Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05
ART NEWS AND NOTES.

AN oil portrait of the late Mrs. W. G. John
ston is on view at Gillespie's. 1t Is the work of
Mr.. Jasper Lawman.
ALTHOUGH more retired and shut off from
the world than are people who follow many
other avoc ations, the artists are not so far re-
moved from the great mass of humanity en-
gagged in more lucrative pursuits that their in
terests cease to be identical with those of the
balance of mankind. and the approach of the
holiday season creates increased activity in the
ranks of the painters no less than elsewhere.
But now that The gala days are past, they have
once more settled down to serious work, and
their small canvases having been mostly fin
ished up previous to Christmas, they are now
engaged upon pictures which require more
time and care in their preparation.
A NOOK in a dark forest glade where ferns
grow in wild luxuriance has served Mr.. George
Hetzel as a model for the small study which is
at present showing at Boyd's The subject is
one that takes in an extremely limited area,
being merely vacant space between the boles
of few old trees, whose slender sweeping
branches trail their luxuriant foliage upon the
ground, shutting of the view of all beyond
with an impenetrable curtain of rich and
varied green. With strong and pleasing color
ing this little picture combines quality which
is much less desirable, and that is certain
stiffness of handling rarely to be observed ip
Mr. HetZel's work. 1t is true that this is in some
measure inseparable from the character of the
subject but even with due allowance for this
tact, the work is scarcely up to the artists
usual standard, since he is noted for the free.
dom and fexibillty of his foliage and shrub.
berry
A JOCKEY mounted upon a thoroughbred
horse going at full speed forms the subject of a
very cleverly handled painting shown at Gill
lespies. In the immediate foreground small
portion of race track isseen, while on the left
rise some picturesque trees; and the back
ground is formed by glimpse of distant land
scape, but this portion OF the picture, although
finely composed and excellently well executed,
has been completely subordinate, and the en-
tire interest of the picture directed toward tho
animal and its rider. With this end in view,
the scene has been shrouded In soft gray
misty haze, and is painted somewhat beloW the
strength of nature in the matter of bFilliancy
of light and depth of shade, though in color IL
is clean and bright in spite of its cool and
misty quality. Against such background as
this the form OF the running horse, glossy and
dark almost to blackness, stands out in strong
relief. while the figure Of his rider, in a cos
tune of bright scarlet forms a spot of rieh
color that at once rivets the attention of the
observer. The drawing of the figure of the
jockey is very good; that of the animal is still
better. and the action of the latter has been
very cleyerly shown, Altogether the picture
must be considered strong and we'll balanced
work; but in subject it is one that will interest
A second painting by the same artist is simply
a portrait of horse with q stable wall for
background, and this picture, while In some
respects similar to the one above described, is
much less effective and is too monotonous in
its blue-back coloring.