New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-10
Matters Of Art

are very good indeed, had tried to estab-
lish d museum Of varieties in the old
State House in Philadelphia, and he
brought TO it anatomical and other speci-
mems, together with sculptures and
paintings. Again, he started life class
in drawing, for the study Of the human
figure, and when no model could be
found the spirited veteran barred his own
muscular torso and took up his pose on
the models throne. In 1904 he founded
the Columbianum, intended as an in
stitution devoted to the arts. but this,
lie his earlier ventures, failed. Not
daunted, Peale kept up his efforts, and
the Pennsylvania Academy's seventy
founders, who signed on December %.
1905, the subscription agreement giving
| it legal life, were brought together by
this irdefatigable and farseeing man. 1t
was in Independence Hall that this
meeting was held, in the room of the
Continental Congress
Already the canny Philadelphians had
/ provided a forecast Of their later policy
! by enlistng the patronage and help Of
persons in high places. Benjamin West
was then president Of the Royal Acad-
envy, and to him In London they sent d
respectful notice Of his election as an
honorary member. West was pleased
by this tribute from his countrymen, and
he accepted the honor in handsome
letter, predicting that the next great
school of fine arts, "after Greece. Italy
and Flanders" would he in the United
States
/ Besides thus securing their artistic
lion, the active gentlemen of the new
Academy set promptly about erecting a
+ building To house their prospective col
| lcctions and exhibitions. A classic
/ structure was raised at Chestnut and
10th streets which lasted until it was
burned, in 1910 Young Nicholas Biddle,
I u Philadelphia, then secretary of the
American Legation in Paris, secured Il
number of first rate reproductions from
statues in the Louvre, with the aid OF
| Napolcon's influence, and these, with
/ gifts and requests that soon accrued,
| formed the nucleus of the collection.
| After the fire of 1916 the Academy was
rebuilt, and in 1876 the present building
at Broad and Cherry streets, few
/ squares north Of the citys axis, was
! erected, much OF the money being sub
! scribed through the efforts Of James
L. Claghorn, then the Academy's presi-
| dent. There are now TO be found, in
| quarters none too spacious, the perma-
I IL. tfS,.,s . r. as.In nF a
| which latter has given an impulse 20
many Of the best known American paint
ers and illustrators. There, also, are
| held the several yearly exhibitions or
! which the next will open on February D.
| 1912, comprising paintings in oils ana
sculpture by Americans.
While most Of the many New Aorh
pilgrims 10 the Pennsylvania Academy
| know il only as the seat of the mos'
| significant annual shows of American
! art held in this couIltry, and see 1t when
the permanent collections are tcmporar-
fly displaced by the exhibitions of cur
| rent work, it Is through its paintings by
carly Americans that the Academy holds
, rank as a museum. Benjamin West Is
OF not much more than historical I'M
portance--and he is not very important
at that--but the Academy has three or
his best compositions, including the
enormous Death or Pale Horse,
which was saved In spectacular man
ner from the AcadCmy's fire Of 1916 by
a fireman who, under a stream OF water
from, tho engines. cut the canvas hur-
riodlv from is frame. while its margins
were blstering. Matthew Pratt who
was one OF the earliest American por-
trait painters; Charles Wilson Pcale
his son, Rembrandt Pcalc Zone Of
eleven children grandiloquently namcd);
Thomas Su!y, john Wesley Jarvis John
Neagle, Bass Otie, Matthew Harris
Jouett, the Kentucky painter; Henry
Inman, and MANY another artist Of Il
century or 80 ago, are found here. The
academy most important group Of
PICTURES Is undoubtedly that by Gilbert
stuart There are twenty-one canvascs
by this arisiocratic painter, and they
include representative portraits. done Ia
the mans Characteristic style. Tho
LansdoVpe portrait Of Washington L.
here. Whether II be The replica, and that