Evening star., 1938-07-03

MELONS Gift Makes
Proper Display
Possible.
By Leila Mechin,


the Smithsonian Institution four years
later, is far better and more impor-
tant than some may suppose who see
It As now displayed in the United
States National Museum.
This collection comprises over 500
items, of which 16l are paintings and
drawings, the majority by American
artists. The remainder include Chi
nese antiquities, Syrian, Egyptian,
Greek, Roman and Arabic glass and
necklaces, 18th century jewelry,
enameled and gem-set dress orna-
ments. East Indian art objects, French
and German Gothic sculpture, French
furniture of the time of Louis XIV
and stained and loaded glass of the
18th, l4th and 18th centuries. All
OF these choice but unrelated things,
together with the paintings which
cover the walls, are set forth in one
large and one small improviSed GAL
1ery on the second floor of the build
ing. designed and set apart for the
display Of natural history exhibits.
The group exhibits of American
Indian activities, the Roosevelt collec-
ton Of wild animals, the skeletons of
dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts
are among its neighbors so that, de-
spite its isolation, the visitor comes
upon it unprepared for what it has
to of1er and finds that Offering, be-
cause Of its size and variousness, hard
to aSsimilate in short order.
1t is this condition that the new
Smithsonian Gallery of Art is pro-
posed to remedy, and the reason for
It's establishment. Obviously, such
collection as this. which must in
measure, according to the deed of gift,
be held together. could not be fitted
into the great National Gallery OF
Art. which through Mr.. Melons gift
and forethought is fast becoming a
reality. But on the other hand it has
great interest and value, and having
been accepted must be properly cared
for and made available to the public
MOT great deal is known about
John Gellatly, who gathered to-
gether these treasures of art and gave
them so generously to the Nation. He
was born in New York in 1853; his
parents died when he was a boy and
he was brought up by an uncle, Will
liam A. Gellatly, who was a partner
in the drug firm of w. H. Schieffelin
IL Co. Young Gellatly for time rep
resented the firm in London. About
1883, when he married Miss Edith
Rogers Of New York, he went into the
insurance and real estate business.
The fortune he made he spent lavishly
IN the acquisition of works of art.
So ardent collector was he that, GER
tain assets failing, his last few years
were spent in almost abject poverty.
His second wife. whom he married
after his collection had been given
TO the Nation, endeavored after his
death. in November. 1881, to recover
1t. but this was never his wish, and
her claim was obviously invalid.
There must have been great con-
geniality between himself and his
first wife. who was lover of art and
herself something of an artist A por-
trait of her by Eleanor Greatorex is
included in the Gellatly collection and
shows face of great sensitiveness
and gentility. Despite Gellatly's ar
dor for collecting he must have been
Of shy and rather retiring DISPOSE
tion but at the same time given to
eccentricity The portrait of him by
Irving Wiles which is included in
the Smithsonian collection shows him
wearing huge jewel on the forefinger
OF one hand-a jewel such as only
rajahs are supposed to aspire. Upon
one occasion. when he attended a
notable private view and evening recep-
tion in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. his
coat was of brilliant red velvet. But
he knew good art when he saw it and
rode his collectors hobby CALAMITY
until the end
A THOUGH so little is known of
Mr.. Gellatlys life one thing is
certain-he drew around him small
coterie of choice and congenial
friends. Among these were Thomas
w. Dewing. the painter. who was also
friend of Charles Freer and we'll rep
resented in the Freer collection; Mar
cia Oakley Dewing, his wife, likewise
an artist and pupil of La Fargo
and Couture; Henry Fuller and Lucia
Fairchild Fuller, the latter a distin-
euished miniature painter; Thayer.
Twachtman, Hassam. Metcalf,, Carl
Melchers and Frederick S. Church.
This was almost identically the
same group with which Mr. Freer
was associated, and happier admix-
ture of friendships would be hard to
imagine. The very fact that seven
paintings by Church are included in
the Gellatly collection goes to show
that the instincts of the collector,
sitting in stern judgment of quality,
and quality alone, could be, and were
on occasion, laid aside for the exer-
else of sheer friendliness and the at
traction of personality. Church was
a charming man, delightful COM
rade, with gleeful interest in the
= humorous and a lively imagination,
the kind of person every one liked
to have around-but not a great
artist Both Charles Freer and John
Gellatly, both connoisseurs and criti-
cal, adored him, and thus very hui
manly found pleasure and merit in
his work.
Freer was a much wiser collector
than Gellatly, going more slowly,
learning as he went, using great dis
elimination in taste, tempered by
knowledge, setting before himself
goal and holding to it. On the other
hand, Gellatly must have bought
what pleased him on the moment,
acquiring this and that, here and
there, as opportunity offered, because
Of intrinsic interest or beauty, and
the overpowering desire for possess
sion. But that he, too, had excellent
taste and judgment is obvious-his
collection is made up of real treasures.
but without correlation. The ideal