St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-08
ART AT FAIR OAKS.
The Society of Fine Arts Entertainer
by Mrs. Gen. Washburn'
A study of the Salient Points Oh lhas
PaIatfal Home.

The members of the Minneapolis society Vi
Fine Arts last night enjoyed most neartlly tue
Kindly hospitality of Fair oaks Gen ASH
b1,rD was nuavoidably absen from the cry
-. NJ Wesbburu received her guests with
q cordial welcome and made each one feel tnal
- nc, at liberty to follow his own lncnua-
lions II was this thoughtful freedom thaI
nermitted q delightful evening. All the peo-
t,Ia I1resnnf were enthusiastic devotees OF art,
and in that palatial home, replete as
II is with varied treasures from ever
mart of the art world, was abundant Heiu
FOR the pursuit of their favOrlte STUDY
Tho CHESTS wandered through the ma@uih-
cent apartments, conversIng pleasant. OH
tho +onics upDermost in the minds of all, or
ex.minipg the fine collection of large pno-
tographs of European and Egyptian scenes,
collected during an extended contlnen TAI
visit Refresi neDts were served throughout
the evening III the dining room anu the re-
ceptiun was most pleasant IN every respect.
That which strikes the visitor to TINS most
DaIatial of Minneapolis homes with the great
est force is the harmony OF parts that IS no
ticeable throughout The individual articles
of furniture in an apartment are or great
richness and elegance, but the combination
is 50 skilfully effected that the impression
riveu is not one of that magnihcence whlch
is aot to make the visitor feel uncomf ortanle,
but rather an idea of simple home COM
fort heightened by the most beauhtul and
refined surroundings. There Is no Stralnlng
after effect the different departments snow
ing change i'll kind. but not IN degree.
ThrOuChoi!t all The splendid apartments that
were thrown open to the guests last nleht'
harmony of color and form. and appropriate
ness of furnishing to the particular use OF
tine 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
tistic bric-a-brac with which Gen. WASH
burns home abounds. The walls display
works which are as commendabl bic for the
Judgment shown in selecting them as for
their intrinsic merit. Gen. and Mrs. WASH
burn have enjoyed the advantages of long
soiourn in the art centerS OF Europe, ano
the education thus gained is very apparent
in the pictures they have bought. The Ger
man painters are evidently fayorites, 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 "EA pecta'
ton painting by ". Member, OF
Munich. 1t represents a young girl, in
the costume of the time, of gooc
King Arthur. standing on balcony, with
one hand resting on the stone rail, gazing
altar OF. II must be lover who is expected,
for no other could bring the tender express
sion of longing to the sweet face. In the
the Munich school-a flock of sin ep with
their shepherd, by Christ Mall, and a splendid
picture by E. Meisvl. in which two French no
blemen are the interested spectators while my
lady tries on a ring.
Gen. Washburn smoking room is an
apartment which the men seemed especially
to favor. A high muntel bears two large
Chinese vases of exquisite design and beaut
full 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 o.
to-day. a beautiful dark haired CIR
in fleecy lace with bare arms and throat
reclines full length On a divan covered with {
great lion skin. the head of which forms her
pillow. A black slave sits in the deep shadow
of an arch near at hand, through which /:
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 picture of surprising beauty.
In this room also is large bronze vase
the handles of which are formed by two me
deival griffins, which are trying. with oper
mouths and protuding tongues, to reach eact
other over the top.
Mrs Washburn seems to have a peculiar
liking for Dresden china. There is magnifi
cent urn of this valued ware in the drawing
room, the designs on which are unequaleC
for smooth, soft colorlng. Large vases o.
Dresden stand on either side, an exquisite
bust OF Evangeline on the mantel.
In the reception room magnificent busts o.
Hermes a. Venus de Milo occupy inches il
the wall, the pure wilderness of the marble
and the exquisite prOfiles emphasized by tht
dark red background. The library also i
rich in works of art. A marble bust of IincOll
and a magnificent bronze Shakespeare tin'
places there. In the family sitting room
large picture of mountain and pines ant
waterfall speaks constantly of the unequaleC
beauties OF nature Splendid portraits of Gen
and Mrs. Washburn also adorn this apart
ment.
The dining-room contains three pictures O
rare merit by On. HoeSsln and f. Lutteroth
Throughout the house the bric-a-brac is il
keeping with the pictures and the furnishing
The value of this great house, considered onl.
from an artistic standpoint, cannot be est
mated, and the kindness of the genial hos
and hostess in thus opening it to the friend
of art is thoroughly appreciated, not only b.
those present, but By the public at large.