the americanization of edward bok-第53部分

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He　asked　his　art　editor　to　select　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　best　pictures　and　frame　them。　Then　he　engaged　the　art　gallery　of　the　Philadelphia　Art　Club；　and　advertised　an　exhibition　of　the　original　paintings。　No　admission　was　charged。　The　gallery　was　put　into　gala　attire；　and　the　pictures　were　well　hung。　The　exhibition；　which　was　continued　for　two　weeks；　was　visited　by　over　fifteen　thousand　persons。

His　success　here　induced　Bok　to　take　the　collection　to　New　York。　The　galleries　of　the　American　Art　Association　were　offered　him；　but　he　decided　to　rent　the　ballroom　of　the　Hotel　Waldorf。　The　hotel　was　then　new；　it　was　the　talk　not　only　of　the　town　but　of　the　country；　while　the　ballroom　had　been　pictured　far　and　wide。　It　would　have　a　publicity　value。　He　could　secure　the　room　for　only　four　days；　but　he　determined　to　make　the　most　of　the　short　time。　The　exhibition　was　well　advertised；　a　〃private　view〃　was　given　the　evening　before　the　opening　day；　and　when；　at　nine　o'clock　the　following　morning；　the　doors　of　the　exhibition　were　thrown　open；　over　a　thousand　persons　were　waiting　in　line。

The　hotel　authorities　had　to　resort　to　a　special　cordon　of　police　to　handle　the　crowds；　and　within　four　days　over　seventeen　thousand　persons　had　seen　the　pictures。　On　the　last　evening　it　was　after　midnight　before　the　doors　could　be　closed　to　the　waiting…line。　Boston　was　next　visited；　and　there；　at　the　Art　Club　Gallery；　the　previous　successes　were　repeated。　Within　two　weeks　over　twenty…eight　thousand　persons　visited　the　exhibition。

Other　cities　now　clamored　for　a　sight　of　the　pictures；　and　it　was　finally　decided　to　end　the　exhibitions　by　a　visit　to　Chicago。　The　success　here　exceeded　that　in　any　of　the　other　cities。　The　banquet…hall　of　the　Auditorium　Hotel　had　been　engaged；　over　two　thousand　persons　were　continually　in　a　waiting…line　outside；　and　within　a　week　nearly　thirty　thousand　persons　pushed　and　jostled　themselves　into　the　gallery。　Over　eight　thousand　persons　in　all　had　viewed　the　pictures　in　the　four　cities。

The　exhibition　was　immediately　followed　by　the　publication　of　a　portfolio　of　the　ten　pictures　that　had　proved　the　greatest　favorites。　These　were　printed　on　plate…paper　and　the　portfolio　was　offered　by　Bok　to　his　readers　for　one　dollar。　The　first　thousand　sets　were　exhausted　within　a　fortnight。　A　second　thousand　were　printed；　and　these　were　quickly　sold　out。

Bok's　next　enterprise　was　to　get　his　pictures　into　the　homes　of　the　country　on　a　larger　scale；　he　determined　to　work　through　the　churches。　He　selected　the　fifty　best　pictures；　made　them　into　a　set　and　offered　first　a　hundred　sets　to　selected　schools；　which　were　at　once　taken。　Then　he　offered　two　hundred　and　fifty　sets　to　churches　to　sell　at　their　fairs。　The　managers　were　to　promise　to　erect　a　Ladies'　Home　Journal　booth　（which　Bok　knew；　of　course；　would　be　most　effective　advertising）；　and　the　pictures　were　to　sell　at　twenty…five　and　fifty　cents　each；　with　some　at　a　dollar　each。　The　set　was　offered　to　the　churches　for　five　dollars：　the　actual　cost　of　reproduction　and　expressage。　On　the　day　after　the　publication　of　the　magazine　containing　the　offer；　enough　telegraphic　orders　were　received　to　absorb　the　entire　edition。　A　second　edition　was　immediately　printed；　and　finally　ten　editions；　four　thousand　sets　in　all；　were　absorbed　before　the　demand　was　filled。　By　this　method；　two　hundred　thousand　pictures　had　been　introduced　into　American　homes；　and　over　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　money　had　been　raised　by　the　churches　as　their　portion。

But　all　this　was　simply　to　lead　up　to　the　realization　of　Bok's　cherished　dream：　the　reproduction；　in　enormous　numbers；　of　the　greatest　pictures　in　the　world　in　their　original　colors。　The　plan；　however；　was　not　for　the　moment　feasible：　the　cost　of　the　four…color　process　was　at　that　time　prohibitive；　and　Bok　had　to　abandon　it。　But　he　never　lost　sight　of　it。　He　knew　the　hour　would　come　when　he　could　carry　it　out；　and　he　bided　his　time。

It　was　not　until　years　later　that　his　opportunity　came；　when　he　immediately　made　up　his　mind　to　seize　it。　The　magazine　had　installed　a　battery　of　four…color　presses；　the　color…work　in　the　periodical　was　attracting　universal　attention；　and　after　all　stages　of　experimentation　had　been　passed；　Bok　decided　to　make　his　dream　a　reality。　He　sought　the　co…operation　of　the　owners　of　the　greatest　private　art　galleries　in　the　country：　J。　Pierpont　Morgan；　Henry　C。　Frick；　Joseph　E。　Widener；　George　W。　Elkins；　John　G。　Johnson；　Charles　P。　Taft；　Mrs。　John　L。　Gardner；　Charles　L。　Freer；　Mrs。　Havemeyer；　and　the　owners　of　the　Benjamin　Altman　Collection；　and　sought　permission　to　reproduce　their　greatest　paintings。

Although　each　felt　doubtful　of　the　ability　of　any　process　adequately　to　reproduce　their　masterpieces；　the　owners　heartily　co…operated　with　Bok。　But　Bok's　co…editors　discouraged　his　plan；　since　it　would　involve　endless　labor；　the　exclusive　services　of　a　corps　of　photographers　and　engravers；　and　the　employment　of　the　most　careful　pressmen　available　in　the　United　States。　The　editor　realized　that　the　obstacles　were　numerous　and　that　the　expense　would　be　enormous；　but　he　felt　sure　that　the　American　public　was　ready　for　his　idea。　And　early　in　1912　he　announced　his　series　and　began　its　publication。

The　most　wonderful　Rembrandt；　Velasquez；　Turner；　Hobbema；　Van　Dyck；　Raphael；　Frans　Hals；　Romney；　Gainsborough；　Whistler；　Corot；　Mauve；　Vermeer；　Fragonard；　Botticelli；　and　Titian　reproductions　followed　in　such　rapid　succession　as　fairly　to　daze　the　magazine　readers。　Four　pictures　were　given　in　each　number；　and　the　faithfulness　of　the　reproductions　astonished　even　their　owners。　The　success　of　the　series　was　beyond　Bok's　own　best　hopes。　He　was　printing　and　selling　one　and　three…quarter　million　copies　of　each　issue　of　his　magazine；　and　before　he　was　through　he　had　presented　to　American　homes　throughout　the　breadth　of　the　country　over　seventy　million　reproductions　of　forty　separate　master…pieces　of　art。

The　dream　of　years　had　come　true。

Bok　had　begun　with　the　exterior　of　the　small　American　house　and　made　an　impression　upon　it；　he　had　brought　the　love　of　flowers　into　the　hearts　of　thousands　of　small　householders　who　had　never　thought　they　could　have　an　artistic　garden　within　a　small　area；　he　had　changed　the　lines　of　furniture；　and　he　had　put　better　art　on　the　walls　of　these　homes。　He　had　conceived　a　full…rounded　scheme；　and　he　had　carried　it　out。

It　was　a　peculiar　satisfaction　to　Bok　that　Theodore　Roosevelt　once　summed　up　this　piece　of　work　in　these　words：　〃Bok　is　the　only　man　I　ever　heard　of　who　changed；　for　the　better；　the　architecture　of　an　entire　nation；　and　he　did　it　so　quickly　and　yet　so　effectively　that　we　didn't　know　it　was　begun　before　it　was　finished。　That　is　a　mighty　big　job　for　one　man　to　have　done。〃



XXII。　An　Adventure　in　Civic　and　Private　Art

Edward　Bok　now　turned　his　attention　to　those　influences　of　a　more　public　nature　which　he　felt　could　contribute　to　elevate　the　standard　of　public　taste。

He　was　surprised；　on　talking　with　furnishers　of　homes；　to　learn　to　what　extent　women　whose　husbands　had　recently　acquired　means　would　refer　to　certain　styles　of　decoration　and　hangings　which　they　had　seen　in　the