The Portland daily press., 1886-11-15
SOCIETY OF ART.
The Press View of the Autumn ExhI-
bition.

Saturday evening the Portland Society of
Art gave private view of its autumn ex-
hibit of local art to the press and the mem
bers of the institution. 1t was wet, nasty
night, by no means favorable to the occasion.
and yet large and brilliant company assem-
bled and, for two hours, the pretty gallery
resounded with the buzz and hum of criti-
cism.
The Society has given number of exhi-
bitionssof local art. but none, we feel assured
that has proved more satisfactory than this.
There are GO oils, IA water ~olors, and II
black and white displayed ON the walls, and
they are hung with much judgment. There
is great deal more variety than usual in the
subjects, and the list of exhibitors includes
several new names.
The two artists whose work will excite the
greatest interest are Mr.. Benson, the newly
elected instructor of the Society, and Mr.
Charles L. Fox, both of whom are graduates
of foreign schools of high repute. Mr. Ben
son displays seven pictures, three of which
are portraits, two figure pieces, and two
landscapes. Mr.. Benson began his studies
at the Boston Art Museum, and then went to
Paris, where he became "a pupil in Julien's
school. He has made quite a name for him
self. by reason Of his portraits, in Salem,
from whence he came to take the position
offered him in the Portland society. The
three portraits by him in this exhibition have
called out much favorable comment. No /
is portrait Of himself The face is very
spirited and the coloring solid and truthful
The hair gives especial pleasure from its nat
uralness. No. 2 represents an old gentleman
seated holding his eye glasses in one hand
and book in the other The management
Oh the white halr against the background is
very skllful, the hands are particularly good,
especially the one that holds the eye-glass.
and 1t would seem as If the likeness must be
admirable. No. O. a portrait of a young girl,
Is remarkable for its brunette complexion.
Wnlcn Is very striking. On this point criti-
cism is honestly divided. To some there is a
feeling that there is little too much yellow
III the skin. while others think that in this
very feature lies one of the chief merits of
the painting. Some go so far as to prefer the
execution and management of the draperv to
the treatment of the face. No. 3 shows a
young Paris student in his room playing a
banjo. The light striking ON the back of the
student and the management of the paint
lngs and bric-a-brac about the mantel, are
very fine. In No. II the treatment of the
complexion of the girl to many seems more
natural than in No. 3. In No. IS, Il bows
mead, the face is very well handled and very
strong and clear. The two landscapes, Nos.
. and 10, are especially good in coloring. In
No. 9 there is breadth that gives character
to the painting, while the grays and greens
are handled IN mastery manner, and in
NO. 10, an early morning in September, the
treatment of the blues is excellent The
mists seem to be lifting from the marshes.
just revealing the tall weeds and the moist,
damp foliage
Mr.. Fox offers but one picture, and we
could wish there were more. The one he
displays, No. s, the Influence of Music
over Old Age and Youth, is very effective
Two faces, side by side, in profile, are evil
IDENTIFY listening to music. The face of the
elder is in shadow, and with its lines and
meagreness brings out all the more forcbly
that dazzling complexion and that charming
red hair Of the younger which Mr.. Fox
paints so we'll The shape and pose of the
head, and the portion that embraces the ear,
with the treatment of the hair about it, are
admirable. IL IS q delightful picture that
would adorn any gallery.
80 much space has already been occupied
in this article that few running comments
ON some of the other pictures must do for the
remainder OF the oils. No. 60, by Ii. b.
Brown, view of Simonton's Cove, is one of
the most artistic and pleasing pictures that
ever came from his brush. No. AZ, an I'M
finished picture of an old mill at Waterford.
by G. +. Kimball, will attract attention No,
4, an old flume, by Walter Griffin is excel
lent in coloring, but his decorated door is to
our mind one of the best things in the exhi
bition. In No. 10 nj. l.. Gilbert has very
strong head of an aged man, and in No. G, the
bridge at Waterford, the stone work. even to
the peculiar CLINT of the stone, is most con-
scientiously brought out Mrs. Charles DYER
offers several pictures, all of them good, and
No. - in particular, country scene, is full
of merit. No. 50, by Fred Morse, an autumn
day, is full of feeling and tenderness. 1t Is
to us one of the most charming pictures in
the collection. The artist in the foreground
is said to be Portland celebrity In still
life there is basket of yellow Scotch roses
No. 16, by Sapborn; some yellow roses. No
Sc, by Mrs. Pierce. and pink roses, No, B. a.