El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-30

" HE year 1911 has been a notable
one in Americana art history
American painting won recOgni-
ton fsom the greatest art critics Of
Europe as a result Of the exhibit made
in Rome in connection with the great
Roman exposition which closed last
month. At the Paris exposition in 1900
the United States exhibited some vaIu-
able paintings in galleries provided by
the French government, but for the RO-
man exposition congress made an appro-
priation to provide for the erection Of
home for American art which was
conspicuous for the attention it attract
ed throughout the entire exposition. The
cata1og Of paintings included origin
ais of the best work of all of the lead
ing American artists. The owners,
whether Institutions or private individ-
uals, Wed with each other in lending
their treasures to make a creditable
showing in Rome, the mother Of all
art"
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt sent the pOr-
trait of herself and daughter Ethel,
painted by Cecelia Beaux. and the
portrait collection included several by
y
their owners. The Metropolitan Museum
of Art Of New York, the Carnegie in
stitute of Pittsburg, and the chicago
Art institute sent many OF their most
important pictures and the result was
an exhibit of American art which IN
several respects was superior TO that
of any other nation 1t Is said that
no other was so popular with the royal
family Of Italy. The king ana queen
were especially fond OF the canVaSSeS
which illustrated phases OF American
life and portrayed scenes in New YORK
much as George BELOW s "Coney ISL
and" Colin COOper's Liberty street
and Paul COrnOyers Madison Square
The queen mother Margherita, who
paints skillfully in water colOrs, was
interested in the water color work OF
George HaIlOwell, Dodge mcknight
and Charles HOpkinsOn. With the pic
lures of Jessie Wilcox Smith and VIII
Robinson she expressed especial de-
light
Americans Appreciate Art.
One OF the effects OF this recognition
of American painting in Europe is
more kindly feeling towards European
modern art on the part of American
artists. Having achieved recognition
abroad they no longer have any reason
10 beErudEe any recognition a Euro
pean artist may win in the United
States. The cordial reception given TO
the Spanish painter SorOLla curing Lne
past few months evidenced this No
3
such enormous sums for art during the
year as America, and while much OF II
has been restricted to pictures by
American artists, there have been gen
erous sums paid for foreign paintings
At the last exhibition Of paintings held
in the Carnegie institute at Pittsourg,
! the first prize was awarded to John
2 Sargent, an American artist, but the
| second and third went to foreigners.
I The Metropolitan Museum OF Art OF
| New York has been the recipient OF
/ two large gifts during the year when
| will enable it to add to its already fine
I collection Of paintings. A bequest rom
/ the late Joseph Pulitzer gives the mu-
scum $500 900, while George A Hearn
| has given 100000 as memorial 10
his son. Alfred H. Hearn, who died last
! year Mr.. Hearn's gift is restricted to
/ the purchase Of pictures by living art
/ lists who are bona fide American ctti-
zens. In addition to the gift OF money,
! Mr. Hearn presented the museum TOUR
/ famous pictures by American artists
Maine Coast and w OOds island
Light" by Winslow Homer, Spring
/ Blossoms" by George lines, and The
/ narrower, Morning" by Horatio
/ Walker.
To Develop American Art.
One Of the most helpful organizations
/ towards the development of American
/ painting, is the Friends OF American
/ Art" located IN Chicago. When this
| society announced that it would spend
/ $1,000 a year in the purchase OF pictures
| by American artists, it was thought
there would be difficulty in finding
worthy productions. The purchasing
l fund this year amounts to $4,000, and
the Art Institute of Chicago is securing
a collection which bids fair TO rival that
of any gallery in the world. Among
the additions made within the past year
are paintings by Childe Hassam. Arthur
B. Davis, George Elmer Brown, William
Keith, Francis Murphy, John Alexander
and others. The picture by John Alex
ander received the highest prize at the
exhibition in Carnegie institute. It Is
called Sunlight" and represents