Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20
ART NEWS AND NOTES.

Mr.. A. L DALBEY exhibits a portrait In
oil colors at Gilesple's.
STEEL engravings are very rare in these days,
and Mr.. Charles Schlecht is one of the few
eminent men who still practice this once favor
ite art His latest work, which is fully up to
his usual high standard of merit. is after A. NJ.
Turner's tine painting "Her Favorite Poet"
A STUDY of q large cluster of lilacs, leaves
and flowers. the work of Mrs. C. NJ Burns. of
st. Louis, is shown at Mayors. The work is
we'll drawn and cleverly handled; it is good also
in color. but in this respect it would have been
still better had the study been made from
models of more delicate and varied shades.
A FINE phosogravure of Jules Denneuln's
painting "a Pleasure Party" is now being
shown by art dealers. The picture shows an
open boat in which a couple of hardy old sea-
men at the oars are seen to be hugely enjoying
the discontinue of their passengers, who are
lying about the vessel in the various attitudes
of misery and detection superinduced by sea-
sickness.
Mr.. H. s. STEVENSON has pleasing little
painting on exhibition az Young's. The work
is study rather than picture. the subject
being landscape of the simplest description,
with subdued effect OF gray mist in the back
ground, against which clump of dark trees in
the middle distance stand in strong relief.
Several small pools in the foreground give life
to this portion of the picture by rejecting the
soft gray light of the sky, and contrast well in
color with the dark heritage about them. In
regard to execution the work has been freely
not to say slightly handled, something having
evidently been sacrificed in this respect through
the desire for the attainment of certain quail
ties of effect, which the artist has been fairly
successful.
A BRIGHT, cheerful:ittle picture. in which
the manner of handling characteristic of works
by Mr.. e. A. Poole will at once be recognized,
is shown at Boyd's. Heretofore the skies in
Mr.. Poole's paintings Lave mostly been features
of secondary Importance, though always pleas
ing and harmonious, but in the work in ques-
ton, the sky shows greater strength and Is
superior to any other portion of the painting.
The scene is one on the banks of the Potomac
river, which curves in on the right OF the pict-
ure, in a manner which suggests the shores of
lake. The work IS keyed rather high; its essen
tial quality being the strong effect of sunlight
that floods the scene. The color is bright and
not crude, but lacking in richness and variety.
it being in this respect the poorest feature of
the work.
THERE are more carpets sold annually in the
United States than in all the European nations
put together but that fact docs not affect the
artistic value of polished floors of hardwood.
The hardwood floor is steadily growing into
favor here, and it certainly serves purpose in
decorative treatment that cannot be attained
in any other way. Rich rugs and mats are seen
at their best against the fine grain of polished
wood and with many styles of furniture and
hanCinGs the effect Is much superior to that
produced by carpets. 1t should always be
borne in mind, however, that this character of
decoration is only suitable for large, elegant
rooms in which an imposing rather than cozy
and home-like effect is desired. For general
use in the majority of homes nothing better
than carpeted floors has yet been devised, and
probably never Will be.
EXHIBITIONS of paintings now appear to be
the order of the day. and two of our home art
ists MIR. D. b. Walkley and Mr.. II. 8. Steven
son. not caring to be behind the times, have
opened their entire collections for the inspec-
tiou of the public at No. 42S Wood street, where
they will remain during the present week.
These pictures represent the accumulations Of
a considerable time, but they also include few
that have Just been completed, notable among
these being q large landscape by Walkley rep
resenting scene late in the fall. when the
trees nearly bare of foliage. form with their
twigs and branches fine network against the
sky This picture is one of Mr.. Walkley's
most important works. 1t is an excellent ex-
ample of his best style of composition and rich
est colorlng and exhibits the CHARACTERISTIC
vlgor of his manner OF handling to the Dest ad-
vantage.
Mr.. ] osEPuR. WooDwELL's latest work
now occupies a position on the walls of the
Gillespie gallery 1t is q marine view, plctur-
ing a storm cloud about to burst upon coast
which is still warmly lighted by the rays OF the
afternoon SUM- The water reposes calm and
peaceful beneath the dark and angry cloud,
and the whole scene presents an appearance of
stiffness such as often heralds the approach of
A tempest Cool dark grays are the prevailing
tones of the sky and water. against which the
warm. rich colors of the foreground CONT ass
STRONGLY. thus aiding to intensity the brill
fancy Of the light streaming down from the
still unclouded portion of the sky. The scene
renresented is q spot near Magnolia Beach.
wnsre the artist spent considerable portion
Of the last sketching season, and the charac-
tar ,f which has been made familiar to Pitts
burg people by works that he has previously
exhibited
Mr.. JOHN JOHNSTON. the scenic artist, has
tnrned his attention to marine painting. and in
the picture exhibited at Young's during the
past week has given evidence that his forte lies
in this direction rather than in that OF land
scape work. This picture may unhesItatingly
be pronounced the best work he has yet shown.
being superior to his landscapes from every
point of comparison. The composition is eX-
cellent. the handling fairly vigorous, and the
color is saved from harshness or crudity by
being subdued almost To grayness, with the de-
slrable result also that the painting is in much
better tone than any of his more highly-colored
To all appearances 1t would seem
that Mr. Johnston has discovered the direction