Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-05
ART NOTES.

coran Gallery of Art with a prl-
vate and press view and an
evening reception. In the upper
galleries will be set forth a collection of
! at least 400 paintings by living American
artists, and in the atrium will be shown
large representation OF the works In
| sculpture of the late Augustus Saint
| Gaudens. The former has been assem-
| bled by the Corcoran Gallery manage
| ment and the latter by the American In
| stitute of Architects through the gener-
Gus cooperation of various individuals
| Both constitute important events. and to-
| gether they offer a feast such as Wash
| ington art lovers have never previously
| had sIGead before them. One does not have
| TO have very long memory to recall the
modest exhibitions held I'm former years
| by the Society of Washington Artists in
| the assembly hall of the Cosmos Club.
| which were then the only art event OF
| the winter. To be sure the Corcoran Gal
| lery at that time owned fair collection
| OF pictures. hut 1t was still in its old
building, merely dignif1ed. placid and
| complacent. The change came, In meas
| ure with the removal to the new build
| Ing. which afforded generally better ac-
commodatlons and gallery specially
wei adapted for the purpose Of transient
| exhibitions. From the time that the So
| ciety Of Washington Artists began hold
| ing it's exhibitions in the hemcycle hall.
at the Corcoran Gallery, it began to widen
ITS interests, ceasing to exhibit merely
| local works, and each year advancing its
standard. Finally the small displays
| held under its auspices were proportion
ately as good as the larger and more
| ambitious ones set forth in neighboring
| cities. Doubtless the merit of these eX-
| hibitlons demonstrated possibilities and
! led the Corcoran Gallery to take UP and
carry on the work, which had literally
outgrown the local organization.
| The first exhibition of contemporary
American paintings which the Corcoran
| Gallery set forth was held In February,
| 1907 and proved an eminent success. No
sooner was 1t accomplished than Wash
| 1ngton came to the front in the art world
ton. New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
| which are recognized art centers. That
| exhibition was spoken of as the Amer
| lean salon." and at least 1t went far to-
such an institution. Largely by the ex-
| cellence of that. exhibition and the inn
preston 1t made from the national as
peet was Mr.. William T. Evans moved to
| can artists to the National Gallery. And
to the same cause is due the generous
prizes which at this time have been
awarded. Senator W. A. Clark being so
deeply imbued with the merit of the
work that he then gave $1,000 to be dis
tributed in prizes when the second exhibit
| ton should be held. Thus it will be pat
ent that heavy responsibility was laid
upon those who assembled the present
collection. though at the same time i'm
petus was lent their labor. From these
and other reliable witnesses it is learned
that this exhibition not only equals but
exceeds in interest the last-that 1t is
even more representative. significant and
| enjoyable And this is saying much.
| The Saint Gaudens' exhibition also is a
| large asset. comprising majority of the
works shown in the Metropolitan Mu-
scum last spring. and several not hereto
| fore exhibited. Without having seen the
exhibition in New York 1t would be hard
| to form conception of this, for sculpture
| exhibitions are not frequent occurrences
and such would be far to seek. 1t is In
teresting. however. to know that in this
exhibition will be included plaster casts
| of both statues of Lincoln. modelled by
Mr.. Saint Gaudens for Chicago-one an
early and the other almost his last work
of the Victory subsidiary to the Sher-
man in New York the lovely Amor
! Caritas' OF the Luxembourg and the
Adams memorial In Rock Creek cemetery.
| considered by some the most notable Of
all. And it may be told that no pains
have been spared In making the display
| beautifully effective. screens being built.
draperies hung and each exhibit thought
| fully located. Indeed when Sir Purdon
Clarke. the director OF the Metropolitan
| Museum. was In the city fortnight ago
| lie Sdlu tIldl Judging ITOI Wndt
even then was done the exhibition would
| far surpass that held in his own institu-
| ton. From Tuesday morning to the 18th
| OF January these exhibitions will be omen
to the public. both on weekdays and dur
ing the usual hours and Sunday after
| noon.
VARIOUS factors seem at the present
| time to be drawing artists Of dis
| tincton to Washington. If perchance one
| familiar with vanishing day at the
National Academy of Design had passed
| through an upper corridor In the House
| of Representatives office building last Sat
| urday one might well have rubbed ones
| eyes. so many familiar faces would have
| been seen. The occasion was hearing
on free art given by the ways and means
committee. an event long anticipated and
even at the last, twice postponed. It was
scheduled originally for half-past 9 in the
morning. then put off until 2. and finally
| transpired at s. In the meantime some
of the artists came and went, while others
| listened as patiently as possible to dis
cussion of free hides. catgut and wool
grease. At the hearing in the evening
| some excellent speeches were made and
several elaborate briefs were presented
Mr.. Robert Underwood Johnson, associate
editor of the Century Magazine. made an
excellent plea for free art, emphasizing
| its educati onal value, telling of how great
| the demand is now for art In the maya
zines. how strongly pictures appeal. how
! great is the need of cultivation and wide
would be the. benefit Of a removal OF the
tariff. 1t was not the city people alone
| he claimed, that would be benefited, but
| those who live In the country and must
! travel to procure advantages. He was
| followed by Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page of
| this city, who told of the: conditions in
| certain parts of Vrginia-of the meaning
| Of pictures to the people-and reminded
| the committee that it was the American
artists themselves who were protesting
against being protected. Mr.. Carroll
Beckwith spoke for the artists impassion-
ately and Mr.. Karl Bitter for the sculp-
| tors, Doth vigorously urging the removal
of the tariff.
| stitution coming in close contact with
| Art Museum of Boston and Art Insti-
| tute of Chicago both spoke. the former
referring to the importance in the indus
| tries of trained taste and art knowledge.
| Mr. James b. Townsend, the editor of the
American Art News. was one of the few
who raised dissenting voice. and he merely
urged the placing Of a specific duty of
| $1G0 on all paintings less than one hun
| dred years old. in order, while admitting
| great paintings to keep out merely COM
mercial Trash. The brief presented by the
| Free Art League an organization several
! thousand strong. with chapters in al
| most every state in the Union, is an in
! terest,ng volume containing arguments