New-York tribune., 1922-11-12
The A. A. A.
lts Relation TO the Development
OF American Taste

Its Relation TO the Development
oil American Taste
The event Of the week has been the
epening of the new home OF the Ameri-
can Art Association, the establishment
Of our leading auction house in quar-
ters calculated to excite the envy of
those who frequent Christie's and the
Hotel Drouot. An exhibition will be
opened there next Tuesday, one Of
Gothic furniture, tapestries, paintings
and other antiques assembled by NJ.
Henri de Souhami, Of Paris, from the
objections of Prince Henri de Fau-
signy, Nine. Lelong and others. The
nlscellaneous nature Of these objects,
which I'LL catalogue running to more
!han 500 numbers, will put the new
galleries. to an excellent test. The lat
4: have been designed for just such
episodes, beginning with the beautiful
tasraaee hall Of travertinc, with it's
safely walls. No better place for the
hanging of tapestries could have been
asvlssa. The regular exhibition rooms,
a1ys and small, and very shrewdly
pansaln their proportions, provide a
tissfpund recalling that of the old
itrars in Madison Square. The wood
Ns IS dark. The walls are covered
a the familiar red velvet, all of
afn save those in one room, where
~ ascovering is gray. For a moment
sss thinks that there has been no
sange at all. But an immense change
aas been wrought by the new Kirby
ehampeau lighting apparatus, which
alhuses the best picture gallery light
VIC have ever encountered. 1t is soft,
peryasive, uniform and absolutely ade-
quate. the successful solution of a
problem on which Gustavus Kirby has
been working for years.
The public will be impressed first
by the handsome and perfectly illu-
minated exhibition rooms, then by the
dignity and charm of the assembly
nail, with its simple but decorative
proseenium arch and its abundant floor
space. the whole ideally arranged for
me carrying on of auction sales. It
Woula appreciate equally, however, If
u could have closer view, the invisi-
p!e machinery through which the en-
IRE fabric is enabled to function. The
eemtort and convenience of the exec
asiYe Offices are chiefly of interest to
me people who occupy them. But thew
sase q further significance. They have
wen so placed that all the complicat-
operations of an exhibition and
@ Tue original reception of the OBJ
..Es involved, their cataloguing, their
s.iHsl at the auction block and their
4'saate dispersal, may proceed with
ass'cal ease and swiftness. Decidedly.
~ american Art Association has
USED -. itself in perfection. The mat
- ass Its place in the annals of art
: ! '4is country, for this firm can claim
:, - status Of something like a histori-
z. institution.
sAa'es +. Sutton and Rufus E. Moore
sssaaed 1t under the name of the Amer
.Saa arr Galleries in 1880. Their part
..sn'p .,s., was dissolved in 1889, and a
,,s.a. nsas 'ater Mr.. Sutton renewed its ac-
sNsaes' forming the American Art AS
s,s'asion ~ with Mr.. Thomas f. Kirby and
~ ~ y Austin Robertson. Mr.. KIRBY,
~ surviving member of that trium.
aa'e and the senior partner in the
sssssAs =. organization, delivered an ad-
srs; ss a. the opening on Friday, tsav-
,.s.ns the events in which he had par
!, pasea !. over period of forty years.
= =. : TOO long to be touched upon in
asah i. mere, but we may recall some of
,aiient facts as Illustrative OF
asspiy interesting subject, namely, the
States. s'e IN the oniseo
!, "aen this enterprise was launched
!. 4 tent Invaluable opportunities to
i. sr'can artists. AS far back as 1884
!, , WAS VI George Inness what Thomas
49,, was in later years. prac.
ssas. s a'a toward the broadening Of his
: ,pase. 1t formed a lean exhibition
no.a paintings and undertook to pro-
siss lae sale of them. In the sos
4 A. tne association was of service "a
Sassi lsi'can art in general through the
! % ss.. q It's prize fund exhibitions,
hi Sssss s. tor which it engaged the help
l.ssassA sA.pathies cf virtually all the col
cn NJ. 81 = tae United States. The rooms
Is, alson Square provided the scene
ia, ..s's'ons s...p by the Society of Amer
tas 81 81, ass'ats' the Architectural League,
we a.nagunei Club and other groups. /
The ] sasmoes in those years going to
IA k.a,sran k,sliean Art Galleries as to the
1 h,a., ,s,.ainS Of the Academy of Design. |
- away, or TO the Metropolitan