Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-26
ART NOTES.

ART NOTES.
Mr.. William NJ. Chase, the New York artist,
has received commission to paint portrait
Of eX-PreSident Hayes for Harvard College.
Miss Ransom is engaged On a portrait CT
Alexander Hamilton, under commission from
government. 1t is, we believe, intended
for the Treasury Department, Of which 1t Will
be remembered Mr. Hamilton was the nISt
Secretary. O.
- 1t has been decided by the United States
Supreme Court that plaques are paintings ard
Lot decorated chinaware. When it is under
stood that the duty on paintings is ten per
cent advaloren, ana on decorated chfnaware
fifty per cent aGValorefn. the bearings of the de
cision Will be appreciated.
- The Providence Art Club is In fiourishing
condition, and is adding largely to Its member
ship. During the present SEASON ft entertained
its members with a number OF lectures and
concerts and loan collection, and now ft pro.
poses to hold an exhibition Of the works OF
Rhode Island artists, which is announced to
open April 1St.
In another column OF TO days paper will
be found letter from New York. containing
some interesting notes on some of the pictures
1n the f1fty-siXth annual exhibition of the Ma
uonai ACADEMY OF Design, now open In that
city. The display this year is said TO be not
only one OF the largest but probably the besr
ever made. The catalogue contains 152 num-
berS.
1t is generally supposed that an apprecia-
ton OF the arts has an eleyating tendency, and
it ought. therefore, protect the morals as well
as improve the taste. It seems, however, that
Club has recently lost by theft number OF
small but valued articles from its rooms In
COrccran Building. The matter Is In the hands
OF the police. we understand. with some hope OF
discovering the thief.
The promise held out by the first number
OF The Art Journal under its new American
publishers is fully kept by the second issue
which Is just out. The department relating 10
art matters In this country il not as full as it
used to be, nor as it ought ID be- but the con-
tents are In the main as Interesting, and the
illustrations are more varied and rather better
on that account, than before. The Washington
agency is at 945 Pennsylvania avenue.
- Mr.. quincy Ward has finished his sketch
for the statue OF Washington, intended to be
placed In front OF the Sub-Treasury building f.
New Iork. 1t is described as 10 be ''in bronz0,
sixteen ~ feet high, and Will represent its sui
ject as the first President his right hand raise
es he takes the cath OF Office. and his left han
holding the folds OF a cloak, which Is worn over
a full dress costume" The design has been
approved by the committee OF the Chamber CT
Commerce, under whose auspices the statue S
to be erected.
We hear that Mr.. Fl. X. Brown. the sculp-
tor, whose failing health has been the source O.
great SolicituGe to bis friends for some TIM
pest. is now much better. and that he hopes 10
Ie Gpl0 lO RESUME WOTk D6IOTc long. IL Is not
likely. however that at his age Qhe is now 67)
he Will undertake to fill any more important
commissions, either public or private Neither
is II necessary that he should. he is comfort
ably off, pecuniarily; he has given to the coun-
try not little OF its best sculpture, particu-
larry In equestrian statuary; and he has also
been the tutor OF some OF the best OF the
younger set OF sculptors now before the pub
lie In this country.
Mr.. VIM. Carl Browne is just beginning
three. quarter length life size portrait of the
late Bishop Atkinson, OF North Carolina. for the
Episcopal church at Ashevile. In that state.
This picture Will be almost a replica OF the
same excellent subject painted by Mr. Browne
some time ago fer st. James church OF VII
mington. both being from study from life
have made only little while before Bishop
Atkinson's death. So greatly was this dIstin-
guished prelate beloved in his diocese. aud 50
faithful is Mr.. Brownies likeness considered,
that several other parishes also desire to have
one, and 1t is likely therefore that he may be
called upon to produce 1t number of times
YET.
Mr.. Charles Lanmap, OF this city, who Is
an Associate OF the National Academy, has sent
to the spring exhibition four OF bis small
pictures painted from nature There is also In
the collection small conscientiously- painted
study by MI Yoshida. the Japanese Minister
here. lt is forest scene, and is exhibited by
gentleman to whom 1t had been presented. A
copy OF 1t appears In the illustrated Notes OF
the Academy" as does also copy Of one of
only been painting about three years, and yet
he seems to have attained a foremost position
as an amateur Since the days or Sir John F.
Champion, we have had no diplomat in Wash
tngton who could use the pencil with equal
facility. Except Mr.. Yoshida and Mr.. Lanman
none CT the Washington artists, professional or
amateur, have contributed anything to the
exhibition this year.
- Mr.. E. C. Messer of this city, contributes
to the last issue of TIE Studio an able and inter-
estiDg article under the title OF cart Fash
Ion:" wherein the various ''esthetic crazes"
at times are treated In way that is by no
means gingerly. Mr.. Messer insists that art
must be something more than a fashion
est t' renown. ~ The man NAM who 10 BUYS us ngns be-
says. must acknowledge his Indebtedness to
the man who creates; work Of art must be
there may be in 1t for him who buys. Art in
short, must be recognized as one OF the con-
serving forces OF higher civilization. Sin.
part OF the artist, a liberal and intelligent
patronage on the part Of the puhlic,-these are
the essential factors In the problem of art its
ity with the pen has long been known to his
friends and the paper under notice shows that
were he disposed to use 1t he would be as happy
with 1t as he is with his pencil.
Esthetic Boston Is in a ferment Prang
the chrome publisher Of that city, explained as
reason for having his award and exhibition CT
prize Christmas cards In New York instead OF
at the hub, was that the former city ''offers to
the results Of such endeavors larger, more
interested and q more sympathetic public
both as regards competitors and critics, Judges
nd spectators he says the Boston audience
actual workers In art who are Competent to
Judge OF even 60 simple thing as design for
q card TO be chromoed. To this an Indignant
BostoHian makes response In one of the papers
OF that city as follows: 81 have never been able
to see the merit Of the cards which 1t is claimed
took the 81, GOO and $500 prizes at Christmas. II
York to ind judges and people to indorse such
designs as were put forth at Christmas with
such extraordinary claims. then there are q
who Will prefer to hold On to our idea as 70
what is considered beautiful and artistic In
Boston," The disintereeted outsider rather en-
Joys the racket. he thinks that there Is great
deal Of point and force In what both gentlemen
say, and that, AZ It stands. the contest may be
A d Ava