San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-16
Art Collectors Followed
Him Across Germany
Trying to Get an Achen-
bach-Pictures Are Not
for Sale-Public May
See Them Every Day at
Special Hours.

So much interest has been aroused
by the splendid Kruger collection of
paintings, which was opened to the
public on Friday afternoon in the Frost
building, and SO many questions have
been asked both personally and by
letter in regard to the pictures them
selves and the circumgt, noes under
which they were acquired and are be-
ing shown, that Mr.. Kruger, whose
personal collection they form, has
made o statement that will reply to
all inquiries at one time.
my modest collection of paintings
is open to the public from 8 O'Clock
in the morning to 5 80 in the after
noon ON week days, and on Sundays
from . to in the Afternoon.
"The city owes debt of gratitude
to the Frost bank interests for their
kindness in furnishing temporary
home in their magnificent, new bank
building. where the collection is being
displayed.
Judging from the many inquiries
i am receiving daily by telephone, let
ter and personally, as to my object
in exhibiting, the value of the paint
ings, the cost and selling price, 1 see
that large circles of our people are
becoming interested in the collection
and since my time will not permit
me to answer each question individual
ly, / am glad to try to answer them
through the press.
Has Always Liked Pictures.
81 have been lover of good pic
lures since boyhood. trhe few good
paintings in my home gave me a great
deal of pleasure, and it was only nat
ural that i should buy more pleasure
with the limited means at my COM
mand. On my several trips to Eu-
rope / noticed how even small coiIec-
tons OF art in small towns were ap-
preciated and enjoyed by the unhappy
people of the war-ridden country. 1
noticed that there was more appreeia-
ton for art over there than with us.
Their young people had not only bet
ter opportunities TO enjoy the finer
things of life, but to study them from
childhood on. There was love for
art created in the young souls of chill
dren which would be with them for
life. If there was any slumbering
talent among them, it was brought out
and Lourished by frequent contact
with the wealth of art tire .sures stored
up in all the civilized countries of Eu-
rope.
II wondered if we could not do
the same thing in our country-im-
plant from the beginning a love for
finer things in our children, and for
those advanced in years give an OPP
portunity to study, copy and become
artists themselves.
Art Market Changed.
"Some of you will remember the
small exhibit of "A painting at the
Raba gallery last wint,r. was
surprised at the interest taken in them
by all classes, ard made up INV mind
greatly to enlarge the collection by
new purchases.
At that time 1 did not expect that
/ would buy paintings largely in Eu-
rope. l knew that in many Ines. our
American artists were superior to Eu-
ropeans of the last 80 years. 1 knew
works of our cobntrymen .lch as Kes-
sett, Durant, Cropsey, Wyantt. In
ness. Bolton Jones, Chase. Lockwood. |
PASTOR and many others. but with nv
limited means l was not able to reach |
them. On my visit to the fine art |
EXHIBIT OF the National Academy of |
Design at their exhibit in New York.
the paintings / wanted rar geo in price |
from 5000 to $1,000 each. and, know
ing the size of my pocketbook, 1 had |
to fall back on europe.
Conditions in the art market had |
changed there greatly. During the |
war much had TO be sold tfst we'll
to-do families had expected to keep. !