the americanization of edward bok-第41节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Bok then turned to the subject of the garden for the small house； and the development of the grounds around the homes which he had been instrumental in putting on the earth。 He encountered no opposition here。 The publication of small gardens for small houses finally ran into hundreds of pages； the magazine supplying planting plans and full directions as to when and how to plant…this time without cost。
Next the editor decided to see what he could do for the better and simpler furnishing of the small American home。 Here was a field almost limitless in possible improvement； but he wanted to approach it in a new way。 The best method baffled him until one day he met a woman friend who told him that she was on her way to a funeral at a friend's home。
〃I didn't know you were so well acquainted with Mrs。 S；〃 said Bok。
〃I wasn't； as a matter of fact；〃 replied the woman。 〃I'll be perfectly frank； I am going to the funeral just to see how Mrs。 S's house is furnished。 She was always thought to have great taste； you know； and； whether you know it or not； a woman is always keen to look into another woman's home。〃
Bok realized that he had found the method of presentation for his interior…furnishing plan if he could secure photographs of the most carefully furnished homes in America。 He immediately employed the best available expert； and within six months there came to him an assorted collection of over a thousand photographs of well…furnished rooms。 The best were selected； and a series of photographic pages called 〃Inside of 100 Homes〃 was begun。 The editor's woman friend had correctly pointed the way to him； for this series won for his magazine the enviable distinction of being the first magazine of standing to reach the then marvellous record of a circulation of one million copies a month。 The editions containing the series were sold out as fast as they could be printed。
The editor followed this up with another successful series； again pictorial。 He realized that to explain good taste in furnishing by text was almost impossible。 So he started a series of all…picture pages called 〃Good Taste and Bad Taste。〃 He presented a chair that was bad in lines and either useless or uncomfortable to sit in； and explained where and why it was bad； and then put a good chair next to it； and explained where and why it was good。
The lesson to the eye was simply and directly effective； the pictures told their story as no printed word could have done； and furniture manufacturers and dealers all over the country； feeling the pressure from their customers； began to put on the market the tables； chairs； divans； bedsteads； and dressing…tables which the magazine was portraying as examples of good taste。 It was amazing that； within five years； the physical appearance of domestic furniture in the stores completely changed。
The next undertaking was a systematic plan for improving the pictures on the walls of the American home。 Bok was employing the best artists of the day： Edwin A。 Abbey； Howard Pyle； Charles Dana Gibson； W。 L。 Taylor； Albert Lynch； Will H。 Low； W。 T。 Smedley； Irving R。 Wiles； and others。 As his magazine was rolled 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
