Evening star., 1920-02-22
Notes of Art and Artists

I development of museums in all parts
of the United States.
| For this reason the American Fedef-
alton of Arts has determined to hold
| its annual convention in New York
again this year, instead of. as was pre-
viously announced, in Washington. The
| trustees of the Metropolitan Museum eX-
| tended to the American Federation OF
Arts cordial invitation to take part
| in this celebration and the privilege
seemed too great to be declined. The
chief attention at the convention will,
Therefore. be focused on museum de-
lveIopment. and it is hoped that many
new museums may come into existence
| in the near future as an outcome.
The state of Ohio has to it's credit
more museums than any other state in
the Union. Cleveland. Toledo and Gin
cinRati all have well equipped museums
in fine buildings specially erected for the
purpose, which are in each instance
genuine community centers. There is a
new museum recently established at
Dayton, another privately built and en-
dowed at Youngstown and third at
Oberlin University. Ohio's next-door
neighbor. Kentucky, however. has none
at all. and there are other states equally
wanting.
Here in Washington we have the
Corcoran Gallery, We shall soon have the
Freer Gallery and We have the National
Gallery. but without suitable home.
When it is considered that the Metro
politan Museum of Art was only estab-
lished fifty years ago it should give us
encouragement in the upbuilding Of
great national collection. for We see how
much can be done in so short a span.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
ranks now with the foremost mu-
seums of the world and it has been
built up almost entirely. through pri-
vate munificence. The attendance at
the museum during the past year has
1n1
when there were no street cars nor
buses running in New York on ac-'
count of the streets being obstructed
by snow, there were no less than 5000
visitors at the museum.
There could be nothing more demo-
cratic than this institution. On Sat
urday afternoons one will find its
great halls filled with all sorts and
conditions of men. women and chill
dren. citizens of the great metropolis.
There will be those of the so-called
-four hundred" in furs and gowns of
the latest fashions: there will be
women of foreign birth without hats;
there will be working men and little
children from the tenements. viewing
the collections with deepest interest
and finding evident satisfaction in
them. No one who could see this
sight could doubt the beneficence and
educational value of such an institu-
tion. both for the purpose of Ameri-
canization and the upbuilding of bet
ter citizenship. as well as in the way
of giving pleasure.
+ +
Claggett Wilson, who was born and
brought up in this city, has lately
been holding an exhibition of war pic
lures at the knoedler Galleries, New
York. which has attracted a great
deal of favorable attention and which
marked his debut as a painter in the
American art world.
Mr.. Wilson went to France in 1917
in the ranks of the 5th Regiment of
United States marines. In 1918 he
was transferred to the 4th French
Army for experience as a line officer.
and was in action on the Chemin des
Danes, Rheims and Verdun- At the
latter place he was sent back to the
United States marines in time to be
in the Bois de. Belleau fight in the
Chateau Thierry sector in June. 1918.
In which battle he was wounded. Re
turning to the front later. he was
made aid-de-camp to Brig. Gen.
Wendell C. Neuville. commanding the
marine brigade, and was in action
continually up until the time of the
armistice. During the winter of
191S-1919 he was in the army of oc-
cupation in Germany until his dis
charge, in June of the latter year.
Mr.. Wilson came back to New York
with his fine war record. but with no
past achievements in art to COM
mend him to attention. His work
apparently spoke for itself. Directly
it was shown he was given audience
and from all sides the most enthusi-
astic plaudits have come.
He Is said to have made horrible
sented the unbelievable as one might
see IL in n dream One critic has de-