Evening star., 1925-10-16
A Century of American Art.

In 1925 when the National Academy
of Design was started. Washington
was a pretty poor excuse for town,
let alone National Capital. The In
ceptors Of what has since become
Americas oldest and best known art
organization therefore chose as their
scene of incorporation New York, al
most certain to become the metropolis
because Of the completion in that year
of the Erie Canal. AS the country
grew, so grew the academy, until to-
day it's membership represents not
only forty-six States, but even thirteen
foreign nations.
At the beginning of 1925, the year
for the celebration of a successful CEN
tury of growth and achievement, there
existed a far different Washington, a
great and beautiful city, art center as
well as political and administrative
center, visited annually by many thou
sands of Americans and the proud pos
| SCISSOR of an institution, established
primarily for the acquisition and dis
play of fine examples of American art,
which had the disposition and the
facilities to install to best advantage
the great retrospective exhibition
planned by academy officials to mark
their organizations centennial.
Accordingly there will open at the
Corcoran Gallery tomorrow night
display of the best in American paint
ing. illustration, sculpture and archi-
lecture that the past century has pro
duced. The First Citizen of the city
and Of the Nation, accompanied by his
wife, will honor the occasion by his
presence, and will perform the simple,
but impressive. act marking the for
| NAL opening of the exhibition which
may be viewed by the general public
on the following day and for four full
weeks thereafter.
| After it's showing here the collection
will be taken to New York. and later.
at least in major part, throughout the
country, for it is intended, first. as a
centenary celebration and, second, as
demonstration to the American pub
lie of a new, important and expensive
expansion program to he undertaken
with the second century of the acad-
emy's existence. It's presence here re-
emphasizes and confirms Washington's
claim to be considered a national art
center: it's tour will be distinctly in
response to. Nationwide demand
and to a noticeable renaissance in
American art.
Even to the eye and mind of those
untutored and unskilled in art mat
ters there will be apparent by means
of this unique collection the almost
incredible progress that American art
has made since the early decades Of
the preceding century. No RETROSPECT
tive exhibit of railroad equipment
covering the same period, for example.
could more pointedly demonstrate
changes for the better. And to the
technically trained and perspicacious
lovers Of art the development will be
even more marked. The Capital and
the country at large will be inspired,
instructed and encouraged.
A vast amount OF negotiation TO
|. gather fitting examples of the work
Of members both decea sed and living
was necessary on the part of National
Academy officials. Much physical Ia
Dor and planning. including the post
ponement of its nationally famed
biennial exhibition. was necessary on
the part Of Corcoran Gallery officials
in order to offer to the academy the
fullest facilities OF the local institu-
ton. Effective cooperative work has
been accomplished by the two groups
through the sweltering months Of the
past Summer. The result is certain
TO be entirely worthy Of all these eff
forts,