youthful proselytes and are growing
apace.
Our collectors" are very much the
same all over the world. Their connois-
seurship. almost professional in its
quality, is never proof against the wiles
of the trade. The late M. GRoULT, the
celebrated sago specialist of Paris and
a vehement collector accumulated no
less than sixty-three important Turner's,
of which that great master had really
painted one. M. GRoULT was an i'm
moral person and never either demanded
the return Of his money nor handed the
fiagitious dealer over to the police. He
preferred to wallow In his connoisseur-
ship, 30 to speak, and scorned to be in
formed.
1t appears to be indicated in the code
OF collectors that the ethical proceed
ure when one has acquired tasteful
and effective forgery is TO return it to
the dealer and demand reimbursement
Of the price. The dealer is then free to
sell the picture again and 80 widen his
scope OF imposture. 1t is only when the
merchant is obtuse and recalctrant and
refuses to compound his ignominy with
his customer that the latter is seized
with convulsive sense Of his moral
obligation to society and to art, and calls
in the constable. This course always
reflects credit upon the public spirit and
unselfshness of the collector and
serves to direct wholesome attention
to his eminence In the pursuit of art and
to the value Of the possessions which he
will disperse on the occasion Of his next
periodical swarm to the auction room.
The late GEORGE INNEss was an in-
dustrious, eccentric and much overrated
painter of landscapes, who had the sadly
mixed good fortune, shortly before his
end, to ride into an artificial and fictitious
reputation, the slow subsistence of which
recent disclosures will doubtless hasten.
His demise was followed by the appear
ance of an avalanche Of canvases which
were regarded with constantly growing
uneasiness, feeling which has ever
since attached to all but his best attested
works.
HOMER MARTIN was a most engaging
and charming personality. pathetic In his