New-York tribune., 1922-08-06
New Paris Museum Will Omen
For Modern Foreign Paintip.
Largest Group of American Pictures in EuroDe Y,
BE Shown at Luxembourg Annex, =
Whistler Work Feature
r,nm a gn,olnl corr.,porfert

PARIS, July 20. - After several
months Of preparation the new gallery
Of modern works Of art by foreign
painters is now nearly completed. And
here will be shown the largest eolee-
ton Of canyases BY American artists
10 be seen in Europe No later than
August IS the French Ministry Of Fine
Arts will inaugurate the long.contem-
plated yeu de Paume Annexe du Musee
Luxembourg. The largest collection Of
modern foreign paintings owned by the
French government will be seen to-
gether for the first time. The new mu-
scum is TO be located in the Jeu de
Paume, which is on the terrace Of the
Garden for the Tuileries and oyerlooks
the Place de la Concorde. Work Of
transforming the old Tennis court Of
Napoleon flf has been finished and
most Of the eanyases are now In place.
II was done under the direction Of 81.
Leonee Bencdite, conseryateur du Mu-
see Luxembourg, and his assistant, ".
Paul Leon. The formal opening Of the
new gallery promises to be a brilliant
affair, for il Is 20 be attended BY the
entire foreign diplomatic corps, the
large number Of foreign artists now In
France and the Amis du Jeu dc Psume.
These friends Of the new museum are
very largely responsible for is erea-
tion, prominent among whom have been
Miss Mary Garden, the opera singer,
and Mrs. Adolph spreekels, Of San
Francisco, who have both contributed
large sums Of money personally and
have collected the balance needed 20
carry on the work.
For years the Ministry Of Fine Arts
has been embarrassed by the lack Of
gallery space 70 show the five or six
hundred masterpieces by foreign
painters II has purchased for the gov
ernment form time 70 time. Just be-
fore the var plans 70 take over the
convent Of ST. Surpliee for the pur-
pose OF converting il into an annex
to the Luxembourg Museum were near
ly consummated. Events which followed
put this matter aside indefinitely. Il
was not until 1920, when gift Of
S5O,0O0, made TO the Ministry Of Fine
Arts by a New York banker, was the
matter Of making provisions for ex-
hibitng the paintings by foreign
artists revived. While there were no
conditions attached 10 the gift, IL was
understood that the fund would be
used for the purpose Of buying pic
lures from representative American
painters. Minister Leon Barard has
expended most Of the money
in this way At the time friends Of
American art approached the minister
for some suggestions as to what could
be done toward the establishment OF
gallery wherein the large number
Of paintings held in the store rooms
Of the Luxembourg could be placed
on view. The French governments
lack Of money for such a purpose was
explained. Then Americans offered 10
provide the money needed TO condition
the Jcu de Paume II the government
would dedicate the building 10 the
purpose in question. and this In time
was agreed upon. Early this year the
fund was completed, and in April work
Of overhaulng the old building was
begun.
No more beautiful or more suitable
location for a museum OF the work Of
foreign artists could have been found
in all Paris. located, as il is, just mid
way between the Louvre and the Petit
Palais, the art museum Of the City Of
Paris which faces the Grad Palais,
where the Salons are held. Then, too,
the Jeu dc Paume is almost directly
across the street from the Hotel Con-
tnental, the center Of the line Of
famous Rue de Rivoli hotels opposite
the Tuileries Garden.
There will be FIVE rooms in the new
gallery and these will provide ample
wall space on which to hang. probably.
all OF the paintings the collection OF
modern foreign masters comprises. In
the first room will be shown the work
Of the British painters, the second
that Of the Italians and Spanish, the
third the work Of the Belgians, while
the fourth room will be devoted 10 the
American collection and the ifth will
contain paintings by the artists Of the
northern and eastern countries, includ-
ing Holland, Denmark, Norway, Swe-
den, Switzerland, Russia, Poland. Aus
tria, Greece, the Balkan States and
Germany The work OF compiling the
catalogue is about finished and since
these pictures have never been col
lectively shown before the list Of
paintings by foreign Nmodern artists