St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-08
ART AT FAIR OAKS g.
The Society of Fine Arts Enterta1neo
by Mrs. Gen. w ashburn'
A Study of the Salient Points OF Ihat
Palatial Home.

The members of the Minneapolis Society OF
Fine Arts last night enjoyed most heartily the
kindly hospitality of Fair Oaks. Gen ASH
burn was unavoidably a6seH from the Guy
but Mrs WaShburn received ner guesis wiz
81 cordial welcome and made each one feel tna'
he was at liberty to follow his own lncIha-
tions 1t was this thoughtful freedom thaI
permitted a delightful evening. All tue peo-
Die present were enthusiastic deVotees vi III !
and in that palatial home, replete as
it is with varied treasures from ever
part of the art world, was abundant nelo
for the pursuit of their faVorlte STUDY
The guests wandered through tue MAJ uin-
cent apartments, converSIng pleasauOy OH
the topics uppermost in the minds OF all, OF
examining the fine collection OF large pno-
tographs of European and Egyptian scenes.
collected during an extended conIlneu TAI
visit. Refresh mentS were served throusuouI
the evening in the dining room ana the re-
ception was most pleasant in every respect.
That which strikes the visitor TO this most
palatiaI of Minneapolis homes with the great
est force is the harmony or parts that Is no.
ticeable throughout. The Individual articles
of furniture in an apartment are OF great
richness and elegance, but the combination
is so skillfully effected that the impression
given is not one of that magnihcence which
is apt to make the visitor fee! uncomfortable,
but rather an idea OF simple home COM
fort heightened by the most beautlInI ana
refined surroundings. There is no Stralnlag
after effect, the different departments show
ing u change in kind, but not IN degree
Throughout all the splendid apartments that
were thrown open to the guests last night,
harmony of color and form. and appropriate
ness of furnishing to the particular use OF
the room. are prominent features.
Naturally the attention OF the members OF
the Society of Fine Arts was directed more
particularly to the many pictures and the ar
xx-hin
burns home abounds. The walls display
works which are as commendabIe for the
Judgment shown in selecting them as for
their intrinsic merit Gen. and Mrs. Wash
burn have enjoyed the advantages OF long
sojourn in the art centers of Europe, ana
the education thus gained is very apparent
in the pictures they have bought The Ger
man painters are evidently favorites, and
surely it would be hard to find an equal num-
Der OF the works of any other modern school
that can surpass these either in drawing,
color or composition. Last evening general
admiration and praise was given LEY pecta-
ton painting by W. Member. of
Munich. 1t represents a young girl, in
the costume of the time. Of good
King Arthur, standing on balcony, with
one hand resting On the stone rail, gazing
affair of. 1t must be q lover who is expected,
for no other could bring tue tender express
sion OF longing to the sweet face. In the
the Munich SCHOOL, flock of sh ep with
their shepherd. by Christ Mall, and splendid
picture by E. Meiselsin which two French no
blemen are the interested spectators while my
lady tries on ring.
Gen. Washburu's smoking room is an
apartment which the men seemed especially
to favor. A high mantel bears two large
Chinese vases Of exquisite design and beauti-
flu: color; on the opposite wall are two pic
lures, either of which would make an ordi-
nary house Erich in art The center of the
wall is taken up by splendid oriental picture,
the work OF the leading French painter Of
to-day. beautiful dark haired girl
in f1eecy lace, with bare arms and throat,
re lines full length on divan covered with a
great lion skin, the head o which forms her
pillow. a black slave sits in the deep shadow
OF an arch near at hand, through which is
seen the bright interior Of another apartment
A pool of water, with tiny fountain playing
occupies the foreground The oriental de-
tails are carefully brought out, the whole
forming 4 picture OF SURPRISING beauty.
In this room also is a large bronze vase,
the handles of which are formed by two me-
deival grifins, which are trying. with opeE
mouths ard protpding tongues, to reach each
other over the top.
Mrs. Washburn seems to have q peculiar
liking for Dresden china. There is a magnif
cent urn of this valued ware in the drawing
room, the designs on which are unequaled
Tor smooth. sou COlOfIuS- Large FdSeS Ol
Dresden stand on either side, an exquisite
bust OF Evangeline on the mantel.
In the reception room magnificent busts of
Hermes a. d Venus de Milo occupy inches in
the wall the pure whiteuess of the marble
and the exquisite prOfiieS emphasized by the
dark red background The library also is
rich IN works of art. A marble bust of Lincoln
and magnificent bronze Shakespeare finc
places there. In the family sitting room g
large picture of mountain and pines ana
waterfall speaks constantly of the unequaled
beauties OF nature. Splendid portraits of Gen.
and Mrs. Washburn also adorn this apart
ment.
The dining-room contains three pictures of
rare merit by On. Hoesslin and F Lutteroth
Throughout the house the bric-a-bric is in
keeping with the pictures and the furnishing.
The value of this great house, considered only
from an artistic standpoint, cannot be esti-
mated, and the kindness of the genial host
and hostess in thus opening it to the friends
of art is thoroughly appreciated not only by
those present, but by the public at large