Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08

require all royal academiciars to eX-
| hibit their new products annually.
1T will keep them up TO their work"
said Colbert. and publicity is the life
of art
He might have said "of the art
business" because this simple meas
ure started Il magnificent trade for
France.
Under Louis Nv twenty-five salons
were held, the name coming from the
great square salon. or draWipg room, Of
the Louvre palace, where the show was
always hung. Rich foreigners, espe-
cially English, came i'll numbers to
buy.
Originally only those affiliated with
the Royal Academy might exhibit; but
the French revolution, destroying all
privilege, opaned the Salon to all
painters working in France. 1t was
held annually again.
Under Napolean Salons were held
every two years. The restoration
made them annual once more. and
Napoleon III preserved the custom.
Between 1855 and 1857 the annual
salons took extraordinary develop
as the uncontested center of the
worlds art,
Now, the juries.
During all this great period (under
Napoleon III the Salon remained
under government control. but in 1872
the republic opened the jury of ad-
mission 10 election by Prix de Rome
and medal men. In 1874 il steadied
them by adding members of the in
stitute and officers of the Legion Of
Honor to such elective body. Then.
in 1881. the government decided to
interfere no longer.
On January 21, 1881. the mass of
French artists already admitted to the
Salon were permitted to elect ninety
members of close corporation
ninety celebrities in whom they had
confidence. These ninety constituted
the first committee of the Society of
French Artists-with a capital of
100000, by 1000 shares Of 100 francs
each.
The original ninety had power to re-
new their membership, and generally to
run the annual salon. And IL was ex-
pressly decreed that membership in
the committee should not be incom-
patible with membership in juries of
admission
a close corporation.
1t is the old Salon. the historic and
official, still by far the richest-in
medals for the painters of the world
and money prizes for lucky French
men.
L works. They are sixty Hors Con-
cours men, elected by the ninety
every three years twenty serving
each year. "Hors Concours' means
beyond competition"-men who have
risen 50 high that their own works
are admitted without examination
yet are ineligible to medals, mentions
or prizes. On the favor of this H.
c." jury (above gain. impartial, judg-
ing only By its knowledge and ito
love Of art, young painters must de-
pend TO get into the Salon.
Any one is free to try. The most
unknown American has but to paint
picture and send it, correctly
framed in gold. all charges paid.
Experienced workmen handle the ar
irving canvases tenderly. The vesti-
bule of the Grand Palais is palatial.
In March and April it receives the
paintings like a great MILL They dis
appear from the sight Of their crea-
tors.
Inside the Grand Palais are un-
ending suites OF halls. Along the
walls the paintings stand, awaiting
the decisions of the jury of admis-
sion.
The twenty eminent French paint
ers come hurrying.
They stop before a canvas. All
glance at 1t at the same moment. All
have canes or umbrellas. Three canes
in the air. And one umbrella. Per-
haps these four jurymen will glance
appealingly at others. Up go two
more canes. Up four more umbrellas.
CThe thing has been known to hap
penn Until quite swiftly 2. majority