USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume I > Part 67
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PABST THEATER
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THE PABST THEATER Oneida Street. Devoted principally to the German drama
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In November, 1920, a memorial gift, to be known as the Gertrude N. Sehu- chardt Memorial Collection was made to the trustees of the Milwaukee Art Institute by William H. Schuchardt. The gift is one of etchings and ineludes many famous names-Durer, Rembrandt, Whistler, Zorn, Seymour Haden, Rousseau, Corot, and Millet. It is Mr. Schuchardt's intention to add yearly to this collection. The interest of a sum bequeathed by Mrs. Schuchardt it was resolved should be devoted to purchase for this collection, which thus becomes a fitting memorial to the memory of one of the Milwaukee Art Insti- tute's most lovely and devoted patrons.
Future Plans .- The Milwaukee Art Institute begins in 1922 a new epoel of extended service. The building in 1920 and 1921 had been outgrown in every partieular of its use and equipment. The rapidly growing collection was in a position to receive further gifts if donors could be assured of perma- nent and suitable exhibition. In the galleries for current exhibitions, in audience and class rooms, in office room, even in the minor matters of paeking, storage, eoatrooms, ete., the lack of space had been a great detriment.
Extensive changes thus became imperative if the educational work with children, teachers, and the general adult publie was to go on. An auditorium separate from the main gallery, which had hitherto served for the many pur- poses of exhibit, audienee, elass, and packing, was most necessary. If col- lections permanent and temporary were to be enjoyed rightly they must be in rooms freed from other use and devoted solely to exhibition purposes.
It was felt that the new civie center art museum would not come within a period of from ten to fifteen years, and that in the intervening period an extension of the present quarters was an absolute necessity, if the larger opportunity in the new center was not to find the art institute unprepared and stagnant.
When the deep conviction had been expressed on all sides that the extension work should not come to a standstill, the recommendation of the trustees was accepted by the corporation and a finance and building committee were ap- pointed to proceed with architectural plans which, in a general way, had been shaped for some time. What will practically be a new building, within the shell of the old, is at present under process of construction, with all needed improvements. With its completion the trustees look forward to a greater art institute with larger opportunities for service and enjoyment, believing that a greater art institute means a greater Milwaukee.
The Wisconsin Players .- In that greater Milwaukee the place for an art theatre is within the rightful seope of hopes for art. The Wisconsin Players have been organized with this as their chief aim. For about nine years they have been banded together, acquiring a home in 1915 in a charming ohl- fashioned house on Jefferson Street, opposite the Art Institute. It is designed to be the center of expression and development in the art of the theatre. The house itself, with its quaint old English basement tea room, an experimental theatre and audience room on the second floor and a ball room on the third offers every inducement for constructive work and play. Efforts are made to bring to Milwaukee representative groups of players from other theatres, experimenting in theatre art.
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Specifically, the aims of the Wisconsin Players are to establish in Milwan- kee an experimental stage for the use of the artists, actors, writers, directors, painters, and musicians who wish to participate in developing the art of the theatre; to promote the study of plays and the problems of the theatres; to translate and compile plays; to facilitate the writing, printing, and producing of original plays: to support good plays; to develop an audience. Laura Sherry has been the leading spirit in this organization devoting her whole life to the work.
The realization of a larger theatre where performances will not have to be given in the theatres hired for short periods with many difficulties of re- hearsal and production, is among the definite plans. Meantime the intimate plays produced by the student group in the Players known as the Workshop continue throughout the year, while once a season productions on a larger seale are made. War Camp Community Service oeenpied the group before the armistice was declared ; poetry courses, with the appearance of many noted lecturers and poets, have been successfully carried through year after year and the club and social life has been one of the most wholesome and stimulat- ing influences in the city. The whole group of Players throughout their activities in classes and productions have been a force for artistic expression.
Milwaukee has also in recent years had an art elnb formed of workers and patrons in all the arts. This is the Walrus Chib with Catherine Pannill Mead as president ; it was formed originally from a group of newspaper writers but now includes musicians, painters, sculptors, erities, crafters, collectors, in fact anyone vitally interested or ereative in the arts may become eligible. The club has a home next to the Wisconsin Players, gives delightful programs, entertains artists of note and contributes with much zest to the social inter- course between workers.
The Connoisseurs and the Dealers .- In the place art takes in any com- munity, in addition to artistie production and publie realization of it through the great institutional channels of fostered appreciation. other factors enter and these are, the collectors, the connoisseurs and the dealers. Art, like any other commodity has its prodnetion, its distribution, and consumption. In our review the artists as producers have already had their share of attention in the history of the early and middle group; the story of the schools, produc- ing eenters too, has been noted as well as what has been done by various groups, by the Layton Gallery and Milwaukee Art Institute, cooperating vari- ously with artists in many mediums, enabling them to get their message over.
There now remains another side of the progress of art as illustrated by the collectors, connoisseurs, and dealers. all closely related. By connoisseur is meant the lover and critical appreciator of art as well as he who is able to own; apart from the collectors of whom Milwaukee had its full share are certain dominating personalities, artists sometimes, crities often. lovers always who have influenced the taste of the day, though their names should not ap- pear as great producers or consumers. Milwaukee too, has had dealers who were real connoisseurs, working to develop the art taste in the city, and to substitute, in place of a vapid and insincere production, a real and vital art.
The F. H. Durbin Galleries stood for this finer quality at a time when
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grandiose subjects were finding much favor. The etehings, the prints and en- gravings which F. II. Durbin placed at his clients' disposal have stood the test of time. He was in the early days the first to preach simplicity and austerity in art, and many a buyer would not afterward have had to consign to a rubbish heap, purchases which had inanity written large on their face, if they had taken the advice of this man. The times have come around to Mr. Durbin's way of thinking and he stands justified now in many eyes. His early Whistlers and Seymour Hadens have now the place of honor.
A noted dealer and connoisseur was Henry Reinhardt of the Roebel and Reinhardt galleries. Mr. Reinhardt was the prime mover for bringing great exhibitions here. Noted canvases by famous artists were always to be seen in the galleries at Grand Avenue and Fourth Street; not only there but at the Milwaukee Industrial Exposition was Mr. Reinhardt's fine connoisseurship to be seen. In 1885, and snecceding years, numerons exhibitions of art wore held. Albert Trump was manager of the exposition and lent himself heartily to Mr. Reinhardt's plans for fine collections to be brought from abroad and from the East.
Mr. Reinhardt was head of the art department of the exposition for a num- ber of years. Perhaps his greatest achievement was the fine collection of early Americans, which he assembled-Inness, Wyant, Homer Martin-these are among the names of the great artists he showed. The Reinhardt galleries did a flourishing art business here for fifty years. The Toledo Museum collection was formed on advice from Henry Reinhardt and paid him signal honors of appre- eiation at his death. In 1915 the gallery located at 406 Milwaukee Street was bought by Cecilia Sehieweek, who had grown up in the Reinhardt tradition and knowledge of the masters. Miss Schieweek is at the present time a most artistie and careful eritie of style and authenticity, and has placed many a masterpiece in Milwaukee homes.
Thomas Whipple Dunbar is another dealer making Milwaukee his home, selecting the choice American masters as his field and doing much for the ap- preciation of American landscape. He has a trained and valued knowledge of art and brings a love and enthusiasm to it and a willingness to aid in its service apart from any sale or sales value.
Loan collections at the Exposition showed how greatly Milwaukee con- noisseurs had profited in their purchases. The list of collectors is a long one, though there are outstanding names such as Edward P. Allis, and Charles Allis, Arthur MeGeoch, Alexander Mitchell, William II. Metcalf, Mrs. O. P. Pillsbury, Mrs. Louise Sehandein, Mrs. Frank Crosby, J. H. Van Dyke, Mrs. George Swallow, L. J. Petit, II. II. Camp, Mrs. D. M. Benjamin, Washington Becker, William Bigelow, the Uihlein Brothers-Angust, William, Henry, and Charles Pfister, Fred Vogel, Jr., H. Angust Luedke, Fred Pritzlaff, John C. Koch, Franz Wollaeger, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Conro, Capt. Fred Pabst and family, Patrick Cudahy, Emil A. Ott, Mrs. Samnel A. Field, T. A. Chap- man, Miss Alice G. Chapman, Mrs. George P. Miller, William Allis, F. A. Walsh, Emanuel Phillip, Arthur II. Gallun, Mrs. William Steinmeyer, Jacob Friend, Samuel O. Buekner, Gen. F. C. Winkler, Dr. Ernest Copeland, William ITinrichs, B. F. Adler, Ferdinand Schlesinger, Mrs. Emilie Nunnemacher, John
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A. Butler, Miss Elizabeth Black, Mrs. Henry M. Thompson, Dr. Henry V. Ogden, William HI. Sehnchardt, Donglas Van Dyke, Ludington Patton, Mrs Charles L. MeIntosh, William C. Quarles, and George P. Seidel, who were all collectors, adding yearly choice examples to their collections.
William H. Metcalf had a delightful private gallery to which visitors were cordialy welcomed ; the glory of its beautiful Bouguereau, "The Lost Pleiad." was much appreciated. The great Allis collection comprised the most famous artists of that earlier day, and so well did Mr. Allis choose that even to this modern decade the collection did not suffer diminution of value. Corot, Diaz, Rousseau, Bastien Lepage, Dupre, Schreyer, Jaeque, Tryon, Daubigny, Mauve, Israel. Millet, William and Jacob Maris are names to conjure with and the examples he possessed of Fromentin, Gabriel Max, Meissoneir, Vibert, Bon- heur, Meyer von Bremen, Knaux, could not be excelled in any European gallery.
The Charles Allis collection will probably not be dispersed as were those of the elder Allis and Metealf, but kept intact it is hoped. It was more varied in range than that of his father and contains the rarest objects d'art of all conditions, and countries. The etching collection is one of the greatest in the country; there are, besides the painters of note, antique potteries, porce- lains, and bronzes, rare carvings of wood, jade, and ivory, all carefully ex- perted and chosen with a royal taste.
The MeGeoch collection has great English masters of unique quality and beauty. Joseph Uihlein at one time collected European art, but his taste has latterly centered on magnificent tapestries. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Conro were collectors whose enthusiasm and discrimination made an impression on their time. They were interested in sharing and instrumental in bringing collec- tions here, renting space in the Durbin gallery. They were supported by a sympathetic group of whom the Alexander Mitchells and W. W. Wight were spirited workers. Their hope to found a Milwaukee Museum of Fine Arts was not realized, but they did much to keep the interest ablaze. Mrs. C. D. Adsitt, an art lecturer, and writer, and true connoisseur, was one of the lumi- maries of this period (1880). It was, if memories are correct, through her direction that the fine collection of Toschi etchings originally collected by the Milwaukee Museum of Fine Arts was placed in the Athenaeum. Mrs. Lydia Ely, who was an adept at crayon portraiture, must not be forgotten as she was as well known and greatly beloved as Mrs. Adsitt.
One last and important name should be noted-F. H. Bresler, who has be- come as national a figure as a dealer in art as Henry Reinhardt. Twenty or more years ago F. H. Bresler galleries succeeded the F. HI. Durbin gallery (1881-1900). Mr. Bresler is more than an art dealer-he is a connoisseur and art lover of ripe and mature judgment and the finest taste. Milwaukee can well be proud of him as a personality. His gallery, with its three beautiful floors, cannot be excelled by any New York firm. The architectural beauty and fitness of the galleries, the reserved and fine method of showing the price- less objects make for an atmosphere of distinction and charm. Mr. Bresler is himself too modest to let it be known, but the great museums of the coun- try depend on him to obtain the choice collections which it is his mission to seek and find.
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Our Modern Group of Artists .- Our present-day artists, what of them ? There are a goodly number and Milwaukee ean well be proud of them. Emily Groom, Susan Cressy, Frida Gugler, Mabel Key, Ruth Holberg, Ottilie Reinke, Martha Kaross Mueller are prominent among the women. Francesco Spieuzza, Gustav Moeller, Ferdinand Koenig, Raymond Stelzner, Royal Scheibe, Alexander Mueller, Dudley Crafts Watson, Richard Holberg, Gaetano Busalacchi, Armin HIansen, Carl Holty, Edward Kaminski, William H. Schuchardt, George Raab, George Niedecken, Paul Hammersmith, Fred Ililgendorf, T. Lindberg, and H. J. Stoltenberg are pressing to the front. There are a score of others, youngsters, who have it in them to do good things.
The annual exhibitions show great improvement, and through the influ- ence of the Wiseonsin Painters and Sculptors there are yearly coming to be better standards. The erafts and industrial arts have come into their own and this is the most favorable of all things-that arts related to our daily life and the beautification of the objects of daily use are now receiving the atten- tion of artists and good design becoming an integral part of our life. The idea is abroad in our city too that art is not a remote and high-brow affair, fit only for the so-called connoisseur, but an affair of much public concern, definite and near and as necessary to obtain as good roads, bridges or buildings. There is such glamour and mystery surrounding the life of an artist that we are apt to forget that art itself in a most near and familiar way is to be loved ; and this it is the mission of our younger generation of artists to fulfill, making a wanted and necessary prodnet, vital in its relation to its time and needs.
These then, are the many and various strands that make the art progress of the city. Ilere we find a bright thread of that older Germany whose blood nurtured our early artists ; there a weaving in of French and English threads ; now the Dutch, all making a warp and woof of that which is to be a clean cut American art, something Milwaukee stands for definitely. The rest is prophecy and belongs to tomorrow .- M. B. Mayhew.
(This article is much indebted for material to Louis Mayer-Milwaukee Sentinel, April 5, 1903-to George Raab and to Alexander Mueller.)
The Layton Art Gallery .- The beautiful building of the Layton Art Gallery stands upon the site formerly occupied by St. Paul's church, at the corner of Jefferson and Mason streets. It is built of light-colored stone, smooth-faced, and designed by G. A. Audsley of London, England. It is a single story in height intended for the display of pictures and statuary; the floor plan is convenient and attractive, providing for a hall of statnary and three large galleries for pictures, all well lighted, besides private rooms for the eurator and his assistants.
The Layton Art Gallery was formally opened April 6, 1887, and presented to the City of Milwaukee by Frederiek Layton. It was placed under the con- trol of twelve trustees. The purposes of the corporation as organized are declared to be "maintaining, regulating, and managing a public art gallery in the City of Milwaukee, to be known as the Layton Art Gallery; and taking and holding, managing and controlling, any real estate or other property which Frederick Layton, of Milwaukee, shall convey and give to such corporation, for the purpose of providing and maintaining a publie art gallery in said city,
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and also any other property which may come to such corporation by gift or grant, devise or bequest, or otherwise, for the benefit of said public art gallery."
Provisions Made in the Articles .- The articles provided that the signers of the articles shall be the first board of trustees and to continue for life, except in the cases of resignation or removal, vacancies by death or otherwise, to be filled by the remaining trustees. The officers of the corporation provided by the articles were a president, a vice president, and a secretary. The signers of the articles were: Frederick Layton, Charles F. Ilsley, George Diekens, John L. Mitchell, James Clinton Spencer, William II. Metcalf, Francis B. Keene, B. K. Miller, William P. Maclaren, Edward Sanderson, William Plankinton, and Jerome R. Brigham. These twelve signers constituted the first board of trustees. The organization of the corporation was completed by the election, Mareh 3, 1888, of Frederiek Layton, president ; Charles F. Ilsley, vice president ; and Jerome R. Brigham, secretary.
Mr. Layton's Address at the Presentation .- In the catalogue of the Layton Art Gallery now in use, an aeeount of the presentation is given, and a report of Mr. Layton's address on that oeeasion, giving the faets of the origin of the gallery in his own words. Some extracts from the address follow this para- graph. The personal character of Mr. Layton's address adds much to the interest and attractiveness of his remarks.
"Just before leaving home to cross the Atlantic, in June, 1884," he began, "the late Alexander Mitehell and myself were invited by a few friends to a dinner party at the Milwaukee Club, and after dinner I was called upon to respond to a toast to my health and safe voyage. In replying I said, among other things, that I had thought at some future time to do something in regard to building an art gallery for the public in our city. Yet on that occasion I had no idea that it would be in the near future." The newspaper men, how- ever, soon got wind of the proposal and the next day Mr. Layton was called upon by one of the fraternity to know "how soon I intended to build the art gallery." Mr. Layton told the reporter who called upon him "to say very little about it, since the whole matter was as yet but an intention."
"Nevertheless," continued Mr. Layton in his address, "it was forthwith spread abroad that I was going to build an art gallery, and so I myself began to think about it as something soon attainable. On my voyage across the Atlantic, Mr. 1. W. Andsley sat next to me at table. His brother, G. A. Audsley, in Liverpool, now of London, is an architect, and so it eame about quite natu- rally that I should meet him." On the occasion of this meeting the architect showed Mr. Layton the designs of some very beautiful buildings and pre- pared a plan for an art gallery which proved acceptable but which Mr. Layton stipulated that Messrs. E. Townsend Mix & Company should work jointly with him in carrying out the design, and that some parts of the building shoukl be arranged as they thought best.
Commenting upon the design, Mr. Layton said: "Our building is now about completed, and I think 1 may say we have one of the most beautiful art galleries of its size on this side of the Atlantie. No money or labor has been spared to make it as near fire-proof as possible; the walls are twice the thickness of ordinary walls, and will stand for ages. The ground on which
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it is built is a well-known landmark where our first Episcopal church, old St. Paul's stood for many years. The site (120 by 120 feet) was offered to me for the gallery and bought for $25,000. The ground and building with all appliances have cost in round figures about $115,000, which I have deeded to the trustees of the gallery for the public.
Splendid Gifts to the Art Gallery .- "I also give to the gallery," continued Mr. Layton in his memorable address, "thirty-eight oil paintings, which are valued at $50,000, with $100,000 for an endowment fund, the interest to be used for the support and maintenance of the building, or, if any money remain after paying all expenses, it shall be applied to the purchase of such works of art for the gallery as the trustees may deem best, together with any other gifts of money donated by our citizens or friends of the gallery."
The flame of Mr. Layton's enthusiasm fairly kindles when it comes to the reeital of the other splendid gifts to the gallery. "Our first gift to the gallery," he goes on to say, "was from Mr. John Hargreaves, of Liverpool, a very old carved oak English eloek, now in the Trustees' Room, and should be highly prized by us. Mr. Hargreaves paid all charges and delivered the clock free to us. P. D. Armour, of Chicago, a former fellow citizen, did not forget us. He was the first to send me a cheek for $5,000 for the gallery. This was three years ago last October. I attended the Seney sale of paintings in New York. three years ago this spring, and bought the Van Mareke picture, La Vanne. for $7,000; and I felt very proud to have secured it. On my return home 1 called on Mr. Armour and told him I had spent his $5,000 and $2,000 more with it. He very generously told his elerk to draw me a check for $2,000, and has since told me to buy another picture for about $2,000."
The speaker then went on to review the interval of years that had elapsed since the first mention of the plan was made which afterward became a reality. "It is going on four years," he said, "since the inception of the plan, and I have done my very best, from the commencement, to build a beautiful structure. such as should -stand for ages to come, and to open it with a good, though small, collection of paintings by well-known artists; and I trust the standard will not be lowered in the future, but rather be raised. My gift to the public will, I trust, be of benefit to our working people, as well as the more wealthy. sinee all may come and find pleasure and recreation in paying a visit to the gallery. It will be open to the public, free of charge, three days in the week. and only a small fee of admittance will be charged two days in the week to help pay, in a slight degree, the gallery's running expenses." The speaker added the pions wish that "It is God's will, I trust, that the work which Ile has enabled me to do may prove a lasting benefit and pleasure to the public."
The Language of the Gift .- At the conclusion of Mr. Layton's remarks he said impressively: "1 now wish to deliver to the Trustees of the Layton Art Gallery the deed of the property and building, my gift of oil paintings, and a check on Marshall & Isley's bank for $100,000. The Rev. Dr. Keene, on behalf of the trustees, please accept my gift." The following passages are quotations from the deed of Mr. and Mrs. Layton: "Whereas, in pursuance of a cherished plan to devote to the benefit of the City of Milwaukee, and the puble, some of the property which he has acquired in business, carried
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on in said city, the said Frederick Layton has recently erected a building intended for an art gallery, and has placed therein a number of paintings which he thinks will be valuable for the instruction and gratification of the publie ; and has also placed therein other paintings and works of art, pre- sented by other persons to be placed in the gallery for the same purpose ; and that a corporation has been created for the purpose of maintaining, regulating and managing a public art gallery ; and that the said Frederick Layton believes that his object will be accomplished by creating and encouraging among the people of Milwaukee a taste for the fine arts and affording high and improving gratification to all by the constant exhibition of choice works of art therein.
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