Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-14
A SCULPTOR AS CRITIC.
photographs Criticised From an Ar.
lists Standpoint.

Il -
lists Standpoint.
| A NOVEL TALK AT THE NATIONAL MusxuM-rHr
IDOLS OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
RUDELY JosTLED-PHoTosRAPHs THAT SHOW
TOO MANY POINTS OF INTEREST.
The photographers of the National Associa.
ton, now in session here, we're treated to
| very novel sort of entertainment last night a,
the National Museum in the form of series oil
criticisms on some Of their best work by IN
artist Mr.. ]. Scott Hartley, the sculptor Of
the Dsguerre memorial, was the lecturer, il
such title can be applied to the position which
he occupied, a most trying one, indeed, for him
He is essentially an artist imbued with ali OF
the finer sensibilities of such a parsonage, a
disbeliever In many Of the established canons
Of the photographers art, and what is more, a
sculptor. There is but little in common be-
tween these arts, photography and sculpture,
and for a member of one to be called upon to
place the work Of the others alongside his own
rules and standards is, indeed, difficult task
But MIR. Hartley stood the ordeal in a very
patient and creditable manner
THE LECTURER.
The lecture hall was crowded when the lights
were turned down. President Appleton had
just previously introduced Mr.. Hartley to the
audience, a slight, frail man with curly beard
and rather long locks, man whose frame and
fiber seemed to indicate the presence Of art
and dizziness, whose rather high forehead
showed large capacity for study and thought.
He waited until Mr.. Appleton had explained
that this was new departure ''in our art in
having our work criticised by an artist" and
then responded by admitting that it was also
new to him. The audience was ready for rather
more, 1t seemed, than what followed. Mr..
Hartley, little nervous, found it necessary to
lean on his pointer rather heavily, having none
OF that stage presence and lack Of conscious
ness that comes to an experienced lecturer.
and he began by criticising the first picture
that flashed on the screen, without any words
OF preamble or any general remarks about art
and Its relations.
SCATTERING IDOLS.
Here was a man SCATTERING some of the most
cherished ideals of the camera workers, who
had very decided views as to backgrounds and
accessories" and who thought that all the in
terest in portrait should be concentrated at
the face and shoulders without resorting to
any OF the innumerable little devices Of which
professional photographers are SO fond, and it
Is not to be wondered that some Of his hearers
finally began to resent this iconoclasm by
critlclsing DIR. Hartley's criticisms in turn.
But he did his share in such mild way and
they were SO good-natured about their resent
by this fact.
LIGHTS AND SHADES.
The main theme and line of the artists cri-
tiques seemed to be along what might be called
the concentration of lights and shadows. He
took occasion two or three times to condemn in
his mild way the scattering all over the photo
graph OF spots of light that took away the in
terest from the main points, such as the face
or the pose Of the subject. He soon took an
opportunity to sit down rather heavily ON elab-
crate backgrounds for simple portraits and in
the case OF an elegantly dressed lady reclining
at her ease IN fine chair, with several carved
pieces OF furniture about her and a striped
pillow at her feet, he remarked, to the satisfac-
ton OF certain portion of his audience that
there was too much photograph OF the furni-
ture and too little of the figure. Another por-
trait he called "a trifle stiff" and went on to
show how the arm should have been placed at
Inherent angle In order to avoid a CORE
spondence OF lines between that member and
certain parts of the drapery. The hand came
out on the back of chair that was very prom
inent, and this he thought a fault for, he said,
all accessories should be kept subordinates,
classifying the hand as a mere accessory to the
face and figure.
TOO MANY POINTS OF INTEREST.
funny picture Of a baby and presumably,
Its grandfather he thought was very we'll, but
for the fact that there were too many points OF
interest In the case of a sad-looking indiyid-
ual-afemale-sittingi i'll alonely cell. which pro-
duced some applause from the audience, he had
but little to say. except that the right shoulder
seemed to be supporting the rather heavy col
umn that formed the doorway. After he had
concluded his original remarks about each
picture he waited to give his hearers a chance
to ask questions. privilege of which they
eagerly availed themselves
SOMETHING he BELIEVED IN
The portrait of an exceedingly pretty CIR
standing in contemplative mood gazing at a
daisy in her hand brought forth loud applause
and when the noise had stopped Mr.. Hartley
remarked that those we're his sentiments too.
And SO they ran, art criticisms from a
sculptors point of view, criticisms on photo.
graphs, of which some Of the real beauties
had been lost and all the defects exaggerated
In their reduction and final magnifcation in
getting them upon lantern slides. Some corns
were very rudeiy stepped on by the artist, and
the owners let their discontinue be known un.
der the anonymous covering of the darkness
but when the audience filed out of the hal
there had been several wholesome lessons
taught and some good seeds sown. The
erltlques were all on photographs now on ex-
hlbition at the convention. with the names OF
the artists concealed, SO that no one knew
whose work was being shown.