New Pictures in the Galleries.-(continued.) as we know they could be, but the English, Dutch and Flemish schools came up to a high standard. They could be studied as well in their respective departments in the art galleries at St. Louis as in their own country. But had even these departments failed in their representation, the American Section would have been a vindication of them all, for that department stood for the highest and best in American art. In no place could its developments be studied so well as in these gallerie; where they were all brought together. Its tendencies and its men were represented by the best pictures ever painted in America. Mr. Ambrose Petry, aware of the opportunity to get good pictures, purchased from the management five medal pictures by American artists. They are as follows: By George C. Aid, an oil entitled "Mineature," which was awarded a silver medal; by Joseph R. DeCamp, "The Sea Wall," September, which won a gold medal; by David Ericson, "Pont Aven," which was awarded a silver medal; . by George H. McCord, "A Ledge of Rocks." which was awarded a bronze medal, and by Henry B. Snell, "The Inner Harbor, Polperro," which won a silver medal. To these Mr. Petry has added a recently finished canvas by Mr. George McCord entitled "A French coaster." This latter is one of Mr. McCord's best efforts. The great expense for postage and the amount of labor required in sending out the "Bulletin" has made it necessary for us to alter our former plans. Hereafter the "Bulletin" may be secured at the Museum by asking any of the attendants for it, but will not be sent unless postage is inclosed for it. Lent by Ambrose Petry Mr. Petry's pictures will remain at the museum indefinitely, as will Mr. Walker's. The Arts and Crafts Exhibition An exhibition of greater interest to Detroit people has not been held for many seasons than the first annual exhibition of Arts and Crafts. It was made up of material which is within everyone's comprehension, the useful and ornamental articles of every day life made by individuals who have artistic inclinations, and who can combine color values, as well as execute a good design. Detroit arts and crafts workers were not as numerous in this first exhibition as we could wish, probably owing to the fact that this was the first movement of the kind in Detroit, and just what was wanted was not known. The material that was exhibited by Detroit workers, however, was par excellence. The amount of sales was about seven hundred dollars, showing the appreciation for handmade individual work over machine made. The movement was conducted by an Arts and Crafts Committee of twelve interested art lovers of Detroit, with Miss Clara Dyar as chairman. Much of the success of the exhibition was due to the tireless efforts of the members of this committee. The Museum was kept open three evening for the benefit of those who could not come in the day time and two successive Saturday afternoons the ladies of the committee and their friends served tea. Contributions. (continued.) and Belle Isle. Eugene M. Fay gave two old land grants, one by Gov. Ransen, 1849, and the other by Gov. John S. Berry. Mr. David E. Heineman lent six old watches. Four are bulls eye watches. Mrs. George Walterhouse bequeathed an apostolic pitcher, in perfect conditon. Mr. Ernest Hack lent two Franco-Prussian bayonets. Fine Arts Department: Mrs. T. H. Hinchman lent a Scotch coast scene in oil, by Robert Hopkin. Mr. David E. Barry lent an old master, "The Crucifixion," by F. M. De Vos (1585). It is in good condition and a fine example of this master's work. Mr. Frederick Stearns lent a pastel, "The Neapolitan Girl," by Mario Borgeni. Mr. A. R. Romes lent an oil painting, "The Flower Girl of the Alhambra," by himself. Mr. E. C. Walker lent two oil paintings: "The Wine Cellar," by V. Chevilliard; "The Pointers," by T. Blinks. Mr. Ambrose Petry lent five oil paintings: "Miniature," by George C. Aid, silver medal St. Louis Exposition; "The Sea Wall, September," by Joseph R De Camp, gold medal St. Louis Exposition; "Pont Aven," by David Ericson, silver medal St. Louis Exposition; "A Ledge of Bass Rocks," by George H. McCord, bronze medal, St. Louis Exposition; "A French Coaster," by George H. McCord; "The Inner Harbor, Polperro," by Henry B. Snell, silver medal, St. Louis Exposition. Apostolic Pitcher An interesting bequest to the Detroit Museum of Art by Mrs. George Walterhouse was that of an apostolic pitcher, a cut of which is here shown. Mrs. Walterhouse, while traveling in Mexico, secured this beautiful pitcher and in trying to identify it many interesting letters passed between her and the curator of the South Kensington Museum in London. Comparatively few of these pitchers were made, so that today they are quite rare. The pitcher is not glazed on the outside, but is a dull white, sculptured in the gothic style. In eight gothic arches stand the eight apostles, each with his symbol, sculptured in relief. Museum Notes Visitors at the Museum for the last quarter of 1904 numbered, in October 8,645; in November, 8,656; in December, 8,215, making a total of 25,516 persons. The work on the new building, which was somewhat delayed by the bad weather, is being pushed as rapidly as it can be. It will be some time, however, before it will near completion. The recital on banjo and mandolin given by Mr. N. Sidney Logatree on the evening of Nov. 22 was well attended. The Trustees of the Detroit Museum believe in an alliance of the arts; that music is to the sense of hearing what pictures are to the sense of sight. The Detroit Ornothological Club held its quarterly meeting in the Museum the first Friday in December. Many interesting papers were read. These meetings, held the first Friday in February, June, September and December, are open to any one interested in bird study. Four exhibitions of paintings have been held since October 1st, 1904. A. E. Albright represented by his pictures of country children; Rob Wagner, by his portraits; John Donovan, by his marine views, and H. Nakagawa, by his Japanese interpretation of American landscapes, were the exhibitors. Mr. Albright is an American artist residing in Chicago; Mr. Wagner and Mr. Donovan are Detroit men, and Mr. Nakagawa is a Japanese artist whose home is Tokio. The Sunday Talks given by the Director beginning October 16th, have been on the following topics, respectively: "Luxuries for All," "The Art of the Red Man," "Home Life and Decoration," "Some Pottery and Potters," "Ancient and Modern Sculpture," "Nuremberg and Its Artists," "The Artisan and the Craftsman." A suspension of the talks became necessary the last three Sundays of the year 1904 owing to the Arts and Crafts Exhibition in the Main Gallery. An exhibition of paintings, which is still hanging in the Main Gallery, by ten American artists, furnishes an excellent opportunity for the study of the work of the following men: John W. Alexander, Colin C. Cooper, J. Frank Currier, Frank V. Du Mond, George Inness, Jr., Walter Shirlaw, Edward W. Redfield, Charles H. Woodbury, Robert Henri and Charles H. Davis. They are representative American men, all of them having won distinctions at the various American exhibits in the way of medals and prizes. An exhibition of rare books, known as the "Perry Book Museum," was shown in the Main Gallery the last four days of November. It was made up of earliest known manuscripts, written books, early printed books, down to some of the more beautiful books of today. Mr. Perry, the proprietor of the collection, gave six talks as follows: General Talk on Books," "Earliest Known Books and Manuscripts," "Early Printed Books," "Literary Humbugs and Curios," "Children's Books and Private Press Work," "The Book Beautiful." Beginning January 1st the Museum will be opened Mondays at 9 a. m., the same as on other week days. It has been the custom of the Museum in the past, the same as in nearly all similar institutions in America, to open on Mondays from 2 to 4 p. m. only, but in order to afford the people every opportunity possible for visiting its collections, the Museum will be open every day hereafter (national holidays excepted) from 9 a. m. until 4 p. m. in winter, and until 5 p. m. in summer, except Sundays, when the hours are from 2 to 4 in winter and 2 to 5 in summer. T A Bit of Early Detroit History By C. M. BURTON. HERE is hanging up in one of the rooms of the Museum On the sixteenth day of August of that year, Governor and General William Hull, to the surprise of the citizens of Detroit, the soldiers in his army, and the people of the United States, surrendered Detroit, its fort and soldiers, to the British army under General Isaac Brock. Brock was a very busy man in those days, and, after taking complete possession of the place, he went away, leaving it in charge of Colonel Procter. Procter assumed not only the military command, but he undertook to maintain a civil government as well, calling himself the civil governor. proclamation, retaining all of the old civil officers in their places, "without any new commissions for the same," and new officers were to be appointed in place of such of the old ones as had left the country. Courts of justice were to be held as usual, but the laws adopted by the legislative body need not be adopted from any of those of the United States. Taxes and duties should be levied and collected as formerly. The last provision, and the one that is reproduced here (see page 3), appointed Augustus Brevoort Woodward secretary. Mr. Woodward was at that time the only judge of the Supreme Court remaining in Michigan, and it was supposed that he would continue to hold court and act as Chief Justice. Attention is called to the fac-simile of the proclamation, to show that Mr. Woodward's name was inserted in it after the act had been drawn up. It is probable that Procter did not know what name to insert at first, and that he finally chose Judge Woodward as the man best qualified to fill the position. There is no doubt about his ability, but he was unwilling to accept any position under British rule, and he not only refused to act as secretary, but he also refused to act as judge, so that (Continued on Page 3) A short time after the surrender, Procter thought it best to establish the civil department in full force, as he expected to retain possession of the post and fort, and he issued a BULLETIN OF THE Lecture Announcement Detroit Museum of Art April 10th, 8:30 p. m. "The Empire of Colorado, its Prehis Application to copy or photograph any object in the Museum must be made and filed in the Director's office. Easels and space to keep materials will be provided for students. The Museum Library is extensive and is accessible to students wishing assistance in any art line. No books are lent from the Museum, but reading may be done in the building. Teachers with classes from the public schools will be assisted by the attendants at the Museum in the study of any department, upon request. It is asked that such requests be made before the visit. Handbooks, catalogs and souvenir postal cards are on sale at the Library. Copies of the Bulletin, to which all visitors are welcome, may be obtained at the Library, in the front of the Museum, or they will be mailed regularly to any address upon the receipt of postage. Notice of Invitations It must be evident to any one who gives the matter a thought that it would be impossible for the Art Museum to send invitations to the whole population of the city, much as it would like to. Invitations and notices of exhibitions and other events are sent out from time to time to all the city officials, the incorporators of the Museum, and to all those who have in any way done anything for the Museum. They are also sent to the daily press, which gives them publicity, and the public are again urged to take these public notices as invitations for themselves. The Museum is always free when open, and every person is cordially invited to come. toric Past and Romantic Development." Illustrated by over two hundred colored lantern projections, by Mr. Gilbert McClerg of Colorado Springs. The lecture will be interspersed with Indian legend and Spanish romance, and will be lively with amusing anecdot es of pioneer days. Exhibition Announcements Arrangements for exhibitions beginning April 1st are as follows: Mr. E. C. Walker's collection of paintings will be on exhibition in the Main Gallery. Mr. Ambrose Petry's collection of Medal paintings of St. Louis and others, will occupy the L. T. Ives room. April 17 to May 5. An exhibition of twenty oil paintings by William Wendt of Chicago, who has just closed an exhibition in the Art Institute of that city, will be shown in the Main Gallery. May 7th to June 1st. An exhibition of one hundred watercolors by the American Watercolor Society will be shown in the Main Gallery. June 1st to 22nd. A joint exhibition by C. Myles Collier and R. M. Shurtleff, N. A., both of New York, will be held in the Main Gallery. About fifteen examples of each man's work will be displayed. Contributions The following contributions to the Museum collections have been made since January 1st: Natural History Department-Ernest Hack lent a star fish. Historical Department-Mr. C. F. Fagin gave an ancient English parchment deed, dated January 21, 1700. Mrs. Samuel Carson lent two oil paintings, one a portrait of Governor John T. Mason, and the other an election scene in early Detroit. This latter picture is very interesting because of the portraits of the many prominent persons of that day that are shown in it. Mr. H. M. Utley gave a portrait of Charles A. Bond, probably the earliest portrait painter in Detroit, painted by himself in 1847. Coin Collection-Mr. Lute H. Pike of Topinabce, Mich., gave a rare set of Chinese cash coins, eight in number-two silver Chinese coins; one dollar of Hong Kong (silver); two sets of Japanese silver coius, one of the old sun coins, the other of modern die, consisting of 1 yen, 50 sen, 25 sen, 10 sen, 5 sen each; and one temple coin used by the natives as a charm against evil spirits. Library "The Ehrich Galleries Collection," "Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art," "Report of the Library of Congress, 1904." Department of China, Korea and Japan-Mrs. V. R. Brando lent an embroidered silk robe, embroidered silk banner, and 12 skeins of Chinese silk. Fine Arts Department-Mr. Ambrose Petry has added the following pictures to his group of paintings hanging in the Museum: "Marine," by Edward Moran; "Marine," F. K. M. Rehn; "Landscape," by Robert C. Miner, and "Dordrecht Harbor," by George H. McCord. Mr. E. C. Walker has added to his loan collection, which has been hanging for some time, forty pictures. The Loan of Pri vate Collections of Paintings. There are a number of fine collections of paintings in the city of Detroit that are almost entirely unknown, save to the fortunate friends of the owners. Few people would care to ask the favor of a view, even when they are reasonably sure it would be willingly granted, because of a fear of trespassing. It was with a great deal of pleasure, therefore, that we are able to display the private collection of Mr. Ralph H. Booth--a collection charming because of its display of examples of the modern Dutch Masters. The BULLETIN is also enabled to announce that Mr. E. Chandler Walker has generously loaned to the Museum, for a time, forty-eight examples from his splendid collection of paintings. These will be hung before this BULLETIN reaches its readers, and the opportunity to see them should be taken advantage of by every art-loving citizen. Proclamation to the inhabitants of the Territory of Michigan, issued by Colonel Proctor on the surrender of Detroit in 1812. Aside from the great pleasure of owning a good work of art, there is a still greater pleasure in allowing others the benefit of it. Happily, a picture or a statue loses nothing in affording people an opportunity to study its beauty; in fact, it rather enhances the value of possession, and at the Art Museum, where everyone feels free to come and stay as long as they wish, thousands will see these pictures who, under other circumstances, could never hope to do so. Mr. Walker and Mr. Booth have shown a generous spirit which can well be followed by others, creating a wider interest in and knowledge of art and elevating the taste of the entire community. The cleaning of the galleries has been under contemplation for some time, and in order to display the coming exhibitions to the best advantage, the east galleries are now undergoing a renovation. The retinting of the plaster and the rehanging of the walls with a suitable background will be completed in a few days, when these galleries will be reopened for the summer. The Picture Fund. The growth of the annual membership fund for the purchase of pictures by distinguished American artists, has been spontaneous. Active work toward securing subscribers who would be willing to give ten dollars annually for this purpose was not begun until January, and the quick responses to this plan of adding good pictures from time to time to the Museum's permanent collection shows the general approval with which it is being considered. Besides adding to the Museum's collection of pictures, the fund will be invaluable as an incentive to our best American artists to exhibit in this city, thus elevating the standard of our exhibitions. Heretofore the only encouragement that could be (Continued on Page 4) |