Evening star., 1937-05-08
Rv Leila Mecklin.

avenue ILLS WICK, Ullt okcC1 Y.
ant visitor may have noticed
i workmen, on an open grass
grown space bordering the Mall,
between Fourth and Seventh streets,
digging in various spots and making
borings. These heralded the erection
OF the much discussed and eagerly
awaited National Gallery of Art The
contract for this building has been
let Ito well-known New York con-
tractor and the first step toward
reconstruction was the establishment of
potential foundations
OF the reality of National Gallery
OF Art, and It's beginning, there were
other signs. The name of the National
Gallery OF Art has disappeared from
the oyerdoor Of the National Museum,
Tenth street and Constitution avenue,
and IN its place appears National
Collection Of Fine Arts" The guide
boards In the museum lobby have also
been changed this week On them the
National Collection of Fine Arts" is
located on the second floor, as we'll
as the War Portrait Collection" Thus
is indicated a division, both OF res
possibility and of property rights,
which may. in effect, prove far
reaching.
Five collections, privately assembled,
have In due course been donated to
the Nation as part of a National
Gallery Of Art. The first of these was
the Harriet Lane johnson collection,
ha pf vryl,i La
friendly litigation, to the legalizati ton
Aof the National Gallery of Art by
decree Of the District Supreme Court,
as established and existent under the
Smithsonian Institution. Then came,
IN quick succession, gifts of the Will
liam T. Evans collection of paintings
by American artists, later supple
mented and perpetuated through the
Ranger fund; the John Gellatly COL
lection Of paintings and objet dart;
the Ralph Cross johnson collection
OF paintings by the old masters, and
the Freer collection-the last housed
and endowed by the donor. The
Evans and the Gellatly collections both
represented private fortunes, and in
both instances, through an unhappy
turn Of fateful circumstances, the
donors died in comparative poverty
IN other words, they gave to the Nation
not only of their best, but that which
might have kept them in comfort for
life.
Through special provision in the bill
which, passed by Congress, accepted
and legalized Mr.. Melons princely
gilt OF a National Gallery of Art
building, his invaluable collection and
munlflcent endowment. the works
previously held as of a National Gal
lery are henceforth to be classified
as National Collection of Fine
Arts"-hence the revision in the signs
and guide boards.
This change, now effected, does not
prohibit the inclusion of any of these
works in the National Gallery Of Art
that Is to be built, but it eliminates
such requirement. Whether or not
selection may be made from these COL
lections eventually for promotion to
the National Gallery of Art will de-
pend upon the separate deeds of gift
and the judgment of the National
Gallery's governing board. Meanwhile,
the question Of suitable housing of
these collections, generously given
and accepted in good faith, is an open
question. For the present they will
doubtless remain where they are, in
borrowed quarters, shown only in
part and inadequately, and occupying
space in the Natural History Building
greatly needed for scientific exhibits.
THE solution of the difficulty which
has been proposed is the erection
Of another building to be known as
the Smithsonian Gallery of 1T,
on the south side of Constitution
avenue, west of the National Museum,
which will not only contain the present
National Collection Of Fine Arts, but
also additions thereto This building
will, 1t has been said, occupy the same
relation to the National Gallery of
Art that the Luxembourg occupies
to the Louvre, or the Tate to the
National Gallery of London. To it
will go contemporary works to be
tested by time, and eventually, when
permanent merit is assured, graduated
or promoted to the National Gallery.
The cost of this building has been set
at something more than s4,500,0OO,
IN addition to which there will be up
keep and administra ton. A bill max
ing such appropriation has been
drafted, but because of the present
economy program will not it is now
understood, be in the 1888 budget.
This means that for at least a couple
OF years matters will remain in status
= quo. The Art News of New York
publishes in its current issue, the
statement that, according to rumor,"
gifts totaling $3,000,000 toward the
establishment of a Smithsonian GAL
lery of Art have been offered by two
ardent art lovers; but such offers have
not been made public, if perchance,
they have actually been made.
It is a splendid thing to have the
National Gallery of Art with its impec-
cable treasures to look forward to,
and all the regulations that have been
made to safeguard its standards are
right and just; but there should not
be delay or delinquency in suitably
providing for the National Collection
bf Fine Arts" already possessed and
far too long inappropriately housed
and displayed.
AS Nation we have acquired, or
shall acquire, through the munifcence
Of Mr.. Mellon, National Gallery of
Art which will put us on par with
other nations, and be, indefinitely,
I occasion of pride and satisfaction; but
this great gift in no wise releases us
from our obligation to care properly for
and display the work of art previously
given to upbuild national collection
by other donors equally generous ac-
cording to their means. In fact, it
would seem to increase it.
There are many functions which a
Smithsonian Gallery of Art may per-
form In addition to merely caring for
the secondary national collection,