The New York herald., 1920-01-03
SCHOOL
!. OF AMERICAN ART
SPURNED IN PARIS
Paintings Invited and Sent to Luxenl-
bourg Museum Thrown Aside by
Some One in French Capital.

All the American rodernists who were
invited 70 contribute paintings to the
French governments exposition OF Anleri
can art in the Luxembourg Museum last
October and November are up in arms be-
cause their works. after having been re-
quested. approved. accepted and sent tc
Paris by the American General Committee
as representative Of a form Of American
art. were thrown out by some French
official or representative OF the American
committee after the paintings had been
received In Paris
This fact became known publicly only
yesterday after group OF the moderuists
voicing the sentiments OF their fellow ar
lists sent a. letter OF protest 10 Max
Weber the modernist representative Oh
the General Committee, whose own pict-
ure was excluded.
BcIated Report OF Action.
No word Of the rejection was received
by the artists. and the action in Paris be.
came known only at a meeting OF the
General Committee held on Wednesday
when the cat was let out OF the bag.
The modernists in their protest pay nc
compliment to the French representatives.
OF the committee and say the french fine
arts authorities '.,ave dealt ah insulting
blow fortunately very Intellectual one) tc
the modern art movement In America"
When tho French governments repre-
sentatives began to shape up the exhibit
ton request was received In this coun-
try for display Of paintings that would
represent every phase Of American art.
The Committee for the American Art
Exhibition at the Luxembourg Museum, "
or the General Committee. CT which Will
lam Coffin Is president and Of which Mr..
Weber is the modernist member. decided
that the moderuist style was truly typical
OF the newer American art and should
have place in the display. The mod.
ernists were invited to contribute They
responded freely. canvases being sub
mitted by Bernard Gussow William
Zorach. Louis Bouche. Alfred H Maurer,
Joseph Stella. Henry L. McFee. Andrew
'Dasburg. Mr.. Weber and others.
Protest to MIR. Weber.
The letter OF protest to Mr.. Weber
reads
1--WE, the undersigned. have learned with
utter amazement and indignat ton that the
Luxembourg Museum did not hang the
paintings that had been invited and unani-
mously approved by your entire commit
tee.
still more were we amazed to learn that
your own picture was similarly rejected
and you member Of that very COM
mttee
ITO the committee, formally, we find
ourselves unable by rules of courtesy to
make answer. except by silence. To you
personally, however, we can address our
selves and express our utmost scorn and
condemnation Of the treatment that has
been accorded by the Luxembour author
tiles to American paintings. which were
officially invited and approved OF by a
representative and duly appointed Ameri-
can art committee.
I'VE equally condemn the supine atti-
'tude of the Paris representatives OF this
committee. They were faced by the al
Tentative Of either agreeing to the elm
ination of these pictures or of having no
exhibition at all. They took the easy and
less honorable course.
.As a matter of simple courtesy to the
American committee every one of the
pictures. under the circumstances. should
have been hung without a whisper OF dis
approval. AS il is. not only has your COM
mittee been scornfully overruled. but the
French authorities have dealt an insult
ing blow fortunately, very Intellectual
one) to the modern art movement in Amer
lea. which is attempting to free itself
from the bonds of convention and thus
give freer art expression to modern life
and times.
mo doubt, in course of time. we will
hear from your committee; we feel. how
ever. that you ought to know our senti-
ments and so we give them to you"
This was signed by Bernard Gussow.
William Zorach. Louis Bouche. Alfred II,
Maurer. Joseph Stella, Henry l.. McFee
and Andrew Desburg. all well known
New York painters.
In addition to these there were half
dozen other modernists whose efforts met
with the same discouraging result.