Evening star., 1914-02-07

until he had acquired much knowledge
OF art in the abstract.
His next experience vas in Phlladel-
plla where he spent two winters. study
ing at the PENNSYLVANIA Academy in the
life class and gaining most aid from his
fellow students. Then came period of
work in the academy of Chicago. which
came to an untimely end in the great f1re
of 1870. After that Mr. Messer turned
again to Washington and with the ex-
cepti6n Of year spent in New England
regainng health and some time spent
in travel this has been his home ever
since.
When Mr.. Messer first came here he
found conditions very different from
what they are now. The artists were
congregated in studios in Vernon row, on
Pennsylvania avenue near 10th street
The majority had won their knowledge
as Mr. Messer had, through lndlVioudi
effort. and there was little opportunity
A life class was formed for mutual bene-
tit, and the fraternal feeling among the
artists was very strong Contrast the
conditions of those days with that OF the
present. And yet it must have occurred
to many of Mr.. Messer's hearers that
perchance those who won out under
those circumstances were those VINO
really merited success. In other words.
that art made easy brings little or no re-
ward For as Mr.. MeSSer truly said, so
assiduous was his study. SO acute his in
tuition, that when the time came that he
could go abroad he found that he was
not SO far behind those who had had
greater advantages.
Mr. Messer told of painting his first pic
ture. q still-life study. which he himself
had arranged and of how his success for
that once temporarily filled to the brIm
his cup of happiness. 1t was the one and
only picture he has painted he confessed.
with which he has ever been completely
satisfied Doubtless every adventurer in
the field of art has had one such eXpe-
rience.
There is nothing so instructive or in
spring as biography. the true record of
certainly all who had the privilege of
hearing Mr.. Messer's account Of then
and now were strengthened and profited
by it.
* x
A ENCOURAGEMENT was made this week
"a that the Metropolitan Museum. New
York, had received the deed to the Riggs
collection and that the expectation was
to place the entire collection on eNhibi-
ton in the museum next October. This
collection, which is one of the finest in
the world. Is of fabulous value. That 1t
| was originally Its owners intention to
have it come to Washington as a ma
tional possession is no secret. The un-
derstanding is. that the late ]. Pierpont
Morgan disSuaded Mr. Riggs from plac
ing it here. inducing him. at the same
time, to give it to the Metropolitan Mu-
scum. but the fact is that the only thing
which deferred Mr.. Riggs from carrying
out his first intention was that provi-
sion could be made to care for the col
lection in Washington. We have no Ma
tional Gallery building. and no assurance
could be given that we should have one
in the near future. The truth is that it is
whispered that had we had such a gal
lery not only the Riggs collection. but,
doubtless, some of the Morgan collection
well, would have come here. Mr..
Riggs, in that event. might have proved
argument to be laid before Congress.
Edwin Robinson, director of the Metro
politan Museum, speaking OF the coliec-
ton, is reported to have said:
''It would be hard to overestimate the
value and Importance of the collection. It