Evening star., 1933-04-23

ence with the establishment Of the Smith
sonian Institution 1t made little progress
until 1906, when Harriet Lane Johnston be-
qaeathed to it her collection Of paintings in
ciuding works by Romney, Reynolds, Lawrence,
Hoppner, Luini and others. In the same year
Charles L. Freer decided his collection of paint
tngS by Whistler and other Americans and of
Oriental art objects to the Nation About the
same time came the William T. Evans collection
Of ISL paintings by LOG American artists, and
later still the Ralph Cross johnson collection
and the collection Of portraits of persons
prominently connected with the World War.
given by selforganized committee as the
nucelus for national portrait gallery.
Theodore Roosevelt was President of the
United States at the time the Freer collection
was offered and but for his appreciation of the
importance of the collection and the great
generosity of the gift, it would probably have
been declined by the regents of the Smith
sonian Institution because Of lack of space and
appropriations, as well appreciation of its
significance
The Evans collection has been augmented
by paintings purchased under the Ranger
fund. process which will continue perpetually.
assuring the National Gallery Of Art a full
representation of the best works of American
artists.
But still the National Gallery of Art has no
home, nor has it from Congress adequate sup
port To a great extent it is q mendicant. A
site has been set aside in the great triangle
building plan for a national gallery building.
but rs yet no money has been appropriated for
such q building and steps taken to provide
adequate organization for the development and
care Of a national collection, much less pur-
chase fund
The majority of the art museums of this
country have been built up through private
gifts, and it is said on good authority that most
Of the great works of art brought to this coun-
trv ~ indiviri,1alS
ally find their way into public collections. How
ever, there is limit to masterpieces. If some
steps are not taken to erect national gallery
Of art and provide adequate organization COM
paratively soon. many of the great works of art
which unoer ordinary circumstances would be
given to a national collection will find place
ment elsewhere
The National Gallery of Art of Canada has
purchase fund from government sources of
over 100000 year. There IS certainly no
other enlightened nation than our own that
does not set aside money for the upbuilding
Of . national art collection, recognizing the i'm
portance of art as factor In civilization. In
the present day. when leisure hours are in
creasing and the use Of leisure hours prob
lem Of vital significance, this question Of art
and its recreative values is Of more importance
than ever before
IT is not generally known outside of New
] Haven that on March the Yale Gallery
Of Fine Arts opened in honor of the thirty
second President of the United States an ex-
hibition of Roosevelt silver. selected from the
Mabel Brady Garvan collections.
This silver. which was placed on view in the
American Gallery, falls into two catagories,
pieces made by Nicholas Roosevelt 07l5-176O
and his nephew, Peter De Reimer O739-1814,
and others made by early New York silver
smiths in the eighteenth century for members
of the Roosevelt family. The craftsmanship of
Nicholas Roosevelt well q
very fine tankard. the lid and handle of which
are decorated with French coins of 1927 and
1745: a pear-shaped teapot of the Chippen-
dale period, a three-legged cream jug, and
porringer spoon. Nicholas. an official silver
smith for the City of New York, the
nephew of Jacobus 0692-1776), and Johannes
Roosevelt Q689-1733) the respective direct
ancestors of the President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
Nicholas nephew, Peter De Reimer Q739-
1910, also silversmith, was the maker of the
sauce boat which is a rare article in early
New York silver.
Earliest in the date among the family plate
is an exceptionally fine tankard made by Ben
jamin Wynkoop, bearing the initials of Jo-
hannes and Helytje Roosevelt, who were mar
ried in 1908. The lid is engraved with Jo-
hannes Roosevelt's cypher, or entwined initials,
q characteristic feature of early New York sill
ver. Johannes who served as assistant alder
man Of New York City 1717-1727, and as alcer-
man from 1870 until his death, was connected
by marriage with WynkoOp, maker OF the tank
ard. Mrs. Roosevelt is seventh In descent from
Alderman Johannes.
= POWELL MINNIGERODE director of the
~ Corcoran Gallery Of Art has been in
vited to serve as member of the jury of award
for the Carnegie Institutes International Exhi-
btion this year. As rule the jurors for this
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