Evening star., 1939-01-01
American Art Wins
Acclaim in Paris
By Frederic J. Hdskin.


either latent or active feeling that this
country, whether in Colonial days or
the regime of the United States, was too
barbarian to claim an art OF It's own.
But at last there has been realization
and an awakening, and today Paris, that
Mecca OF artists from all the world, Is
holding special exhibition of American
art over period Of three centuries.
There now is appearing at the Musee
du Jeu de Paume in Paris a collection
Of some 200 canvases which cover three
centuries Of American works of art, with
especial emphasis on painting. Paris,
the city to which American artists so
long have turned their eyes, now Is turn
ing its eyes to America.
During the Colonial period, as every
student Of history Is aware, great for
tunes were built up in the American
seaboard provinces. The rich mer-
chants Of New England and the rich
planters OF the Carolinas and Virginia
not infrequently sent their sons and even
their daughters to England or France for
formal education and to learn the un-
6SAlIAC al VI All falllCil lId1l-
born artist was considered an interesting
freak. There were number of school,
masters who learned to paint without
instruction and did portraits often for a
weeks board and lodging. There were
men like John Singleton Copley who
found money enough to go to England
to study under some master whose tai
ents were actually inferior to theirs, but
who could get no important commissions
without the overseas touch.
The early American period and the
early days Of American nationhood had
its masters, some unquestionably great,
but it was difficult for Americans to
recognize their greatness because they
were American Men like Charles
Wilson Peale and Gilbert Stuart found
work but most of it was i'll paid One
sure evidence of this is that they paint
ed the same subjects so many times.
Take the Stuart and Peale portraits Of
George Washington, for example. It is
certain thing that Washington did not
pay for all these sittings. He sat as
favor to the artist, whereas he might
well have paid heavy price to painte,
from England, France or Italy who coulo
not do as good job.
OF course, today not few Of the works
Of these poineer American painters are
priced possessions in European countries
American snobbishness, in one way, did
an Ill service to itself by belittling
homemade things. 1t Is interesting to
know that when, few years ago, a
fashion for the collection of early Amer
lean pewter ware arose here collectors
had to go to Europe to buy examples at
high prices. Europeans had discovered
the true merits of such works Of crafts
manship before the homeland Of the
original work.
All through the 10th century the in.
feriority complex continued. Americans
must go to London or to Paris or to
Rome to learn how to paint. They went
by the thousands. Some, such as John
Singer Sargent, having family wealth
behind them, went in material comfort
Others Travelled steerage and lived on
crusts and hope in Partisan garrets.
Some became great painters and others
did not. 1t is reasonably fair assump-
ton that those who became great paint
ers would have anyway, staying at home,
but also it is fairly certain they never
would have received as large prices for
their work lacking the patina Of foreign
instruction.
To be sure, there was something about
the personal life of the studios of London,
Paris, Rome and other centers of art
which attracted, but those students who
most frequented the social life OF the
studios were least heard OF as painters of
notable works.
The tyranny of Paris waxed tremeu-
dous toward the close of the last century.
An American painter had no more
chance OF great commissions then than
he had had in Colonial times His brush
could have proved as clever in Chicago
or Sioux City, but it would not have
been recognized by the rising millionaires
OF the new industrial age in the United
States. A portrait must be painted by a
man who could put an R. A. after his
name to have great merit in most Amer
lean eyes. The United States, of course,
had no Royal Academy.
Young Americans still are going to
Europe to sketch at the studios and
ateliers Of the great capitals, but not in
such numbers nor for quite the same
reasons as formerly because the United
States is making her own art felt as
never before. This special exhibition in
Paris, the first of it's kind, shows this,
Partisan and other European picture
dealers have long looked upon rich
Americans as their especial harvest field.
They now are coming around to the idea
that there may, be harvest in reverse;
that pictures painted by Americans at
nome may find as rich market in
Europe as European paintings had afore-
time enjoyed in America
The 200 paintings in the Paris exhibi-
ton, covering three centuries, include a
varied collection of work OF course.
there are the Gilbert Stuarts, the Peales
and the Sullys, the Copleys and the
Trumbulls, but there are others which
are obscure to many Americans. For
instance, attention has been paid to
Joseph Wright, who painted Washington
and other early notables. He, like John
Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart.
studied under Benjamin West in London.
1t was the American snobbishness and