Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-16
ART NOrEs.

bu'cucNh, LILO WCu-nuUHu Slu.
Cir natl aIdst, writes to his family from Flor
ence, Italy, that ne has opened an art school In
that city, and has nearly fifty pupils.
Mr.. Stage, the Boston portrait painter, has
Just finished for the government portrait OF
Judge Richardson Of the Court Of Claims, TO be
hung In the Treasury department as one OF the
series OF portraits of its secretaries. which 1t Is
intended shall be made complete as early as
practicable. At last accounts the picture In
question was On exhibition In Boston.
M. Georges Becker, whose large and pow
erful but repulsive picture OF 'RlZpah' Will De
Wen remembered by visitors to The Phihdel-
phia Centennial exhibition, has undertaken
monster picture OF the distribution OF new hag5
to the French army on the 18th OF last July.
One OF the largest halls In the TrOcadero Palace
has been opened TO him by the government for
a studio.
M. Bastien- Lepage's painting of Joan OF
Arc which attracted so much attention In the
French Salon this year, and ia regard to which
IL Will be remembered one or two correspond
entS OF THE STAR wrote very enthusiastically,
has just been sold for 10000 francs. IL Is to
come 10 America. Artists found much to admire
In this picture, but 1t Is not believed that 1t
Will be equally popular with the general public
Those who desire to see how accurately art
can initiate nature should take occasion to In.
spect some Oil paintings OF fish, belonging to the
L. S. Fish Commission, now at Barlow's art
store. Several varieties are represented, AMI
each are portrayed is simply wonderful \
portion OF the pictures referred to- we may add,
are by Brackett, and others by kilbourne. two
American artists who undoubtedly stand at the
Lead OF that department OF art
MIR. Clarence E. MeSser, who returned to
the city with his bride last week. still keeps his
studio and class room In Vernon Row. though
he has removed the latter down one flight of
stairs nearer the street. There Is, by the way,
no present probability that the art school now
under
auspices OF the Washington Art Club to those
OF the National University, as was talked about
some time ago.
Whether the prosperity that this country
Is enjoying has extended to Europe or not, art
seems to be prospecting on the other side of the
Atlantic at the present time. This may or may
not be due to the many liberal American orders
lately given but the fact Is noticeable that good
paintings have advanced considerably In price
In all the continental art centers. and are fewer
In number than in former years. IL Is a rare
thing TO find even medium class works ready at
the artists studios, and the stock In dealers
not at all equal to the demand.
AT a recent meeting OF the trustees OF the
Corcoran Gallery it was decided 10 have fu.l
length marble statues placed without unavoi1a
bic delay in the inches In the west 18th street
wall OF the bulding,-SOm seven, In all, We be-
Heye. The selection OF figures, which will, of
course illustrate in one way or another the
history OF art, is left to the committee on art,
>, LII.
yelling. 1t Is understood that the commission
for these figures will be given to Mr.. Ezekiei,the
American sculptor, now In Rome who, 1t will
be remembered, executed those now in place on
the south front.
The last number of the Art Interchange has
an engraying-from Photographed Bonnat'S
portrait; of Mr.. John Taylor Johnston, painted
for the New York Art Museum, OF which, it Will
be remembered, Mr.. Johnston Is president OF
course the engraving does not do fun Justice to
nOtnfS DatDtiDU shows
enough TO lead to the belief tina, after the
original picture comes TO this country and Is
put In proper position less fault Will be found
with Mr.. Johnston'5 choice of an artist than
has been found hitherto. 1t Is doubtful whether
any American artist now living can paint so
good portrait as this.
The work Of Mr.. j. G.. Mitchell, a compare
lively young sculptor OF Rochester, Is highly
praised by the papers of that place, and by some
of those OF New York city as well. So thorough
IL does Rochester believe In him that some OF
her citizens have given or are about TO give him
a commission 10 execute a colossal Flying Ner-
curry, to be placed on the top OF a tall tower OF
some kid shortly TO be erected there. The
mOcel or the fgure. which Is to be OF bronze, Is
already completed In clay. and one Of the
Journals of Rochester pronounces it mot only
the largest but one OF the most artistic statues
Mercury In the world" Possibly. For the
present all we have to say On the subject Is that
an artist who Is willing to essay a Flying Mer-
curry, with John of BOlogna's matchleSs crea-
ton familiar to all the world as standard Of
thing in any artist, and especially desirable In
the composition OF sculptor,-namely, COUR-
AGE.
The new statue Of Burns unveiled In Cen
trail Park few days ago Is merclles5ly criticised
by the New York Ere1li,1g POSt,-so fiercely in
deed, that to those who have not yet seen the
statue the work OF fault-1inding would seem TO
be a trifie oyerdone. 1t pronOunces the WORK
''a piece OF bronze Incompetence and affecta
uon," San outrage on common sense" a "vio-
latiOn OF every principle that classic art holds
dear, 1.-THE very worst statue In New FORK a.
the present time" and finally, as whole IT.
rPdeenably and altogether bad and lament
able" Sir John STEEL who executed the statue
In question. has heretofore produced a gr5a'
stands hig. in public estimation. bur which has.
we believe, been well received by the most eX-
acting critics In England. This fact is. OF
course, no guarantee that the Burns statue IS a
frSt-ClaSS work OF art, but &C the same time tt
does afford some assurance that 1t is not quite
50 atrOciOuS as our contemporary makes tt out to
De: A man VINO has done as well In art as Sir
John has done is not likely TO do so badly as
represented by the quotations we have given
unless he is In his dOtage. This we presume
win hardly be claimed, although he Is In his
10th year.
Mr.. Ernest Parton, the young American
artist, who, like Mr.. Bridgman, has In the past
few years won q wide and high European repu-
tation, is like that gentleman, coming back to
this country this fall. and expects 10 locate
permanently in New York. Mr.. Parton differs
however, from Mr.. Brdgman In this: that
whereas the latter gentleman has achieved his
reputation principally among admirers of the
modern French school.-as figure painter and
In the treatment OF mytho historical Subjects
Mr.. p. has won his spurs In England as a land
Scape painter, and is one Of the few American
artistS,-if not the only one OF the present day
who ever enjoyed the compliment OF having
one or his paintings purchased by the Royal
Academy and hung permanently on its walls.
III may De added that Mr.. Parton Is not, as has
been stated In some quarters, the son of Mr.
James Parton, the romantic historian, but Is a
native OF Hudson, y. Y, where he lived until
early manhood in close companIon5hip with his
brother Arthur, who is also popular landscape
painter OF much merit Hudson was likewise
the early and much-loyed home OF the late MIR.
Sanford II. Clifford, who drew much OF his love
OF nature III art from the beautiful river and
mountain scenery IN that Vicinity. 1t was,
indeed, 10 MI. Chords works and kind encour-
agem6lt, IL hot 10 his direct teaching. that the
MeSsrs- Parton are indebted for much OF their
youthful inspiration ard ambition, IL not for a
liberal part Of their subsequent success as
artists.
The sum OF $4,000 necessary to make
available Mr.. Charles W. Vests generous offer
or a Ike amount for the establishment OF an
Art Museum IN Cincinnati has been more than
subscribed oy the people of that city. Among
the larger contributors after Mr.. West were Mr.
Reuben Springer, MIR. Joseph Longworth Mr.
David Stnton and Mr. Julius Dexter who sub.
scrtbed $l00O each, Or. James A. Frazer who
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