The Washington times., 1935-02-16
Artist Says
Gallery Is
Needed

b scattered among q lot Of
old animals bones.
With these words, Nicholas
Richard Brewer, one Of the
most outstanding American
artists, today criticized the
failure Of the United States
Government to provide a
proper" gallery for Amer
toan art.
Mr.. Brewer, for whom PreSi-
dent Roosevelt posed last summer
for his portrait, is now in Wash
ington, not only to complete that
painting but also to agitate for
construction of new building for
the National Gallery of Art here.
A Disgrace
Pointing out that the present
National Gallery is housed in the
National Museum, he said:
"Much of Americas finest art
Is now scattered among q lot of
old animals bones. It's q dis
grace that we have no proper
place to exhibit the really fine
collections of art now in this
country
Our art lovers 60 to Europe
every year and come back with
priceless works Of art, the treas
ure of the European capitals,
after paying huge sums for
them.
when they come back to the
United States and offer them to
the Government, this country
must reply that it has no place
to exhibit them"
Mr.. Brewer declared that the
cart situation in this country
Is very discouraging," mainly be-
cause:
SYNONYMOUS
eve haven't any culture. and
we won't have any culture I'M
til we have a national art. They
are synonymous"
The artist stated that suitable
building could be constructed for
between $10,OO0,00O and $15,000,-
600, at the same time giving en-
ployment to hundreds of men
now unemployed.
He has had considerable diff
Guilty in convincing members OF
Congress of the need for the gal
lery, he said, because they do not
consider art of any consequence.
They rank it, he continued,
with crocheting and other forms
Of handicraft.
If the Government would &C
quire the gallery now, he said,
within a very short time, the
United States would have a col
lection second to none in the
world.
Paints President
Mr.. Brewer is now working to
complete the portrait Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, in which he is
attempting to reproduce the de-
termination and action Ia the
Presidents face and movements.
He has painted many distin-
guiShed Americans, among them
several justices of the Supreme
Court, Vice President John Nance
Garner and Senate Majority
Leader Joseph T. Robinson.
His portrait Of the late Speaker
Henry T. Rainey is one OF four
now awaiting the decision Of the
House Library Committee. One
OF these will be selected to hang
IN the speakers gallery.
Mr.. Rainey sat for the artist
several times shortly before his
death last year.
The artist, who has painted
continuously for the past So
years, has won numerous prizes
for his many portraits and land
scapeS.
One OF his paintings, which he
prizes very highly, Is one which
he calls The Cotton Harvest. "
It took o prize at the Witte
Museum IN San AnSoE1ao. Tex,
many years ago.
Interest Crews
Among his favoEite landscapes
b . painting which also took q
prize ip Texas. entitled Fallen
During his many yeaEs of OK
hlbition, Mr.. Brewer has shown
his painting many times at schools
and colleges in an attempt to
interest young people In CON
temporary art.
He believes that there h q
desire among Americans to de-
velop an art culture, but that this
end can only be accomplished
when a proper national gallery
Of art Is established In Washing
ton.
His portraits of governors and
statesmen hang in 10 State capt.
tails and his paintings are in
cluded in permanent collections
Of many art galleries.
Mr.. Brewer has done por-
trait OF Ignace PadereWSki, Polish
statesman and musician, which
the great pianist has described as
the finest portrait ever painted
of him.
He also has a three-quarter
length portrait of Ruth Bryan