The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-10-09

II " W. AbOOAANOOAN
Times Hobby Editor.
IN the brief time that Franklin
l. D. Roosevelt has been Presi-
dent, his collecting activities have
had much publicity, and in con-
sequence hobbies have been given
an impetus and an added dignity.
In the September number of the
American Magazine of Art, an
article by the editor, Frederic
Allen Whiting, describes Presi-
dent Roosevelt's collection of ma
rine pictures, and is Illustrated
with photographs of some of his
favorite prints.
One of the Illustrations, print
called THE Hudson at Hyde
Park" is the duplicate of print
found by Miss Marion Greene, Ii
brarian of the John Heron Art
museum, in an old art magazine,
the Aldine. In 1908, Mrs. May
Wright Sewan presented bound
copies of the Aldine for 1873 to
the art museum library, and the
Indianapolis central library also
has copies from 1873 to 1879.
Little is known about the AL
dine except that it was published
by James Sutton 81 Co. of New
York from 1868 to 1879 and was
an unusual magazine for its type
and time. The fact that 1t was
treasured by Mrs. Sewall, whose
life was devoted to cultural en-
deavors, places it as a periodical
of superior merit.
Logically, a picture entitled
THE Hudson at Hyde Park"
would have a sentimental appeal
to the President since Hyde Park
is his ancestral home, though the
rarity and beauty of this print
entities it to place in his choice
collection.
TN the Aldine the print accom-
Il panied an unsigned article
called Poets Rivers" which said
in part:
Poets of America have their
rivers as we'll as poets of England,
and celebrate them in song. Drake
sang of the Bronx. Halleck and
Brainard of the Connecticut. En-
erson of the Concord. Longfellow
and Lowell of the Charles. Whit
tier of the Merrinac and Bryant
of Green river. Bryant is the most
American of all our poets and in
nothing so much as in the fidelity
with which he has produced our
rivers and forests. Green river
with the graphic illustrations ex-
pressly executed for the Aldine is
one of his earliest poems"
Although the Hudson river was
not mentioned in the article, the
print of The Hudson at Hyde
Park was included as full page
illustration and was signed by G..
H. Smile, a well-knoWn landscape
painter, who was born in New
York in 1910, died in 1921. AS his
father was James Smillie, a noted
photographer, one of a famous
Scotch family of engravers, this
print may have been made for the
magazine by Smile. The subject
is not listed among his paintings
yet the signature, D. c. Yates
S. c., at the right hand side of the
print suggests a copy.
Smile first exhibited in the
National Academy in 1863 and was
considered a painter of great
technical skill. His pictures were
poetic and sentimental and his
over the Hill to the Poorhouse"
is the most famous.
MIR. WHITING says that the
WI Presidents life at his sum-
mer home at Campobello, where
he spent part of his vacation this
year, began his interest in the
sea. This interest was heightened
during his term Of Office as assist
ant secretary of the navy and his
love continues, as his vacations
attest. The President has an i'm
portant naval library, including
manuscripts, letters, and docu-
mentS concerning the development
of the United States navy. Fiji
teen hundred prints and paintings
in his marine collection are as
Sembled at his Hyde Park home
although a few we're taken to the
White House, where they hang in
his bedroom, Office and study.
These latter include the painting
of odd IronsideS" by Grant, the
picture from which prints were
made and widely sold to raise
money for reconditioning the his
toric old ship.
In addition to The Hudson at
Hyde Park" Mr.. Writings article
is illustrated with other prints
taken from the Presidents collec-
ton which deal with the Hudson
river, notably "A View on the
Hudson at West Point, by Lyons &
Co., and "A Night on the Hudson,
a Currier e. Ives print from a
painting by Fanny Palmer. made
in 1864.
A collection of old prints natur-
ally would be incomplete with
out a few gems made by Currier
81 Ives. and nowhere could the
President find more delightful