Bewildering Beauty

The progress of the people of Michigan in art education within the last quarter of a century has been rapul and praiseworthy, and the time has arrived when a great art exhibition to be held in this state stirs public interest in every city, village, hamlet and even the farmhouses of Michigan. Notwithstanding the fact that art collectiens, art exhibitions, and art education aro still so young in the state, Michigan has already achieved an art reputation of whieh she may well be proud. This state has produced the most famous distinctively American artist of the age, in the person of Fred. S. Church, of Grand Rapids, the most distinguished painter of Indians and (ndian scènes, in J. M. Stanley, now dead, and one of the foremost of living sculptors, in Randolph Rogers, of Ann Arbor. Twenty-five years ago there were scarcely any purchasers in Michigan of really worthy paintings or statuary. Now there are many good private collections, some of them possessing art treasures of world-wide fame, and single paintings of high grade and good reputation all over the state. There are also many painters and sculptors of promise, art students and art schools, and TWO LARGE PUBLIC GALLERIES, one of them being the famous H. C. Lewis collection at Coldwater, and the other the splendid Detroit Museum of Art. Mr. H. C. Lewis was the pioneer art collector of the state. About a quarter of a century ago he began his now celebrated collection of rare and costly paintings, mostly by the best American artista. His collection contains some of the best works of the most famous American artists, such as E istman, Johnson, Cole, Bierstadt, Church. and others, and its value is not less than $200,000. By the provisions of his will, this magnificent art gallery will go to thd University, at Ann Arbor, upon the death of his widow - an excellent example of liberal public spirit. THE DETROIT MUSEUM OF ART. is of recent origin. It occupies a fine building, constructed for its use, and constituting a valuabli art center. lts collection is an excellent one for a progressive art school, but it has not yet acquired the ownership of many famous pictures, though a nuraber of wide f ame have been loaned to its walls. Among the most widely known of michigan's private collections are those of General R. A. Alger, Senator James McMillan, M. S. Smith, D. M. Ferry, Bela Hubbard, H. S. Pingree, U. S. Minister to Spain Thomas W. Palmer, F. J. Hecker, David Whitney, Jr., George S. Da vis, C. F. Freer (who possesses the largest and finest collection of etchings in the United States), and the Detroit Club, all of Detroit; Senator Francis B. Stockbridge, of Kalamazoo; Colonel George C. Briggs, Grand Rapids; R. G. Peters, Manistea; Ex-Governor David H. Jerome, Saginaw; and H. C. Haekley, Muskegon. All of these collections are good, and several of them contain priceless works that the world would not willingly lose. MICHIGAN ARTISTS. Michigan has not only produeed some famous artists mentioned above, but many others oí less fame but large promise. Among her earlier and what may be called her pioneer artists were: J. M. Hartig, of Grand Rapids; Hurley Moore, of Kalamazoo; and Alvah Bradish, S. T. Ives, W. B. Conely, Mortimer L. Smith and J. K. Trego, oí Detroit. Among the noted Michigan artists of to-day are Larry Earle, of Grand Rapids (now of Chicago), Gari J. Melchers, Julius Rolshoven and Robert Gies of Detroit. Mr. Melchers wears the medals of the Paris and Amsterdam salons. Mr. Rolshoven has the Paris salon medal. Mr. Gies has sold a small pastelle for a high price to L'Art, the most famous of European art magazines. Among the promising artists of Michigan are: Robert Wickenden, W. T. Trego (pupil of Messonier, Paris), F. P. Paulus, Percy Ives, Robert G. Sprunk, Arthur J. Goodman, H. S. Bullock, C. E. Hurlburt, of Detroit; WÜ1 Howe, of Grand Rapids (pupil of Von Marcke, the great cattle painter. Mr. Howe has sold one of nis cattle pietures to the French government, for whieh he recieved a medal from the Paris salon) ; and John Owen (water colors). MICHIGAN LADT ARTISTS. Michigan has also a number of women who are becoming more or less noted as artists of conscientious sndeavor and promise. Among these are: Miss Helen Roby (now in Paris), Miss Carol M. Albright (teacher in New York), Misses Golson, sisters, Miss Kate Allmond, and Miss Florence Waterman (formerly of Grand Rapids). The Stanley Indian paintings were made widely popular by being issued in chromo by Mr. A. J. Brow, art dealer, of Detroit, who is an enthusiastic art patrón, and has always been a member of hanging committees at art exhibitions. Michigan is now soon to enjoy the most SPLENDID ABT EXHIBITION ever shown in the United States. The great International Exposition, to take place in Detroit, September 17-Í7, will have a colossal art gallery, with a front of 15J feet, lighted by electricity in the best modern style, and specially arranged and hung by the most competent authorities. It will contain the rarest art treasures from private and public collections, including Randolph Rogers' famous and wönderfully beautiful "Nydia, the Blind Girl of Pompen," in marble, Munkacsy's famous "Last Hours of Mozart," Makoffski's celebrated painting of "the küssian wedding feast," never bef ore exhibited, the 350 rare and costly paintings of the American Prize tHind gallery, especially secured for the exhibttion, and never before seen by the general public, being the masterpieces of over 200 of the best American artists who have studied in Europe, among the artists represented being Church, the Mörans, Chase, Thorne, J. G. Brown, Brush, Walker, Pauli, Brooks, Payton, Cox, and other notables. One of the pictures is a remarkable landscape by Pauli selected for a medal. And one ot' the treasures will le tlw wonderful "night op the nativity" by Poore, just arrived from Paris, which took the iriz9 lor 1889, and has created a Bensation among American an 1 European artists. Makoffski's great picturj will alone cost the association Í500 per day for every day that t will beeshibited. Besiiles these there will be a profusión of statuary, etchings, drawings, and aj-t works of all 8orts, in silyer, bronze, copper, ceramics, etc. This vffit collection will ue an art school for the hundreds of thousands of people who wiH visit it, cultivatjng the niind with rare visions of beauty and grace in both color and form, and presenting such attractions as the people of Michigan may never igaiu enj.jy. t