Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-10
ny ALFRED ALIBRANDo
star star Writer

otAf stan Nfiter
The Commission OF Fine Arts Is
q paradox:
Quiet and dlgnlfed and even
somewhat remote. Il manages TO
stay In the middle Of a row most
Of the time.
This Is perhaps not so surprising
n YOU know that the commits
sion was authorized by Con-
greks 40 years ago In the middle
OF O dispute and that Il spent It's
infancy defending a swamp as the
best site for the city's most Inn
posing memorabilia Lincoln.
From the very birth Of the
Nation. commissions and informal
bodies we're appointed 10 advise
the President and Congress on
matters Of art. President WASH
inRton appointed such commits
sion TO assist with the design Of
the Capitol. Later, other COM
missions were named to advise on
suitable sculptures and paintings
for the Capitol Building.
IN 1901. the Senate Park Com
mission was appointed and res
eued from oblivion" the L'Enfant
plan and from 1t drew up new
proposals for location Of public
buildings. parks and other i'm
provements.
However, there was no official
body TO urge Congress TO carry out
these plans. and in 1909 President
Theodore Roosevelt appointed a
Council of Fine Arts with a mem
bership Of 80 artists. After hold
ing one meeting to decide on a
location for the Lincoln Monu-
ment, Congress expressed disap-
proval and the council was abol-
ished by President Taft on Febru-
airy 10, 1909, only II days after
he had taken Office.
Advice on Art Matters
There was. however. recog-
nized need for a permanent COM
mission on fine arts. 1t had been
a practice through the years for
Congress or the President to APP
point a new commission every time
o new building or monument was
authorized. This procedure was
awkward and did not provide the
Government with a body to ADVISE
on all matters Of art.
Just a year after the council
was abolished. bill was intro
dueed in the House Of Represent
atives for the creation Of small,
permanent Commission Of the
Fine Arts. The legislation was
opposed by several powerful con-
gressional leaders who had diff
fered with the short-lived council
and earlier commissions on the
location Of the Lincoln Memorial
and the Department of Agricul-
ture.
Although Speaker Cannon took
no part in the debate, he was cp-
posed to location of the Lincoln
Memorial in Potomac Park, a site
favored by proponents of the
commission. Referring to the
swampy nature Of the site, he
warned that the proposed me-
mortal would shake itself down
ain loneliness and ague" if built
there.
Despite this opposition. Con-
gresS approved the legislation and
President Taft signed the measure
May II, 1910, which provided for
a permanent commission of
seven well-qualified judges Of the
fine arts to advise upon the
location of statues, fountains and
monuments in the public squares,
streets and parks in the District
and upon the selection of
models :. and . artists for the
execution of same"
Stotues Were First
For the first six months of its
life, the commission was restricted
to passing upon the esthetic merits
of statues and monuments and
advising generally upon ques-
tions of art when required to do
so by the President or any
member of either house of Con-
gress."
The first project to occupy the
attention of the commission was
the Lincoln Memorial. Faced with
strong opposition to the Potomac
Park site, it chung tenaciously to
the view that the inherent draw
backs could be overcome.
The commission commended that
location of the monument at the
western end of the Mall was nee
essary to carry out the L'Enfant
plan and would add more to the
appearance of the city than a
memorial on a site close to the
Capitol.
Time indicated the judgment
Of the first commission.
Between 1910 and 1921, presi-
dental directives and orders
broadened the domain of the COM
mission to include:
/. Inspection of plans for Gov
eminent buildings TO be built in
the District.
2. Advising the National Park
Service on development OF parks
and reservations.
8. Study of designs for medals,
insignia and coins.
In 1881, Congress approved the
Shipstead-Luce Act, which great
ly extended the scope of the COM
missions review authority and
gave it a much stronger voice in
the future development Of the
city.
The Territory Involved
1t provides that plans for any
new buildings or alterations to
buildings which front or abut on
the Capitol, White House, Lafa-
yette Park, Pennsylvania avenue
from the Capitol to the White
House, Rock Creek Park, the Zoo,
Rock Creek Parkway. Potomac
Park, the Mall and adjacent build
ings, must be reviewed by the
commission.
The act directs the commission