Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19
ART MATTERS.

ART MATTERS,
COPY in oil color of Sir Joshua Reynolds
picture. 'Angels' Heads, or the Cherub Choir. I"
has been shown at Boyd's. This picture is very
well known here through various reproduc-
tions in monochrome, but this is, perhaps. the
first copy of it in color which has been seen in
this city.
A COLLECTION of etchings and water colors
by Mrs. Edith Loring Getchell, formerly Miss
Edith L. Pierce Boston artist of some abil-
ity has occupied the Gillespie gallery during
the week. The water colors are bright in color,
handled in a rather broad and sketchy manner,
and are of various degrees of merit. The etch-
incs, some of them at least show greater
amount of artistic SKILL and considering the
extreme rarity of works of this nature exc
cuted by women, Mrs. Getchell deserves credit
for the the progress she has made in this very
difficult branch of art One of the largest and
best of these works is that entitled "The Lift
ing Clouds" which shows some very good
drawing and clever rendering of the effect Of
a landscape under D rather stormy sky.
THOSE who have not yet seen the Haseltine
collection at the Hacke gallery will do well to
take advantage of the opportunities afforded
them during the next couple Of days, as that
will be the limit of their stay, unless something
occurs to induce a change in present plans.
With the chance of viewing SO many really fine
works of art at no greater cost of energy than
the amount expended by simply stepping into
an elevator and being carried up to them, the
inducements offered ought to be sufficient to
crowd the galleries daily. To obtain glimpse
of the Carpenter painting alone would be
ample reward for climbing considerable
number of stairs but in addition to this the
large room is well filed with fine art works,
open to the view of all who care to inspect
them,
AN ETCHING by Lucien Gautier, after
Corot's picture ''The Sand Cart" has been on
view at Young's, and it goes far to prove what
was always pretty well understood, that the
pictures by Corot which have been exhibited in
this city recently are very far from samples Of
that artists work. This picture is an artistic
production, well composed and well drawn,
showing on the left cart being loaded with
sand from a rather high bank, and on the right
some fire and graceful old trees, with their tops
outlined against the sky. From the scant
opportunities they have had of judging
some Pittsburg people have formed b1t poor
opinion of Corot and wondered upon what his
great reputation was founded, but it is very
probable that, like most other men, he has at
different times produced good, bad and indiffer-
ent work. Since many of the 'Corots" extant
are counterfeits, and his best works are few in
number, it is likely to be long time before
really good example of his style is seen in this
city.
Mr.. D. B. WALKLEY's studies of picturesque
buildings partly hidden by trees are always
very pleasing and strong in line arrangement.
The one on exhibition at Mayors during the
past week is the best work of this class which
he has produced for some time. In color it is
quiet and subdued, but not weak in any sense,
while the handling is at once broad. vigorous
and free. The beauty of work of this class
is largely due to its simplicity; not that it is
simple in the sense of expressing little. but
that it expresses much with little labor The
subject consists of dwelling among the trees
on the bank of stream, and boat containing
several rustic figures about putting off from a
small landing on the shore. Perhaps little
stronger drawing in the herbage on the
streams banks would improve the picture,
which certainly looked rather vague and misty
in this part but it is just as certain that great
deal, and perhaps the whole, of this appear
ance was due to the defective light in which it
was seen in the store window. Many good
pictures are seen to a disadvantage from this
cause and it is difficulty which cannot be en-
tirely overcome, but which might be materially
lessened by little more care in placing them
so that they will receive the light in the best
manner possible under the circumstances
Mr. CLARENCE JOHNS. who has charge Of
the art department of the Exposition, expects
to have highly interesting exhibit arranged
when the time arrives for the opening next fall.
Besides the works by our local artists, large
number of fine pictures will be brought from
elsewhere, and in addition to these there will be
aloan exhibition of rare paintings from the col
lections of leading citizens of Pittsburg. These
latter pictures will form one of the most inter-
esting features of the exhibition, as it will
satisfy the very natural desire, with which all
true lovers of pictures are possessed. TO obtain
glimpse of the art treasures held around home.
According to the original intention the art
gallery was to have been constructed in the
form of one large room, but the plan was
changed at Mr.. Johns suggestion, and the
original space is being divided into seven
rooms SOx50 and one S0x6O. This arrangement
gives a largely Increased wall space, as the par
tition wall may be covered with pictures. and
at the same time admits of each class of work
being kept distinct and separate; thus the pict-
ufes owned in this city will be separated from
those which come from elsewhere. and works
by home artists will occupy room by them
selves. Special attention is being paid to the
construction of the galleries with regard to
light and ventilation, and it is expected that in
this respect they will be among the finest in the
country.
BLYTHES caricature of Democratic pro-
cession of former days has been on exhibition
at Gillespie's, where it has attracted great
deal of attention from those who are interested
in the works of this eccentric representative of
Pittsburg's infancy as regards art. In every
respect the work is characteristic of the man,
and to some extent of the condition of art in
this city at the time it was painted. 1t indicates
to keen observer the possibilities which were
in Blythe, and even the most cursory examina-
tion will serve to show how disastrously he
failed to develop the power that was in hum;
which failure was due to two very sufficient
causes: first the want of energy and steadfast-
ness of purpose and second the lack of oppor-
tunity. One singular feature of this work ex-
hibits not only ignorance on the part of the
artist, but also a deficiency in the
faculty Of everyday observation, and
that is that he has represented
the old gray horse as progressing by moving
both feet on the one side at the same time, a
mode of locomotion which have never been
adopted by any horse since the, commence
ment of their evolution from the prehistoric
hypposion. There are some few quadrupeds
that progress in this peculiar manner. of which
the camel is perhaps the most familiar. lin.
stance, and anyone who will compare the
siding, awkward motion of this animal with
that of the horse will readily understand that
it would require radical change in the anato-
my of the latter to enable him to move in the
manner which Blythe has depicted. A horse
walks by moving first one of his fore feet and
almost at the same moment the hind foot on
the opposite side, and this has no sooner
touched the ground than the other forefoot is
raised followed by the remaining hind foot. A
picture showing the animal moving hind and
fore foot on the same side at once has no more
real appearance of action than has the child's
model OF horse made with cork for body