Evening star., 1925-11-19
THE NORTH WINDOW
BY Leila Mechlin.

recent years and becoming more ana
more comprehensive. Formerly teach
ers of art were only to be found in art
schools, occasionally in private schools.
Gradually the public schools took on
those who werc specialists i'll this
field. AS the museums aWoke to a
sense of responsibility they added
docents to their staffS--men and wom-
Ell trained for the purpose, who We're
employed as instructors to the mu-
scum visitors. Later still the museums
began reaching out to those who need
ed help, and through the arrangement
of exhibitions wiled them in. The
Metropolitan Museum of Art for sew
eral years now has set forth annually
a manufacturers exhibit, has made it's
collections available for industrial de
signers and has conducted classes for
tradespeOple and salesman. The public
libraries have for some time been
recognized as strong auxiliary
teaching force, through their depart
ments of art, their distribution of read
ing lists of art books, their temporary
instructive exhibits of the graphic
arts. The Womcn's clubs throughout
the country have also constituted
well organized wing of this army OF
art teachers, presenting programs, en-
gaging the attention of fellow mem
Improvement of an artistic sort; in
short, bringing art to the conscious
ness of the women.
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The newest addition to these forces
is the retail merchant. Several years
ago John Cotton Dana, librarian Of
the Newark Public Library and d.-
rector Of the Newark Art Museum,
startled conservative museum dircC-
tors by the statement that the show
windows of the leading metropolitan
shops We're superior from The stand
point of educational exhibits II the
displays set forth in the old type of
museum, that they represented art of
IL very real and substantially meri-
toriCus sort, and that they got their
message over to the people. America
has set an example in shoD-window
display, and the dressing of shop win
doWS has become a recognized art, not
only in this country but abroad.
But the retail merchants have gone
a step farther than this of late in art
instructOrShip. They and their heads
of departments, their chief statesmen
and representative have Informed
themselves concerning the art of de
sign in relation to house furnishings
and dress, and they are attempting
now in no uncertain way to direct and
mold public taste. Furniture stores
have their departments Of interior
decoration and collabUrate with de
partment stores III setting forth in
newly built houses examples of good
furnishing. These constitute the much
advertised model homes.
A local furniture store has recently
issued to its customers Il little book
let comprising notes and Illustrations
on period furniture and design, com
piled by a member Of the firm. These
illustrations and notes are 10 a great
extent taken. with permission, from
catalogues and landlords published
by the metropolitan Museum, New
York, which goes to evidence the in
fluenCe that this art organization Is
of the people. The examples chosen
and the notes given in this little book
are admirable and should help very
materially to secure choice Of that
which is good, and hence to elevate
taste. Here is evidence of a very
healthy movement in the right direc-
ton. There is an old saying that no
business can compete with, phiIan-
thropy. and it is equally true that
movements of this kind, sponsored by
business, are of the most enduring
niture. silverware. and even portraits
of the eighteenth century in this
country were produced in response to
demand. Art that is thus called
forth is invariably the best.
Referring TO early American por-
traiture. Lawrence f. Abbott cen
tributinG editor of the Outlook, in
the November Is issue Of that weekly
makes interesting comparison be
tween a collection Of portraits of "po-
litical worthless who fiourished in the
city of New York more than 200 years
ago held lately at one of the lead
ing clubs, and concert by the Eng
lish Singers of London, who are now
making Il tour Of this country and.
ii will be recalled, gave their first
concert here in the new auditorium
at the Library of Congress. Mr.. Alb
bott noted in the early American pOr-
traits and in the songs presented by
these English singers a certain Simi-
larity. a dignity and beauty which he
declares he does not find in either our
popular painting or popular music to-
day. He is an advocate of progress,
one who heartily welcomes the mod
ern improvements which advanced
civilization has brought: he declares "A
powered automobile and the creature
comforts provided 10y modern plumb
ing; but he admits to a suspicion
that the modern democratic movement
toward social equality and efficiency
may produce mediOCrity in certain
phases of life. The pictures in this
exhibition of early American portrai-
ture and the madrigalS rendered by
the English singers made him gasp
a little at the thought of what Main
street civilization was doing to this
country in the realm of good man
ners."
This is in different words. the same
thought that Royal Cortissoz, in his
lecture here last week on "One Hun
dred Years of American Art" express
ed in regard TO. our early American
portraits. when he rated them even
higher than the portraits of the great
English cotemporary school, because
of their greater sincerity, their sim
plicity, indication of retiCence and
character. These are valuable ele-
mentS in art which we cannot afford
to lose; they are worth thinking about
and discussing, recapturing if pos
sible.
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But to so back to furniture and fur
niShingS. We are having, it is said
today an American renaissance. Part
ly as q result of the opening of the
American wing Of the metropolitan
Museum, and partly as a result of the
movement which in itself led to the
creation of this wing, attention is TO-
cused on the architecture, furniture
and furnishings of our colonial an
cestors and their immediate successors.
The American antique is having a
great vogue. Mention has been made
before of the fact that a distinguished
collector and conuoisseur and one of
the leading furniture manufacturers
have formed partnership to repro