Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-27
THE WORK OF THE ARTISTS.

The Stevenson Walkley collection will re-
main on exhibition few days this week.
| ANOTHER large collection of fine paintings
will be opened in the Gillespie gallery in about
| week.
A PLEASING little water color study of the
head of a young Dutch girl, by Mr.. D. B. Walk
ley, is shown at Boyds.
| Mr. II. ARTZBERGER exhibits landscape
| at Young's. The merit of the work lies in the
| style of the composition, and If 1t were as ex-
cellent in other respects as it Is in this one par
| ticular it might be rated very highly, but un-
fortunately, it has very little Of what is known
| among artists as quality" and 1t il devoid Of
| character in handling.
Mr.. GEORGE HETzEL has very pretty little
| landscape study on view at Mayors. 1t is a
bright, cheerful picture and a subject that is
| unique in character and pleasing in effect.
| The scene is one on the shaded bank of quiet
| stream, over which the branches of some
| slender trees droop gracefully, while to the
| right is seen glimpse of open field bounded in
the distance by trees shrouded in cool. gray
mist. There is larger expanse of sky visible
| than Is usually seen in Mr.. Hetzeps work
| which aids in giving to it an appearance of
greater strength OF color, quality which
| always meets with due appreciation, as it is
| one of the main charms OF this class of sub
| jects.
AMONG the many devices invented to serve
very different ends that have been utilized IN
the prosecution and development of the graphic
arts is the sand-blast which has lately been dis
covered to be valuable aid in the art of litho-
graphy. The stone is first covered with dark
ink-like substance and the design to be printed
is traced upon its surface, the work is then
completed by blowing against 1t a fine stream
of emery powder with considerable force. The
higher the air pressure, and the closer the tube
through which the powder is forced is brought
to the face Of the stone the f1rmer will be the
lima uhi a tod hv
holding the instrument at a gr eater distance.
This method of work Is also used in preparing
copper plates for mezzotinters.
Mr. ]. A SAINTS latest conceit in the way
of painting is shown at Gillespie's. The SUBJ
ject consists of q muf and three small cats ono
Of the latter being snugly ensconced in the cozy
quarters that were originally designed for the
comfort and protection of some fair lady's
fingers while its two companions are playfully
skirmlsn1ng ABOUT on the outside, seeming
more than half inclined to dispute possession of
what they doubtless regard as common prop
erty This picture makes no more pretentions
to merit from an artistic standpoint than other
similar works which Mr. Saint has shown re-
Gently, but some Improvement may nevertheless |
be observed both in the matter of color and |
handling. Work OF this character would meet
with much greater degree of appreciation if |
it appeared in the pages of an illustrated period
ical as it is scarcely suited to the spirit of oil
color.
VARIOUS speculations have been INDUCED in |
at different times regarding the question as to |
whence the ancient Greeks derived the in
spiratlon which led to the production of such |
beautiful designs in pottery and vases that |
they have scarcely been equalled, not to say |
excelled by all the skill of modern times. It |
has sometimes been supposed that geometrical |
curves, notably the lines of comic sections |
found the basis of their designs, but latterly the
theory that their ideas were derived from the
forr, If Loo uQa n haG md fouo
and it certainly carries with it a suggestion of |
probability, considering the fact that the |
Greeks were known to have been close OBJ
servers of nature, and to have adopted many of |
her forms in their arts. as instance the use
made of the acanthus in the capitals of col
umns in the Corinthian and composite orders
of architecture.
Mr.. A. F. KING has produced a copy of Hof-
manns painting 'Christ in the Temple" The
work was executed to an order, and after de-
scription of the original picture as regards
color while the drawing and composition have
been studied from photograph. This is not
particularly excellent way of securing COPY
of a picture since the result must be In every
way but poor shadow Of the original, no mat
ter how clever the artist may be. Two of the
most valuable qualities of painting color and
tone, are entirely ignored by this method of re-
production, except in SO far as they are sup
plied by the Judgment Of the artist making the
copy and tGls aeStfoys & i.s vaiue 1ust 70 the ex
local lovers of art have suggested that our art
lists should lead off in the direction of produc-
ing original works dealing with subjects of this
character even if they should fall short of the
foreign pictures as regards technical excel
lence. Their work should represent their own
ideas. and if they are of a character worthy of
note, shortcomings in other respects may read
lily be pardoned.
"a FISHERMANs Home on the Potomac" is
the latest work by Mr.. E. A Poole, the subject
of which is a cluster of trees near the river
bank, and a small cottage, of which glimpse
may be seen through openings in the foliage.
1t is sunny little picture and effectively
handled, with the exception of the mass of
foliage on the left, which is devoid of freedom
and looseness and lacks variety and richness
of color. Inability topaint foliage well is the
one thing that detracts seriously from Mr. |
Poole's landscapes except when he selects SUBJ
1ects in which the trees are either some dis |
lance from the foreground or else are relieved
with varied outline against the sky There is
also a second painting by the same artist in
which these requirements more nearly |
fulfilled with the result of producing much
more pleasing and well-balanced work. This |
picture shows q stretch of level country with
trees In the distance and cleverly handled
composed of grass and herbage. and
pleasing variety of form and color.
This second picture is q subject much better |
suited to the spirit of Mr.. Poole's style of
handling than Is the one first mentioned, and
it is the more thoroughly salts
factory work Of the two. Both pictures are to