Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
ART NOTES.

attractive photogravure illustrations q striking
likeness OF Secretary Blaine, reproduced by that
process from photograph recently taken.
- Munkacsy's two immense paintings, repre-
senting respectively Christ before PLATE and the
Crucifixion, now owned by Postmaster General
Wanamaker, are to be sent to the coming Paris
exposition.
- Mr.. Henry Ulke has been selected to paint
the portrait of ex-Attorney General Garland to
be placed with those Of his predecessors in Of
fce on the walls Of the Department of Justice
Mr.. Ulke has recently painted a portrait of ex-
commissioner Colman, which gives great salts
faction to the friends of that gentleman.
Remdrandts "Gilder," purchased recently
from Mr.. Schaus by Mr. Henry Havemeyer, at
the reported price of $4,000, is now exhibited
In the National Metropolitan Museum in New
YORK, where 1t will remain for some time. This
is conceded to be one Of that great masters
best works, and is Of itself we'll worth o visit
to the museum
A party of congenfal Washington artists
are planning a canal boat excursion, q little
later on in the spring. for sketching and study
along the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal, something after the fashion Of the ia
nous trip OF the Tile Club of New York through
New Jersey several years ago. The scenery
along the line from here to Cumberland is ad-
mirably adapted for the purposes in view, and
II the trip be made it can hardly fail to be
both profitable and pleasant for all concerned.
That all corporations are not soulless, and
that some individuals are, is now the fixed
opinion of NJ. Detaille, the eminent French
artist Of all the American owners to whom
he applied for the loan OF his paintings to rep
resent him in the coming Paris exposition, he
says that the only one who treated him with
courtesy and granted the desired favor was the
CorcOran Gallery. of this city, which very gen.
erously forwarded 1.-The Passing Regiment"
hxif 1,an l.;
best works.
The New York Graphic has this pleasant
paragraph about bright and promising young
lady of Washington:
l was one of party who went to the steamer
recently to see Miss Daisy Brown, the young
artist and pupil of Kenyon Cox and William
Chase, depart for Paris to study under the great
Gerome. She is tall willowy, and has dreamy
black eyes and dark hair. Although only twenty
years old, her progress in painting has been
wonderful, and two years ago she captured the
Corcoran gold medal for drawing at the Cor
coran art school, Washington, and then came
to New York to the Art League, where Cox and
Chase taught her. Miss Brown will remain in
Parls fve years. and by that time hopes TO ac-
complish something. Perhaps she may be
the future Rosa Bonheur of America.
The Pail Mall Gazette directs attention to
the fact that many of the most liberal patrons of
modern British art have belonged to the COM
mercial class 1t says: 'Mr Vernon. who is
said to have spent f15O,OO0 on English pictures
and whose collection is one of the glories of
the National gallery, was horse dealer. Mr..
Sheepshanks, whose pictures were the making
OF the South kensington gallery, was a partner
In cloth business at Leeds. Mr.. Horrocs Mil
ler's pictures were bought out of the proceeds
of long CLOTH Mr.. Jacob Bell, who was the
donor OF many of the best-known English pic
lures in the National gallery.w was a chemist. SO
far as art goes, culture would have been in
very bad way if it had not been for the 'Phiis-
tines" The same is largely if not wholly true
of this country.
The interest in the American art exhibit at
the Morton residence has held out wonderfully
well, considering other things to attract atten-
ton, and its audiences seemed to grow larger
each day, even before the price of admission
was reduced. Indeed. the display can be pro-
nounced a most decided success. socially as
well as financially, and should any considerable
number of pictures be sold out of the collec-
ton the artists contributing to it would be
more than satisfied. SO far only about a half
dozen have changed hands, but these at Salts
factory prices, and there is reason to believe
that several other sales may be made before
the exhibition closes. But. any way, great
good has been done. The Garfield hospital
has been helped pecuniarily; the people of
such an opportunity as has never been afforded
before to see what the younger school of native
artists are capable of doing, and the artists
themselves have had a chance in a new field,
where, II they do not at once reap a crop, they
have at least been able to SOW seed that can
hardly fail to yield harvest in future With
these things accomplished, it would seem that
every one connected with the affair has occa-
sion for felictation.
1t is not always easy for the public and an
artist to agree as to the qualities in a certain
picture which give it market value or upon
which the asking price is based, but it is still
more difficult to exactly understand what prin-
ciple or quality determines the artist In fixing
the value or price Of given canvas 1t often
happens. doubtless. that the work which gives
the painter most concern, and upon which he
has spent much time and thought, acquires a
place in his esteem out of all proportion to its
actual artistic merits, just as a mothers homelv.
crippled or wilful child is often her greatest
pet, while another canvas representing far less
of thought or labor is held at much higher
value by not only the general public but also bv
brother artists. curious illustration on this
point seems to be presented by two pictures in
the collection now on view in the Morton resi-
dence, painted by Mr.. Gaugengigl, of Boston
sometimes rather pretentlousy styled by his
friends 1.-The Meissonier of America" One of
these is marked at price little more than
smaller of the two. it is true, and simpler in
subject and treatment, but it is probably safe
to say that four out of five artists or picture
lovers of taste and judgment would rather have
it twice over than its higher priced companion.
Why these differences of opinion? In other
words, what is the true or absolute standard
OF value in art? Is there, in fact any such
thing?
The result of the sale of the Erwin Davis col
lection of paintings, which took place in New
York on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, was
doubtless highly satisfactory to the owner. as
the amount realized was far in excess OF that
representing the original cost of the pictures.
The aggregate sum produced was S243. 795. or
an average of over S1,70O for the one hundred
and forty-three pictures sold. The most graft
flying feature of the sale was probably the price
obtained for Bastien le Pages Joan of Arc"
This painting, which cost the owner only about
81 5OO sold for S23, 400. thus making the in
vestment a very handsome one financially and
at the same time justifying the judgment of the
owner and confirming in substantial manner
the many fattering things that have been said
about it by the press lately. But in spite of
the high price it bought, the precise position
the picture is to hold in the world of art is bv
no means settled yet. For the present about
the most that can be said of it is that it will be
immensely liked by people who like that
sort OF thing-or think they do. The
name of the purchaser has not been made
public, the only means of identity afforded be-
ing the statement that he was "a bad-headed
man, said to be Chicago dealer" represented