When the
“Chronicle” resolved to attempt an exhibition of newspaper pictures in
black and white it informed all the leading newspapers of the United
States of its intention, and invited their conductors to contribute
specimens of their art work for exhibition.
The press generally showed alacrity in responding and contributing.
Nearly all the leading papers forwarded sketches from which zincographs
have been printed and published in their columns from time to time. In
most cases, the names of the artists were appended, which has enabled
the “Chronicle” to give them the publicity they are entitled to.
From the New York Herald we have received eight pictures. One is a set
by Henry G. Dart representing “Scenes in Obispo” which are a page of art
and history combined. Another by Leon A. Shafer, the marine painter,
depicts “The North Atlantic Squadron at Target Practice,” a vigorous and
graphic composition. A more delicate piece of work is a lady wrapt in
dreamland by the fireside by M. Ashe. A pair of pictures by E. Fuhr
representing “New York in a Snowstorm” and New Year’s Night at Old
Trinity,” should be priceless to the collector of materials for history.
In the picture “Watching the Returns at the Herald Office” the way in
which the lights are managed is marvelous. A very pretty picture by
Arthur T. Keller is entitled “I were Cut Adrift.” It is an illustration
to a serial story.
From the Tribune we have to acknowledge receipt of six pictures. Among
them is a cartoon by Crane, entitled “Keep Off! I’ve Trouble Enough
Already,” the subject being the threatened destruction of the world by a
comet. Howes contributes an excellent portrait of McKinley, and Schaadt
supplies a typical summer girl, surrounded by lovely creatures engaged
in cycling, canoeing, swimming, climbing, golfing, shooting, and
fishing. From Ruyl we have a stirring picture of a campaign parade,
passing down Broadway on a windy day, and A. M. T. Mueller shows us
three specimens of the sculptor’s art – very fine indeed.
The World, daily and Sunday, has contributed over seventy drawings –
political, social, local and picturesque. Three marines by C. McKnight
Smith, the “Rescue” and likeness of the “Puritan” by Toacher, and a
“Drowning Woman in the Surf” will delight lovers of sea pictures.
Passing life in New York is illustrated by Hyde’s “Visiting the Sick in
the Hospital”; “Firemen Rescuing the Little Ones” by A. Well; Coney
Island, and several character sketches by George B Luks; a “Third-avenue
Suicide” by William Hofacker; a policeman chasing a criminal in a
sleigh, by John W. Trowbridge; “Mme. Melba’s Departure” and “Convicts at
Work at Sing Sing” by A. Well; “Crowds at Castle Garden” by Gifford
Rider; “The Arrest of a Shoplifter” by I. Norval Marchand’ a “Policeman
Stopping Two Car Horses” by Will Crawford; “The Last of the Seeley
Affair by Walter McDougall; a “Salvation Army Dinner” by Kemp, and many
others. The World has devoted much attention to the illustration of
political life. It contributes a fine full length portrait of Mark Hanna
by J. C. Naker; “The Departure of Tom Platt,” by Hofacker; “The
Nomination of John M. Palmer” by Trowbridge, and other pictures of the
same class. The set of illustrations of contemporaneous crime shows the
progress we have made since editors had one head which served for all
the villains and another which stood for all the brides. The World gives
us an authentic portrait of Holmes, the murderer; “The Murder of
Heming’s Brother-in-Law” by Ryder; “The Death of Joseph Block” by W. O.
Wilson, and several other contributions to the gallery of criminal art.
We are indebted to the New York Advertiser for seven good pictures.
Three of these by Ethridge represent “The Horse Show,” “The Reception of
Li Hung Chang,” and “A Naval Display in New York Harbor,” and are really
works of art. Fleming’s caricatures of Bryan and his 50-cent dollars are
very funny.
One of the most copious exhibits is that of the Brooklyn Eagle. One of
these which will command attention is a picture of “The Red Parlor at
the White House,” which is anonymous. By O. W. Simons there are
character pictures which are neat and finely executed, one of them a
panel showing faces at a political convention exhibits thought and
study. Fiala contributes two vigorous marine pictures and Walter Pellee
a jovial scene of a sleighing party.
Five of the leading artists of the Chicago Tribune show that art is
appreciated in the lake city. Most of the pictures represent political
scenes and are better understood now than they will be hereafter. But a
picture by Robert Carter showing “Frowzy Woman” and “Children Gathering
Cigar Stumps” will be a joy forever, and “Night in Chicago” by G. A.
Coffin, and “Skating at Lincoln Park” by Ralph T. Schults, would be an
ornament to any drawing room.
The Times-Herald of Chicago sends a number of excellent portraits
including one of Eugene Field by Elias A. Guy. A landscape entitled “The
Home of the Cliff Dwellers” by Portman, and a fancy picture called
“Santa Claus in Chicago” are also excellent works.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean has sent some high art work by Petford and
Easpard, especially in the line of portraits: the likeness of Speaker
Reed and a fancy “Head of a Woman” will be especially admired. Mr.
Bradley and others have contributed a couple of political cartoons,
which even now will make people laugh. In the exhibit of the Chicago
Journal two cross-page panels of a week’s happenings in Chicago and “The
Exit of 1896" will be particularly admired. This latter will be compared
with “Watching the Old Year Out” by Fred Richardson in the Chicago News.
In the exhibit of the News, also, the spectator will be struck with two
pictures of the day – “A Night Scene at Garfield Park” and “A Chicago
Opium Den.” For the Chicago Record William Schmedtgen has drawn fine
portraits, a few of which are embraced in their collection: one of
Secretary Carlisle will catch the eye of the spectator. John T.
McCutcheon is the author of some character pieces in the same exhibit,
among which “An Intelligent Juryman” will command attention.
For some reason or other Detroit has always been a congenial home of
humor, and Lipsiger maintains the reputation of the place by his
political cartoons in the Detroit Evening News. Many of them are of
local application, such for instance, as the one in which Mark Hanna
appears bound and labeled “Vere is dot dog?” But others again are
intelligible everywhere: such, for instance, as the cartoon showing
Cleveland and his sound-money lieutenants trying to ride the Democratic
ass. Excellent portraits appear in the News exhibit and a vigorous piece
of work depicting the “Surf of Lake Huron” is also noticeable. Detroit
is evidently going to hold its own in the field of newspaper
illustration.
The artistic work on the Detroit Free Press is chiefly done by V. F.
Campbell and Charles Waltensperger. The former lately contributed a fine
picture of the Prince and Princess Chimay and the latter did himself
credit last December by a fine Christmas illustration.
From St. Louis we have drawings by Crichton, B. T. Taylor, H. B.
Martin, Carlisle Martin and others (of) the artistic staff of the St.
Louis Republic. The best of these are local sketches such as Crichton’s
illustration of a Police Court and Carlisle Martin’s picture of two
highwaymen caught by police as they are trying to make their escape in a
buggy.
The artists of the Cincinnati Enquirer, whose names are, unfortunately,
not affixed to their works, have sent in several pictures of young
ladies which are very pleasing. The hardest thing in the world to draw
is a pretty girl’s face. Our Cincinnati contributors are in a fair way
to accomplish the feat.
The Rocky Mountain News of Denver uses the chalk plate process, and we
have ten pictures by A. W. Steele done in that way. They are chiefly
political cartoons bearing on the late Presidential campaign and are
amusing enough, though Bryan as David, the son of Jesse with his little
sling, and Goliath of Gath as the giant of monopoly seem droll in view
of the facts. What the French call actualities sometimes seem ludicrous
when the even fails to confirm their prognostic. The News pictures
should be studied in contrast with those of the organ of the other
political faith – the Denver Republican; published in the city where
silver is king, and the Governors talk of riding up to their bridle bits
in blood. Political feeling runs high in Denver, and the comic artist
who can caricature the enemy so as to draw the laugh is at a premium.
The Republican is represented in our collection by thirteen cartoons by
A. F. Wilmarth. One of these shows us President Cleveland hiding in the
reeds from a lady of color – obviously the ex-Queen of Hawaii; the
picture is inscribed, “I Wants Ye, Ma Honey.”
From Washington both the Post and Star sends specimens of their art.
Some of Cunningham’s capital portraits are in the Post collection –
notably a group of the reigning belles of the Federal city. Clifford K
Berryman is represented by his famous cartoons in which Hanna, McKinley
and Watterson make fun for lovers of politics. We are indebted to the
Star for three matrices, each inclosing pen and ink drawings by the
staff artists. A characteristic picture of a tramp by “Shan” will
attract attention, and dainty designs by I. M. Hilton will also be
admired.
The Los Angeles Times sends a number of sketches by Will E. Chapin,
some on political themes, others local in their charm. Among the latter
are “A Vaquero” and “Gathering of Oranges,” which will be admired for
their fidelity to nature. Mr. Chapin is a young man and has a future
before him.
Space forbids the enumeration of more of the pictures received. But for
this, mention would have been made of the contributions of New Bedford
Standard, which are very noticeable.
The exhibits are for sale, for the benefit of charity. Visitors will
remember in taking out their wallets that some of these newspaper
artists whose rough work in black and white is offered them, may become
as famous a generation hence as Munkaczy, or Verestchagin, or Millet, or
Meigsonler, and that a sketch of theirs may some day be worth hundreds
if not thousands of dollars. It may not be out of the way, either, to
reflect that an exhibition of this kind deserves encouragement, because
it enables young men and women of promise to follow a profession of art
without starving by the way. Until daily newspapers began to illustrate
their columns there was no way in which a student of art could support
himself before his pictures became so well known that they were
marketable property. A Young man might be born with the genius of Gerome
or Turner; he could not learn his art unless he had relatives who were
willing to support him until he was 25 or 30. The modern daily paper now
provides a school in which the budding artist is paid for the education
as he acquires it, and this for the first time in our history all the
available artistic talent in the country has a chance of development. If
a young man has it in him it will now come out, and he can no longer say
that poverty froze the genial current of his soul.
Introduction
1. The Chronicle's
Exhibition of Pictorial Art in Journalism, by staff
2. A History of Art in
America, by Chronicle writer John Bonner
3. The Process of
Reproducing Images, by Chronicle writer John Bonner
4. America's Greatest
Newspapers, by Chronicle writer John Bonner
5. History of
Illustration among America's Major Newspapers, by Chronicle
writer John Bonner
6. Critics Preempt the
Exhibition
