Evening star., 1933-09-24
National. Gallery of Art Site
Recalls AduOcates' Struggle
Recently Published Map Showing Space
for Building Indicates Future
Viii See Dream, Realized.

published in The Star, indicated no
only where old and new public build
ings stand, but also a site set aside fo
a national gallery Of art.
The erection Of building for thi
purpose and the establishment of /,
National Gallery Of Art on basis com
mensurate with the importance of ou
country may still be little more thar
a dream, but that 1t persists give
promise Of eventual realization.
The United States has legally had {
National Gallery of Art since February
1906, when the Supreme. Court Of thi
District of Columbia so decreed. Th
history of the way this was brough
ularly interesting at this time and IL
this connection. -.
In July. 1908, Harriet Lane John
ston, niece Of James Buchanan, ant
mistress of the White House during hi
administration, died, leaving the ar
collection she had assembled to tn,
Corcoran Gallery of Art, with, however
the proviso that, in the event Of tn,
establishment of a national gallery o
art 1t should become the property O
the Government and be directly deliv
cred thereto. Under these conditions
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art declined
the bequest, but attention was callec
to tine fact that the Smithsonian In
stitution by its charter could receive
and hold such gifts for the Nation, anc
congressional authority. was sought b!
the executors of the estate to MAKE
such disposition of the collection.
Roosevelt Action Helps.
And there Theodore Roosevelt, ther
President of the United States, stepped
in with timely interest and character
istjc vigor. resulting, as will be seen
not only in the legalizing Of the Ma
tional Gallery Of Art, but its up
building and the acquisition Of thu
Freer collection.
The story is told in part in Bulletir
70 Of the United States Nationa
Museum, devoted to The Nationa
Gallery of Art" published in July
1909. and reprinted in 1916 with ad.
ditions." 1t reads as follows:
THE annual message of President
Roosevelt to the Forty-eighth Con.
gress, third session dated December
s, 1900. contains the following clause;
The collection OF objects of art con.
templated in Section $685. Of the Re-
yised Statutes should be designated anc
established as a national gallery of art
and the Smithsonian Institution should
be authorized to accept any additions
to said collection that may be receives
by gift, bequest, or devise
mo action followed in Congress, but
the executors of the Johnston (Harriei
Lane Johnston) estate, still feeling !,
upon them to prevent the
disposal of the collection by sale, Mec
a suit on February Z. 1905, in the Su-
preme Court of the District of Colum-
bia. asking construction OF certain
clauses in the testament. By
direction of the President. the Attorney
General, on behalf of the United States
on February 10, 1905, entered its ap.
pearance in the suit, claiming an in
teres. in the matter.
Existence Established.
"s On October %, 1905. the Gov
ernment filed its answer to the bill
Of the Harriet Lane Home, claiming
that the United States had established
a National Art Gallery at and in con
nection with the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, by virtue of authority granted in
section 5586 of the United States Re-
vised Statutes. The decision was
favorable to the institution, the decree
VI lllC COulL CStdbAAoAhhS SAAS AoNe Va
the existence Of a National Gallery OF
Art"
This decision was handed down by
Justice Wendell P. Stafford of the Su-
preme Court Of the District Of Column
bia, and the Harriet Lane Johnston
collection was delivered to the Smith
sonian Institution on August 3, 1906.
As soon as the decision was an
other significant events began
to shape For instance, about this time
the State of Virginia determined to
celebrate the 300th anniversary OF the
founding of the jamestown Colony by
an exposition which should include not
only historical but art exhibits. Rich
ard N. Brooke, Virginia artist resl5-
ing In Washington. was appointed dl-
rector of the art exhibition and Leila
Mechlin, art critic of The Evening Star,
assistant director.
With the purpose of obtaining for
this exhibition (Which, by the way,
did not materialize) loans of certain
notable paintings by American artists
In the William T. Evans private col
lection at Montclair, N. j.. Leila Mech
lin called on Mr.. Evans at his place OF
business in New York the last OF
February. 1907.
After discussing the matter Of the
loans. Mr. Evans, whom she had known
Tor some years, and whose collection
Of American paintings Zone OF the most
notable in the country she had de-
scribed and written an appreciation
Of for Appleton's Book Lovers Maga-
zine, said to her:
I am particularly glad to see you
at his time. for there Is an important
matter that I want to discuss with you.
/ should like to give a, considerable
portion of my collection to the National
Gallery Of Art in order to advance in
terest in American art. Do you think
such an offer would be favorablv re-
yarded. and how and to whom should
It be made?"
Saw Gifts Importance.
Realizing the importance Of such a
gift, aside from its actual value. Miss
Mechlin encouraged the idea and agreed
TO return to Washington Immediately
and arrange for an interview between
Mr.. Evans and William H. Holmes. then
acting director of the National Gallery
Of Art.
This interview took place in the Cor
,oran Gallery Of Art, early in March.
Mrs. Evans accompanied her huSbano
to Washington at that time and while
he discussed the matter of the gift OF
paintings with Mr.. Holmes she and
Miss Mechlin talked in another gallery.
After they were rejoined by. Mr.. Evans,
he said to Miss 'Mechlin: Have you
told Mrs Evans what I am going to
do2" She replied with some surprise
in the negative. and he then briefly
explained to his wife. his most gener-
Gus intention. What she said was: II
think that is fine, win, but you must
be sure when you carry out this plan
to only give your very best" ThAt' wss
indicative of the way IN which this gift
was offered.
The original gift consisted Of so
paintings, 43 of which were received
and hung as a loan in the Corcoran
Gallery Of Art on April 2. The follow
Ing December Mr.. Evans formally an
his intention Of increasing the
number to 100. Later the terms were
altered to read, "Paintines by 100 lead
ing American artists" Frsm' that date
until the failure Of his fortune. which
had never been great. Mr.. Evans added
from time to time to the collection.