the americanization of edward bok-第34章
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led to go through the mails； the pictures naturally suffered； Bok therefore decided to print a special edition of each important picture that he published； an edition on plate…paper； without text； and offered to his readers at ten cents a copy。 Within a year he had sold nearly one hundred thousand copies； such pictures as W。 L。 Taylor's 〃The Hanging of the Crane〃 and 〃Home…Keeping Hearts〃 being particularly popular。
Pictures were difficult to advertise successfully； it was before the full…color press had become practicable for rapid magazine work； and even the large…page black…and…white reproductions which Bok could give in his magazine did not； of course； show the beauty of the original paintings； the majority of which were in full color。 He accordingly made arrangements with art publishers to print his pictures in their original colors； then he determined to give the public an opportunity to see what the pictures themselves looked like。
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 Pullman parlor…cars。 He had never seriously regarded the influence of the furnishing of these cars upon the travelling public； now he realized that； in a decorative sense； they were a distinct factor and a very unfortunate one。
For in those days； twenty years ago； the decoration of the Pullman parlor…car was atrocious。 Colors were in riotous discord； every foot of wood…panelling was carved and ornamented； nothing being left of the grain of even the most beautiful woods； gilt was recklessly laid on everywhere regardless of its fitness or relation。 The hangings in the cars were not only in bad taste； but distinctly unsanitary； the heaviest velvets and showiest plushes were used； mirrors with bronzed and redplushed frames were the order of the day； cord porti鑢es； lambrequins； and tasselled fringes were still in vogue in these cars。 It was a veritable riot of the worst conceivable ideas； and it was this standard that these women of the new…money class were accepting and introducing into their homes！
Bok wrote an editorial calling attention to these facts。 The Pullman Company paid no attention to it； but the railroad journals did。 With one accord they seized the cudgel which Bok had raised； and a series of hammerings began。 The Pullman conductors began to report to their division chiefs that the passengers were criticising the cars； and the company at last woke up。 It issued a cynical rejoinder； whereupon Bok wrote another editorial； and the railroad journals once more joined in the chorus。
The president of a large Western railroad wrote to Bok that he agreed absolutely with his position； and asked whether he had any definite suggestions to offer for the improvement of some new cars which they were about to order。 Bok engaged two of the best architects and decorators in the country； and submitted the results to the officials of the railroad company； who approved of them heartily。 The Pullman Company did not take very kindly； however； to suggestions thus brought to them。 But a current had been started； the attention of the travelling public had been drawn for the first time to the wretched decoration of the cars； and public sentiment was beginning to be vocal。
The first change came when a new dining…car on the Chicago； Burlington and Quincy Railroad suddenly appeared。 It was an artistically treated Flemish…oak…panelled car with longitudinal beams and cross…beams； giving the impression of a ceiling…beamed room。 Between the 〃beams〃 was a quiet tone of deep yellow。 The sides of the car were wainscoting of plain surface done in a Flemish stain rubbed down to a dull finish。 The grain of the wood was allowed to serve as decoration； there was no carving。 The whole tone of the car was that of the rich color of the sunflower。 The effect upon the travelling public was instantaneous。 Every passenger commented favorably on the car。
The Atchison； Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad now followed suit by introducing a new Pullman chair…car。 The hideous and germ…laden plush or velvet curtains were gone； and leather hangings of a rich tone took their place。 All the grill…work of a bygone age was
