International studio (45.1912)

INTERNATIONAL
• STUDIO
VOL. XLV. No. 179 Copyright, 1911, by John Lane Company JANUARY, 1912

RENCH ART IN AMERICA
BY CHRISTIAN BRINTON
Not the least significant phase of ar-
tistic activity in America is the growing
tendency toward decentralization. Instead of
being confined to certain of 'our older and more
prominent cities, interest in art is rapidly spread-
ing, in a spirit of salutary independence, over an
ever larger and larger area. It is no longer possi-
ble to pretend that the esthetic hegemony of the
country is held by either Boston, Philadelphia or
New York. The splendid results attained by the
Carnegie Institute at Pittsburgh, the energy and
enthusiasm displayed by Chicago, and the sub-
stantial advances made by St. Louis, Cincinnati,
and kindred institutions in other States, have al-
ready accomplished much toward the diffusion of
culture and the creation of taste in these various
communities. In France, Paris is still the focus
of interest and productivity. In England, Lon-
don remains dominant, and in Germany honors are
divided between Berlin in the north and Munich
in the south. In America, however, we are con-
fronted with a somewhat different situation.
It is true that New York, faithful to its early
commercial traditions, continues the chief picture
mart of the country, yet in regard to current exhi-
bitions of contemporary painting and sculpture,
whether native or foreign, it is clearly obliged to
give way before the claims of certain more pro-
gressive and possibly more appreciative centers.
The average annual displays of the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, the
memorable but all too infrequent exhibitions of the
Copley Society in Boston, and the yearly offering of
international art at the Carnegie Institute are dis-
tinctly superior to anything New York is in the
habit of seeing. It is difficult to tell just how long
the richest and most populous city in the land will
be content to occupy a secondary position in such
matters, but meanwhile other communities are

making advances which it will by no means be easy
to overcome.
Prominent among the cities which are rapidly
creating enviable reputations for themselves in
this particular field is Buffalo, the home of the Al-
bright Gallery, the most beautiful art building in
America. Although one of our younger institu-
tions, the Albright Gallery has already placed to
its credit several notable achievements in the line
of contemporary exhibitions. It was in this
white-columned lakeside temple that the Glasgow
School made its first appearance in the United
States. It is here that was held our initial exhibi-
tion of modern German art, and, through the
courtesy of Mr. Archer M. Huntington, Buffalo
was the first American city to witness the trench-
ant canvases of the young Spanish master, Igna-
cio Zuloaga. Also by special arrangement with
Mr. Huntington, the dazzling solar effulgence of
Sorolla’s palette and the spirited, graphic verity of
Prince Paul Troubetzkoy’s bronzes came direct to
Buffalo after their enthusiastic reception at the
Hispanic Society. Not content with such a rec-
ord the Albright Gallery has this season extended
its hospitality to still another offering from over-
seas. It is French art which may now be seen on
these walls, and in such variety and numerical
strength that the display surpasses anything pre-
viously undertaken by the liberal and enlightened
management of the gallery.
In bringing to America the current exhibition by
members of the Societe Nouvelle, the Albright
Gallery is marking an epoch in the development of
native esthetic taste. One is in a measure re-
minded of the ever memorable appearance of
French art at Munich in 1869, and should the re-
sultant effect of the present undertaking prove
less the fault will not lie with the pictures and
bronzes on view, but rather with our own lack of
responsive sympathy and appreciation. While it
is true that local painters and collectors are by no
means unfamiliar with the work of this particular


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