On Wed, 27 Dec 1995, Suzanne Quigley wrote:

> Anita wrote:
>
> >I find it quite interesting that the national media (CBS in particular) has
> >just started reporting on what the government shutdown has meant to the
> >Smithsonian and the National Gallery. The reporter seemed to be upset that a
> >private fund was being used to allow the Vermeer show to stay open.
>
> I wonder if said reporter saw the show.  I also wonder what Hank (our
> favorite curmudgeon reporter) thinks?

      I think that it took the gallery a heck of a long time to come up
with this alternative, and I'm deeply disappointed that Paul Mellon or
the Washington Post's owners or some of the other obscenely rich
benefactors of the gallery didn't come forward right away. To allow the
posturing yahoos on the Hill to deny access to this once-in-a-lifetime
show is a moral failure and an artistic tragedy.
     Even more sad is that the Winslow Homer show, which is more important,
remains closed. In a very real way, if you've seen two or three Vermeers,
you know Vermeer. But the Homer show is a stunning revelation--especially
to those of us who heretofore *thought* we knew Homer--of the range and
depth of the finest painter America has ever produced.

      Hank Burchard * [log in to unmask] * Washington DC