Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-25
MCCLELLAN TELLS
OF ROME ACADEMY
Capital Garden Club Group
Hears of Progress in
Art School.

The steps leading to the establish
ment and the present progress OF the
American Academy in Rome. for
which the Garden Club of America is
raising funds for permanent fellow
ship in landscape architecture. were
outlined Yesterday afternoon by
George 3. Mcclellan. vice president OF
the academy and former mayor OF
New York. to members of the Nationai
C'apital committee of the club, at the
residence of Mrs. William Eustis, 1900
Rhode Island avenue.
Mr.. Mcclellan traced the develop
ment of modern art from the period
If the French Revolution, which ne
said greatly injured its ancient tradi-
lions. He declared that the style
empire" under the leadership OF Ia
vid. was 'soulless copy of the
Romans" wherever the influence OF
Napoleon was felt, except in England.
The nadir of American art. Its UTMOST
dissertation, was reached in the period
Immediately preceding and followlng
the Civil War. Mr. Mcclellan pointed
out, in contrasting the respectable
foreign works of art sent to the Cen
tennal Exhibition of 1876.
American Standard Raised.
The later works of Mckim. Saint
raudens. Burnham. Abbey, Olmstead
and others at the Chicago Exposition
clearly proved, however. that the
standard of American art had alreadE
haen raised By Hunt. Richardson and
other followers of the Hudson ktVef
school," Mr.. Mcclellan emphasized.
Charles Mckim and Daniel Burnham
decided that the evolution or an artls,
tic SOUL in addition TO n technical
education was necessary for the fu-
Of An
with the foundation by them OF the
American Academy in Rome for the
lmbuing of the classic spirit as
consequence. Mr. Mcclellan quoted
KENYON Cox in defining the purposes
of clasSiciSm.
The American Academy followed the
precepts of the French institution IN
Rome. but unlike the foreign acstd-
emies there. which are under govern
mental subsidy and authority. the
American Academy, although unoer
the charter of Congress, Is depenoent
Inon Drivate subscription for Its up
keep. Mr.. Mcclellan traced the prog
ress of the American Academy from
the time of it's merger with the Amer
ran School of Classical Studies In l91Z
and the establishment of the combined
institutions at the Villa Aurelia on the
Janiculum Hill in Rome through the
generosity of the late j. +. Morgan
and his son.
Defends Rome Academy.
The scope and administration of the
academy are primarily for the ALREADY
assuredly successful archeologlst,
painter, sculptor musician and archl-
tect, Mr.. Mcclellan explained. to en-
able them to browse in the atmos'
phere of the Renaissance" lie re-
futed the two principal criticisms OF
the academy. namely, the cost OF up
keep, which he said was justified by
the notable works of the artists who
had studied there, and the absorption
only of the beauties of the past by the
students, which he said had not af-
fected their highly original creations
of their later careers.
Mr. Mcclellan praised the Garden
Club for awakening the people OF
America to the beauties of nature by
bringing nature to the home" and
"civilizing the Western farmer He
concluded by emphasizing that the
works of God are far more marvellous
and beautiful than the works of man.
Mrs. Fairfax Harrison, vice chair
man of the committee. presiding in the
absence of Mrs. Frank B. Moves. the
chairman, announced the passage by
the House of the arboretum bill. spon-
sored by the Garden Club. She said
that the securing of the American
Kew Gardens would be due largely
to the efforts of Mrs. Noyes, who was
also largely responsible for the incep-
ton of the oPtomac Park memorial
bandstand. Mrs. Harrison said that
the next projects of the National Capt.
tai committee We're the Identification
of the approaches to Washington and
the completion of the $4,000 fund for
the Garden Club fellowship to the
American Academy, for which $1l 900
has already been raised. A model of
the bandstand war memorial was
shown to the guests by Mrs. Eust1s, |
who spoke briefly on the appropriate /!
ness of the plans. T,