Evening journal., 1915-03-13
New News Of Yesterday
Men Who Are Competent
Judges Of Art
By Holland.

Three or four years before the
death of George T. Seney, the dis
tineuished philanthropist. he offered
at public sale the second Of his col
lection of paintings. His first collec-
ton, which had been assembled while
he was still comparatively young
man, was turned over to the Clear
ing-house Association of New York IL
the hope that its sale would consider
ably add to the assets of bank Of
New York of which Mr.. Seney was
president and which had been sud
denly caught in the panic of 1884.
After Mr. Seneys obligations had
all been fully met, perhaps two or
three years after he deliverd his first
collection Of pictures to the clearing
house committee of New York, he was
able to regain considerable portion
OF his lost fortune
As soon as he was able to do so,
he began a new collection of paint
ings. visiting Europe. ignoring the
dealers, searching by himself here
and there and making collections
based upon his own judgment. He
was at the same time extending his
philanthropies, perfecting the endow-
ment of the great hospital in Brooklyn
which bore his name and also adding
to his earlier gifts to a wOman's COZ
Iege
u sat with Mr.. Seney in the great
hall where his second collection was
exhibited for two or three hours one
afternoon. He narrated to me many
anecdotes associated with one or an
other of the pictures which he bought
and he made this remarkable state
ment:
'As soon as my possessions justi-
/ fed il. | began a second collection ol
paintings l had two purposes in
view One of them was the excite
ment-which was a very healthful eX-
perience-which the study of pictures
with intent to learn whether they
we're worth buying or not furnishes
and the other was a purely CONNER
cial purpose. / was to get my pleas
ure and recreation through the col
/ lection Of the pictures. Then when the
collection was sufficiently large | was
| to make commercial venture of It.
, I hoped to be able TO sell the pictures
/ foI enough TO return me good profit
or the investment. That is why these
pictures are now offered for sale
/ incidentally. il may be worth while
here to say that the collection was
sold at auction for an amount which
realized handsome profit Of a good
many thousand dollars on Mr.. Seney's
/ investment. ! asked MIR. Seney if he
/ had studied art. or If he we're self
( taught, and in reply he made this un-
| expected statement:
Il think that the best judges Ol
/ paintings. at least the hest among
Americans, are and have been mer
who were entirely self-taught, who
trusted TO their own judgment. VIII,
made patient and thorough study O
! paintings and who we're careful tC
avoid the lingo of critics and those
who profess to be connOisseurs.
"One OF the best judges OF picture.
in the United States is James G. Hill
] doubt if he can give a technical pro
fessional reason for his approval o
picture. but he knows good pic
ture aud that is enough for him. AL
that | know of pictures ! have learn
cd by careful study. have shunne,
]
loss for pictures than he does 20
some other forms of art. but his ap
preciaiion of those forms which h
does care for is unsurpassed an
when he is i'm the presence of a rea
work of beauty he seems to be carrie
away with it, so to speak, very mucl
as those who arc approciativc @
music sometimes arc when they hoa
the best music
John C. Johnson, of Philadelphia
is unsurpassed as judge of goo'
paintings. yet ] have understood tina
he was entirely self-taught and j
never Influenced by unfavorablo com
ment. Unless a man has an inbori
sense Of beauty he can never becom
a competent judge of pictures or otho
works of art, but if he possesses thi
sense he can by study comparison
and in other ways perfect his iuds
ment and that is the reason why tn
best judges of art in the United Statc
are men who have had no professioaa
training of that kind"
Copyright, 1915. by L. J. Edwards
All rights rcserved)