THE LITERARY INTERESTS OF CHICAGO 795
This more lasting magazine Arts for America was also established in 1892, but with offices outside of the Art Institute. It was broader in its scope, and more directly the result of the general interest in fine arts created by the Exposition exhibits. One of its early objects was announced to be the reproduction of the pictures at the World's Fair. Devoted exclusively to in- formation about the fine arts, it was an attractive monthly, digni- fied in tone, and, from its illustrations, beautiful in appearance. It was the organ of the Central Art Association, and was con- tinued for nine years. Later numbers announced that one of its objects was the promotion of national art education. In 1899, from an office of publication in the Auditorium tower, the maga- zine went out to 15,000 readers, largely in the north central states. Mrs. T. Vernette Morse was its editor.
The Brush and Pencil, which has been continued monthly to the present time, was begun in 1897. It was started as a maga- zine "devoted to the interests of the students of the Art Institute." In the initial number the editor of Arts for America was thanked for the permission to revive the name Brush and Pencil. Charles Francis Browne, the painter, a member of the Art Institute corps of teachers, was the first editor of the journal. In tone it was at the beginning very much like any school or college paper.
In 1900 Brush and Pencil became a general art magazine, the local elements being eliminated. During that year it was pur- chased by Mr. Frederick W. Morton, a former Unitarian min- ister, who for five months in 1899 had attempted, at Chicago, the publication of Friday, "a weekly journal of views, reviews, and piquant comment." Mr. Morton became sole editor and pub- lisher of Brush and Pencil. For several years the office of pub- lication was in the McClurg Building.
The character of the magazine, as a portrayer of contempo- rary work in the fine arts, has been excellent. The reproductions of the best of the paintings, mural decoration, and sculpture of America, Europe, and Japan, printed in its pages, have been well done. Mr. Morton holds that at no city can engraving and printing of high quality be secured more economically than in Chicago. The magazine's articles on art subjects have also been uniformly good.
