The San Francisco call., 1909-01-17
Art Notes.
ME holiday reaction is making
itself felt in the studios and
as q consenuenca little work

The works necessary for these re-
curing exhibitions are often produced
under the most hampering conditions,
much Of painters time being fire.
quently absorbed by the needs of the
classes he instructs, while private
pupils absorb a large part of what may
be left. Consequently a painters own
work is carried on in the few hours
he may snatch from the duties he is
compelled to perform for livin@ The
wonder is that work of any cl-i.a to
merit at all is the result
That work Of the high standard
which frequently prevails in these local
exhibitions is possible speaks very
strongly and in unmistakable terms for
the courage and persistency of the
men who make steady progress and
velopment of art conditions under the
trying and often discouraging circum-
stances of lack of time and bodily and
mental fatigue.
The agitation rife in art circles in
the east upon the question Of free art
has resolved itself into a petition
signed by 66 American artists that,
according to the New York Herald. will
go far toward proving to congress that
some OF the leading figures in Ameri-
can art urgently favor the repeal of
the tariff on works of art. Signed by
such men as st. Gaudens, In his life
time; Edwin A. Abbey. George de For
rest Brush, William Chase. Daniel
French and many other well known
artists the petition reads:'
We, the undersigned American ar
lists, feeling that We represent the
general sentiment in the profession,
art added to the free list. We wish
to point out that ours. is the only i'm
portant country which, for purposes
or taxation, proceeds upon the theory
that works of art are a luxury. We
believe that they should be regarded
as objects of education rather than as
greatest of civilizing forces, constantly
dimusing refinement and culture, and
that tax upon them violates the sound
principles of taxation, inasmuch as it
is a tax upon education.
The exemption in favor of art works
for public museums is inadequate, as
our museums are poorly endowed and
rely almost wholly on private dona-
tions. Over so per cent OF the foreign
works of art in our public museums
have been compelled to pay duty in
spite of the exception showing that
the tax acts as constant force to
hamper the growth of our public col
A noted Philadelphia artists says:
I'VE want the work Of the greatest
masters in art brought to America by
all means. and 1t is high time that
the United States government takes a
more active interest In the matter
America being now almost the only
civilized nation that does not lend its
aid to the advancement of the fine arts
IF America, therefore. is to have the
highest and fullest development of its
art 1t should have the advantage of
all the treasures of the old world, un-
hampered by the restrictions Of a high
tariff. This would be of immeasurable
Anw - %4-Lr. e
of America and would largely prevent
the yearly exodus to Europe, where so
many Of them go to remain; 1t would
no doubt in time also tend to develop
a distinctly American school of art"
Miss Mary Cassatt. the famous artist
born in Pittsburg and a student in her
emy of Fine Arts. is an American
artist winning enviable renown, who
prefers to spend her life abroad rather
than return to America, where the op-
portunities for beholding and studying
great masterpieces are too few to be
profitable. A note in the Philadelphia
Ledger, speaking Of Miss Cassatt's re-
turn to Philadelphia after a long ab-
sence on the continent, says:
Miss Cassatt is practically a Phila-
delphian, but being an ardent student
and finding in America a lack of ade-
learn and draw inspiration for her
work she went abroad to study the
works OF the great Spanish. French
and Italian masters and has remained
IN Europe ever since.
Surely a vivid commentary on the
outlook for aspiring students in Amer
icai 1t is to be hoped that the re-
moyal of the tariff from European
works of art will soon be an accom-
plished fact
Another method of diffuslng art
knowledge among the general public
is found in the suggestion of Chi
cago artist, that rotary exhibitions
be held in the public schools. The
little travelling galleries, as they might
be called, will be taken by the school
board from school to school. remaining
month In each building. This sys-
tenn of art education" said an artist
interested in the success of this
scheme, has nothing to do with what
is known as technical education in
art. 1t has nothing to do with the
classes in drawing or design, in the
ability to paint a pansy on a plaque
or to paint the leaf Of a cattail with.
one stroke of the brush. or to talk
mysteriously about the ruins of Egypt
or Greece. What I mean Is not the
ability to execute but the ability to
knowledge of what is going on today.
In other words, to cultivate art intelli-
gence among the children as a whole.
"The walls Of our schoolrooms are
full of views Of the Parthenon from
the northwest the forum from the
southeast the coliseum from the east
at a. M and perhaps silent sphinx
or two. have found by talking with
the children of the different schools
that they thought that art was some
thing that pertained to ancient his
tory and was always buried under a
pile of stones. OF the beauty Of a
Corinthian column of the fifth order
they had no conception. Is It to be
wondered at? knowledge of American
art should accompany the study of
American history. The same method
should be pursued with French. Ger
man and italian history. Do you sup
pose If we had an art public trained
in this manner that there would be
more Corots in this country than Corot
ever painted, or that spurious, paint
ings could be foisted on art collectors?
Europe has a trained and appreciative
art public, and this may be one of the
means toward procuring the same thing
over here"
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