Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17
HOME ART AND ARTISTS.

oil portrait of Mr.. Walker, the soap manufac-
| turer.
/ ONE of the latest works by Mr.. Charles
Walz is life-size portrait in oil, which may be
seen at Young's.
RATHER cleverly-executed portrait, bear
| ing evidence of skillful handling, Is shown at
Boyd's. The work bears the name OF L.
| Williams.
QUITEa number of fine pictures by European
artists will be shown at GiIlespie's during the
week. Something above the ordinary IN the
way of etching is exhibited there at present
Inc subject is landscape, with sheep. aiter
the picture by A. Mauve entitled, "Daus la
Bruyere." 1t is etched by Mr.. e. L. Dake.
Mr. A +. KING shows very pleasing study
OF still lite at Gillespies. The subject consists
of a brace Of game birds tied together by the
feet and hung to nail in a board. The study
is very simple one, but at the same time IL
prouuees quite a pleasant erect as II SHOWS
some good drawing and at the same time it is
freely and vigorously handled
Mr.. D. B. WALKLEY has Just completed sew
eral fine paintings which will shortly be placed
upon exhibition. He is working away as indus
triously as usual and has number of impor-
tans works under way. The statement pup
hshed in Pittsburg paper to the effect that
Mr.. Walkley had left the city is entirely with
out foundation. He has not left Pittsburg, and
has no intention of doing so.
A COUPLE of new paintings by Mr.. Jas. R.
both marine views, and we're painted during the
past summer. The style of execution is easily
recognizable as that of Mr.. MCDOWELL and the
effect rendered in each work is that of a very
pleasant aspect of sea ana sky and shore: Both
pictures have considerable strength OF color,
but the one which shows curling wave about
breaking upon the shore is rather the most
pleasant of the two, as the whole tone of the
work is the brighter and more cheerful. 1t is
also the best in style Of composition and line
arrangement
AMONG other interesting objects that orna-
ment the studio of Miss Madge Irwin is large
china vase which that versatile young artist
modelled during a recent visit to the potteries
at Steuhenville, Ohio. This work is quite
handsome piece of art ware. the modelled de-
sign consisting of large dragon clinging to
the side of the vase. 1t is one OF number
which Miss Irwin has recently executed, and
she has orders for several other snch pieces
for the Steubenvine petteries. The superior
quality of the ware turned out at these works
is evidenced by the fact that some of the finer
pieces are purchased by Tiffany Co., of New
York. Miss Irwin has just finished number
of flower studies, which are very clean and
strong in color. Among them is a large deco
rated panel of geraniums, and another smaller
one of petunias.
WHEN book is written or piece of music
composed, there must, if the work is to be of
any value, have been in the authors mind some
idea or purpose other than the mere desire to
write the book or compose the music; there
must have been some new thought or feeling
to express some new truth to teach, or at least
old idea that will admit of a new and better
form of expression; falling this the labor will
be thrown away and result only in the produc-
ton of q work that is without strength or value.
So it IS in art. unless a picture impresses one
as filling place which none other has done,
unless it tells us of a truth which we have not
elsewhere learned, it might as well have been
left unpainted. Assuming that an artist is
possessed Of certain degree of technical
skill, q picture from his brush will have
greater or lesser value according as the object
Which leads to its production was
noble OF commonplace. A great pic
ture is simply the embodiment of
noble thought in a suitable form of express
sion and aside from its technical qualities, will
be an exact reflex OF the depth of feeling and
intellectual power possessed by its author 1t
is the deeply earnest and religious mood in
which the old masters painted, and the strength
of purpose and feeling with which they in
vested their works, that gave to their produc-
tion a quality of strength which is felt and
appreciated even yet. and will continue to be
in spite of changes which time and the evolu-
tion of ideas may bring TO pass in the purposes
and practice of art. In this one respect the
men who lived in a more sober age possessed
a slight advantage over the artists of the
present day, but it is one that is overbalanced
a thousand times by the superior knowledge
of modern painters. 1t is this superior knoWI-
edge that has broadened the scope of art and
rendered certain qualities of technical excel
lence objects in themselves worth striving for.
The clever artist of modern times is a trained
observer and his skill is such that it enables
him to execute clear and Ineligible record of
his observations His mission then. if he be
simply clever and not burning with the fire of
genius which prompts him TO originate great
thoughts, Is to look about him with his we'll
trained eyes and tell US what he sees. Thus we
are made acquainted with many fundamental
truths that would otherwise escape our obser-
walton; having had our attention directed to the
workings of some natural law by the inspection
of picture painJed with that end in view, we
learn to look for the same effect in nature and
find pleasure in its discovery A pictorial repre-
sentaIion of,natural scenery must ALWAYS be exc
cuted with a view to the expression of some
particular effect of natures various moods
The leading object may be the expression of
beauty, dignity or grandeur of composition,
be kept subordinate to this one. So also
picture may be notable for its sublimity of
conception, for the beauty of its coloring,
for the degree of artistic feeling ex-
one of a number of desirable qualities such as
atmospheric effect, the expression of great
space and distance the clear brightness of day
light, the flood of golden sunlight or the dark
ness and gloom of storm; it may express any
one of a thousand different effects, but it must
render some OF them clearly or it is of little
value. In painting representing the various
features of a landscape 1t matters not how well
the different parts may have been executed
when viewed separately; though the sky, the
trees the rocks ana ground may all be perfect
in themselves, unless they bear to each other
that nice relation and harmony which exiSi S in
nature at any given moment, the whole does
not constitute a picture. 1t is this quality of
harmony and completeness that renders
modern work more generally pleasing than
that of the old-time painters, and 1t is along
this line that future advancements in art must
travel,
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