Evening star., 1920-01-30
BUILDING TO HOLD
FREER COLLECTION
NEAR COMPLETION
White Marble Exterior Fin
iShed-Work Praised
by Experts.

Perhaps the most complete and per-
fact of its kind ever built" is a phrase
that has been used by experts III de-
scribing the new white marble building
now in process of completion. situated
on the Mall just southwest of the
Smithsonian Institution building and in
tended to house the exceedingly large,
valuable and varied art collection which
belonged to the late Charles l.. Freer
of Detroit.
ment. the administration and mainte-
nance of the collection and the gallery
being an added activity of the Smith
sonian Institution.
This beautiful gallery is not finished
and will not be for another three months
at least. But the outside is complete
and the interior is far enough advanced
toward completion for those competent
judges who have inspected ii to realize
that it can hardly be praised too highly.
Designed for a Purpose.
THE whole gallery is designed for
particular purpose and for a specific
existing collection. not for Il nucleus
and what might. in the future, come its
way, one art expert, who also thor
oughly appreciates first-class architec-
ture has put it. There is nothing hap
hazard about it. Moreover the designer
and builder were permitted through
codcil 10 Mr.. Freer's wiD a gratifying
latitude as to certain changes in con-
years necessary to erect the edifice,
might come to be considered essential.
The result of the liberality of the funds
available for the work, the definite aims
to which the building was to be adapted
and the artistic and practical skill of
the designer, Charles A. Platt of New
York. have all combined to make the
gallery unique amcng institutions of its
kind"
Those who mentally measure a pri-
vate collection according to the usual
standard, and who may have pictured
the new building as something in the
way of miniature, are in for a de-
cided surprise at a first inspection.
The gallery is 227 feet long, 1S5 feet
wide and nearly 46 feet high. 1t con-
tains two stories. not counting a
series of attics and a basement, and
when completed will have cost no less
than s1.50O.O)0.
White Marble Exterior.
The exterior is of white marble and
the whole is in the Italian renaissance
style. built in the form of hollow
square around courtyard which will
eventually be one of the beauty spots
of Washington and will contain
handsome fountain One entrance is
grounds. while another is situated at
the opposite side on street south
west for the benefit of vehicles.
Although the building proper should
be finished in another three months,
il cannot even at that time be opened
to the public. for then must begin
the installation and arrangement of
the thousands of pieces of Chinese and
Japanese art. sculpture. porcelain,
furniture, paintings. etc. which go to
make up the wonderful Freer coilec-
tion. This work has. in fact. already
begun. for a group of expert work.
men-artists are now putting in place,
in the room specially built for them.
the many panels. cabinets. doors and
other pieces of woodwork which COM
pose the famous peacock room"
This comprehensive and extensive
piece of interior treatment is by the
eminent artist, James Mcneil Whist
Ter; has been authoritatively de-
Scribed as standing alone in the world
of art as a piece of interior treat
ment. and is the focal point around
which the entire collection is grouped.
Original Execution.
Whistler originally executed this
work for a Mr.. Leland, a wealthy
Englishman. Later il became the
property of Mr.. Freer and was
brought across the ocean and in
stalled. piece by piece. in his Detroit
residence. Now il has again been
moved to the National Capital, where
it will give pleasure and inspiration
to the residents of and the thousands
of visitors to the National Capital for
years to come
A reporter for The Star was fortu-
nate enough to be shown over the
gallery in it's present state by Fl. B.
Ashley. repreSen rative of the George
A Fuller Construction Company, who
has served as structural supervisor of
the building since its first beginnings,
and also by John Bundy, representa-
tive on the spot of Mr.. Platt the
architect Finishing touches. such as
the painting and flooring processes.
are now under way. Even the most
casual tour of inspection makes it
apparent that the builder. mechani-
cal, steam and electric engineer and
other experts have all co-operated
most successfully with artist and
architect to make the edifice ade-
quate, convenient beautiful and sub
stantial in the highest degree.
Educational Purposes
An important provision in the Freer
will emphasizes the function the
collection and gallery are intended to
fulfill in education and research. The
ground floor, therefore contains two
large study rooms with specially
good lighting arrangements, and also
a big lecture hall with sloping floor
about 80 by 40 feet in size. This au-
dtorium VIII seat some $50 persons
Completely outside the han, except
for the necessary apertures, is a spe-
cial moving picture machine gallery
of fireproof construction and possess
ing forced-Graft arrangement
whereby fumes and flames can be
safely carried off IN case Nof any ex-
plosion or fire in the machine itself.
The ground floor also contains a suite
to be used by the curator and ample
storerooms as accessories to the gall
leries upstairs. The corridors on both
floors are spacious and well lighted.
The upper or main floor is devoted
to the exhibition salons. which vary
in size. but which are all alike in the
perfection of lighting arrangements
Each is covered by ceiling OF
arched glass, which in turn has over