International studio (56.1915)

On the Buying and Care of Pictures

Collection of W. G. Peckham, Esq.
ANGELS BY F. W. FREER


more. Inquire about the pictures of young James,
of Cambridge; C. H. Pepper, of Concord; Ivan
Olinsky, of Philadelphia; William Homer Haskell,
of Scarsdale; C. F. Naegele, of New York, and
about the sculpture of Caroline Peddle Ball. Avoid
artists who have an impresario, an angel, or a
press agent, as do prima donnas.
Do not patronise either American artists who
paint everything purple, especially cows. Re-
member what Burgess says:

I never saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one.
Any one who produces purple cows should have
the same feeling about his productions.
Our artists generally use an honest quality of
paint; so do the English artists. On the contrary,
various Continental artists use megilp, or some
form of vaseline, with their colours. There are a

subjects come close to us, and there
is nothing base or trivial about his
productions.
While his works in oil were all too
few, John La Farge was a prolific
painter, and his work is obtainable
at small figures. Consider La
Farge’s pre-eminence in stained
glass, as well as in oil and water
colour, and he must have a very
high rank among our artists. His
subjects are comprehensible, and
his pictures should be profitable
investments.
Tarbell is another artist of the
very first rank. Of course Sargent
and Gari Melchers at their best are
as good as any foreign artists.
One’s object should be to buy
pictures of a stimulating and en-
joyable nature and, incidentally, to
buy such as will gain in value pecu-
niarily. Search for young artists
whose work is destined to have
great value. There is a house on
Fifth Avenue that brings out young
artists. The pictures of Davies
first sold for $25, then for $250,
and then shortly for $1,000, and

Collection of W. G. Peckham, Esq.
THE PIED PIPER BY JOHN LA FARGE


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