Evening star., 1926-04-15
THE NORTH WINDOW


will be housed here as unit In n
gallery Of it's own erected by the
donor. This brings up the subject OF
the small art museum, its advantages
and shortcomings.
Our American tendency is toward
aggregation. We are laughed at by
other nations for our love of size. We
have faculty for combinations; we
have built the tallest buildings in the
world and the longest bridges; we are
q Nation of quantitative production.
We are only now beginning TO recog-
nize that quality must go with guam
tity II values are to be maintained.
Also, In this later day we have come
to realize with a shock, now and then,
that 1t is possible to have at one time
and in one place, too much of even a
very good thing. Cities can be too big
for convenience and comfort; the
same Is true Of art museums.
sk X y *
The growth of art museums in this
country has been phenomenal. The
two oldest in the country were estab-
lished less than go years ago-the
Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston. and
the Metropolitan Museum, New York:
In fact, our oldest art institution, the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
has only celebrated it's 12lst anniver.
sary. Both Of these Oldest OF our
museums started extremely modestly
and have gradually spread out. Very
lately the Metropolitan Museum has
opened, with appropriate ceremonies,
a new wing. in which 1t now can dis
play beautifully rare works Of an
tiquity and OF modern times.
The Metropolitan Museum of New
York haOnf11n rf =
museums OF the world. and those who
wish to make All intensive study ol
any branch OF art, or the art of any
period, may seek out therein objects
which are illustrative. In other words
the metropolitan has become a great
research museum. n place in which
the specialized student may pursue
his studies, an endless reservoir OF
inspiration; but to the casual visitor
with small time at his command, its
size and the multiplicity of exhibits
are almost overwhelming. Even for
those who go with fixed purpose
such, Tor instance, as inspection OF
the new Venetian room--there is dan.
ger OF being diverted by the interest
or exhibits passed Ell route. Obvious
ly, there is much TO be said in favor
OF the large comprehensive collection
both for convenience and for continui
ty. but for real pleasure the small
museum undoubtedly would carry Of
the prize
4 great foundation appropriated a
year ago several thousand dollars fol-
al investigation and report on the
cause or causes OF museum fatigue. >
Certainly ~ ba
| causes is the temptation to see toe
much at one time. How much less
wearlsome. for instance, is the Wal
lace collection in London than the
great British Museum. with its count
less, Well ordered treasures, How re-
Ireshing is the Freer Gallery in this
city with its unified showing, as com
pared To some of our large and more
comprehensive museums of arti I'm
doubtedly the fact that the National
Gallery collections are shown at the
present time in the heart OF the Nat.
lral History Museum Building, with
ITS nnumerable specimens and eth.
nological exhibits, initiates greatly
against their enjoyment.
There are, of course, those who
IKE oliver Twist, are always crying
for more. but art cannot be properlV
"HCI ldhCII III 100 large
doses. The pleasure to be found in
art is OF a gentle. meditative sort.
and requires an intimacy of acquaint.
anceship which cannot be gained en-
nlasse.
Oh course. however, there is the
danger of too many little museums.
and there is an economy in the aggre-
CATION of units. Boston now has its
Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum in
Fenway Court, which is essentially in
dividualistic: Philadelphia has it's
Johnson collection in the house in
which Mr. Johnson assembled it;
Baltimore has the Walters Gallery: we
here have the Freer and the Phillips
Memorial Galleries, There is still
room for others.
= X = y
And it should not be thought that
the addition of separate, privately en-
dowed galleries would initiate against
the upbuilding of a great national
collection.
There are verA few collectors who
have the means, the time or the
taste to assemble unified collec-
tions of such size and importance
as those mentioned, whereas there
are many who have acquired in
teresting groups or single examples of
the works of the great masters which
might very we'll find their way even.
tually into national collection. Take,
for instance, the great National Gal
lery of London, one of the finest and
the best arranged in the world-large,
but not too large, representing the de.
velopment of painting from the days
Of the prinitives to modern times. 1t
is inconceivable that such a collection
could have been built up by any sim
gle individual. It is eminently desir-
able that such collection should be
owned, housed and cared for as a na-
tional institution.
y X x
Occasionally one hears it said that
the supply of works by old masters Is
running low, that the time will come
when none will be obtainable, but SO
long as such are in private ownership
this day is still remote.
The National Gallery Of London has
been built up in the last hundred
years. 1t is quite rea sonable to SUD-
pose that no nation today could hope
to equal this collection, even the rich.
est Nation in the world, If il deliber.
ately went into the market, but un-
doubtedly it could more nearly ap-
proXlmate such q result now than 20
years hence, and each decade that
passes will make it more difficult.
Postponing action is, therefore, eco.
nomically a mistake.
The mere fact that collectors are de.
sirous of permanently placing their
collections here in Washington indi.
Gates a recognition of the position
which this city, as the National Capt.
tai. occupies and it's future possibiI.
tiles as a great cultural center of art.
X - * X
Never, perhaps, in the history Of
she world have such great sums been
given for the establishment of art
museums and their support as in the
present day. Through the will of
the late Frank A. Munsey the Metro.
politan Museum has this Winter In.
herited a fortune of approximately