the americanization of edward bok-第47章

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s；　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　missing；　likewise　the　rope　curtains。　The　woods　were　left　to　show　the　grain；　no　carving　was　visible　anywhere。　The　car　was　a　relief　to　the　eye；　beautiful　and　simple；　and　easy　to　keep　clean。　Again　the　public　observed；　and　expressed　its　pleasure。

The　Pullman　people　now　saw　the　drift；　and　wisely　reorganized　their　decorative　department。　Only　those　who　remember　the　Pullman　parlor…car　of　twenty　years　ago　can　realize　how　long　a　step　it　is　from　the　atrociously　decorated；　unsanitary　vehicle　of　that　day　to　the　simple　car　of　to…day。

It　was　only　a　step　from　the　Pullman　car　to　the　landscape　outside；　and　Bok　next　decided　to　see　what　he　could　do　toward　eliminating　the　hideous　bill…board　advertisements　which　defaced　the　landscape　along　the　lines　of　the　principal　roads。　He　found　a　willing　ally　in　this　idea　in　Mr。　J。　Horace　McFarland；　of　Harrisburg；　Pennsylvania；　one　of　the　most　skilful　photographers　in　the　country；　and　the　president　of　The　American　Civic　Association。　McFarland　and　Bok　worked　together；　they　took　innumerable　photographs；　and　began　to　publish　them；　calling　public　attention　to　the　intrusion　upon　the　public　eye。

Page　after　page　appeared　in　the　magazine；　and　after　a　few　months　these　roused　public　discussion　as　to　legal　control　of　this　class　of　advertising。　Bok　meanwhile　called　the　attention　of　women's　clubs　and　other　civic　organizations　to　the　question；　and　urged　that　they　clean　their　towns　of　the　obnoxious　bill…boards。　Legislative　measures　regulating　the　size；　character；　and　location　of　bill…boards　were　introduced　in　various　States；　a　tax　on　each　bill…board　was　suggested　in　other　States；　and　the　agitation　began　to　bear　fruit。

Bok　now　called　upon　his　readers　in　general　to　help　by　offering　a　series　of　prizes　totalling　several　thousands　of　dollars　for　two　photographs；　one　showing　a　fence；　barn；　or　outbuilding　painted　with　an　advertisement　or　having　a　bill…board　attached　to　it；　or　a　field　with　a　bill…board　in　it；　and　a　second　photograph　of　the　same　spot　showing　the　advertisement　removed；　with　an　accompanying　af