New-York tribune., 1919-06-02
National Art Committee
Formed to Commemorate
for America the Noted
Men of World Conflict
Include Peace Conference
Beaux, McLane, De Camp,
Volk, Johansen, Tarbell,
Niles, Hopkinson Enlisted

Formation Of the National Art Com
mittee, to arrange for painting b,
American artists of portraits of mill
tary, civil and religious leaders in the
World War, was announced last night
by Herbert L. Pratt, secretary anc
treasurer Of the organization, of which
Henry White, of the American Peace
Mission, is honorary chairman.
The American mission has Endorsed
the project, and the portraits, together
with group painting of the peace
conference, are to be exhibited in sew
eral leading cities, according to the
announcement. Later they will bs
placed in the care Of the Smithsonian
Institution in Washington, to be hung
eventually in the new national por.
trait gallery of the building, for which
an appropriation of S1Ooo,oOo, now be-
fore Congress, is authorized.
The committee is endeavorinr, Mr.
Pratt said, to induce John S. Sargent
to paint one or more portraits for the
collection, while commissions have
been accepted by Cecilia Beaux, Jcar
McClane, Joseph De Camp, John C. Jo-
hansen, Edmund C. Tarbcll, Douglas
Volk, Irving r. Wiles and Charles Hop.
kinson.
Many Canvases Under Way
De Camp is now in France, at work
on the peace conference, Johansen has
had several sittings by Marshal Joffre
Nolk has gone to Brussels to paint
King Albert, and Miss Beaux will leave
Paris for Malines next Tuesday to un-
dertake portrait of Cardinal Mer-
cier, Mr.. Pratt was advised b. cable
to-day by Chairman White. Tarbell
and Hopkinson are on the way to Eu-
rope.
Portraits proposed for the collection
Mr.. Pratt's statement said, include
those Of President wilson. General
fershing, Admiral Sims, Premier Lloyd
George, Field Marshal Haig, Admiral
Beatty, Premier Clelncnceau, Marshal
foch, Marshal Joffre, King Albert and
Cardinal Mercier of Belgium, General
leman, defender of Liegc; Premier
Hughes Of Australia Premier Borden
of Canada, General Sir Arthur Currie
commander in chief of the Canadian
EXpedtionary Corps, Premier Orlando
and General Di&z of Italy, Premier
Nenizelos of Greece, King Peter and
Premier Pachitch of Serbia, Queen Ma.
RE and Premier Bratiano of Ruma-
MO
be named,
PromiEent Patrons Interested
Associated with Mr.. White and Mr.
Pratt on the main committee are J.
p. Morgan, Henry Frick, Robert W. De
Forest and Mrs. Il. II. Hartman, OF
New York; Mrs. ". II. Crocker, of
San Francisco; Guy Lowell, of Bos
ton; Myron 7. lIerrick, of Cleveland; !;
Arthur Moeker, of Chicago; T. B.
Walker, of Minneapolis. and Charles
T. Walcott, of the Smithsonian lnsti-
tuition. 1t is hoped, Mr.. Pratt said,
that Charles p. Taft, president of the
Art Museum of Cincinnati, also will
join the movement. 1t is planned TO
form sub committees in the larger
cities, each to raise fund to finance
the painting of n group of three por-
traits. The entire project, it is esti-
mated, will entail an expenditure of
100000 to S250,OO0.
Seeking strong government support,
as we'll as financial backing, which he
asserted was necessary to induce Amer
lean and Allied war notables to sti for
portraits, Mr.. Pratt declared that the
American peace mission, through Mr..
White, had volunteered its aid, and
that J. P. Morgan, John y. Rockefeller,
jr., and other well-known citizens had
agreed to contribute.
MIR. White cabled from Paris: at is
the opinion of the American mission
that this work should be undertaken
by the National Art Committee, not by
the government. The mission, how
ever, Will be pleased to lend its aid to
the committee"
Mr.. Pratt interpreted this message to
mean that President Wilson, General
Bliss, Secretary Lansing and Colonel
House, as we'll as Mr.. White, were
ready to assist the committee in every
possible way.