Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-02
PLOUGHING THE STUBBLEFIELD.

Of studying 1t under its freest conditions,
IN 1888 she Joined a party Of artists who
were going to Algeria for the express pur-
pose of studying the Arabian horse, the
purest and most beautiful type of the race
She spent the winter in Algiers, and not
being content until she had come face to
face with desolation. she Joined a caravan
which penetrated as far south into the
desert as the Biskra oasis. This was a
Journey Of four weeks, during which Mrs.
Newcomb transferred to her sketchb books
many of the Incidents OF desert travel and
stealthily painted the picturesque Arabs in
spite Of the prohibition of the prophet.
She also succeeded in getting some fine
interiors with Arab women weaving the
bernous on their native looms. Her sketches
also show various effects of the wastes of
sand with the dawn just breaking and the
caravan resuming its early march. Eight
months In Algeria were spent in these
congenial labors at Constantin and other
towns. Mrs Newcomb is not content with
painting at secondhand. but spends many
= morning hour sketching horses from the
life in various New York stables She is
an fndefaugable worker and deservedly
popular In a large circle of acQuaintances
The picture here represented. Breaking
success of 1851
Across the passage in this building is the
studio of Mrs. F. Gotthold the daughter of
MI Simon Wolf Of this city. who is one Of
the most dtltgent and enthusiastic OF wo-
men artists. For many years she studied
In q class which selected for its master ana
critic the late B. o. Fitz. a talented figure
and portrait painter who died a year ago
Just as he was achieveing fame and success.
Mrs. Gotthold reflects much Of his spirit in
the treatment of her subjects and in her
schemes of color. Her speciality is figure
painting. but she has recently finished a
number OF clever canvases of still life. She
Leaves her luxurious home every morning
to work all day at her easel in her studio
which Is hung with soft colors and which
contains many interesting vases. jars. bits
OF porcelain and old brass and copper uten-
sils. which figure in her studies She con-
fines herself exclusively to oils, several of
which have been seen at the Corcoran Art
Gallery. One of the largest apartments in
the Sherwood studio building is occupied by
Miss Maria Brooks. an English woman who
Tor nine or ten years has been identified
with the women artists of New York. Miss
Brooks handles her brush with r.ore
vfgor and power than Is usual to a feminine
hand and her talent and achievement have
placed her work beyond that of the average
man. Instead of tapestries and bric-a- brac
one finds her walls lined with completed
pictures that insist on being examined by
reason Of their treatment, drawing, tech
1fque or striking color. Among them is a
series OF i've or six delightful studies of little
girls on very small canvases. Each picture
child-who. clad in a scarlet gown, is either
playing with her dear dolly" or struggling
over her sums upon slate.
Her chief companion here is Polly" a
gay little parroquet, which makes friends
with every visitor. expecting to stand on
his shoulder or perch on his head. to share
a great part of the attention and to form
a topic of conversation. Polly" seems to
delight in his fac-simile. which is seen in a
clever portrait of one of Miss Brooks young
friends who holds the vain little green bird
on her finger. This is called Two Pretty
Ones" One of the artists favorite achieve
ments is a study a motive taken from
Goethe's "Faust'-'Two souls within my
bosom dwell" The picture is a study in
black showing a brunette with liquid brown
eyes that are uplifted, yet slightly dropped
at the corners, giving one the sense of I'M
shed tears as she appeals to heaven for
more strength to determine her avocation
and to end the struggle that heaves within
her soul. The great question Is. shall she
shall she consecrate herself to a religious
life for spiritual aims and end. There is
nothing sensational In the painting of this
work, but the broad dramatic touch and
treatment reveal heroic pain that Is some
thing higher than grief or despair. The
accompanying study of a child is done with
the palette knife instead of the brush.
The Misses Elmer also have an apart
ment In the Sherwood studio building,
where they accomplish good and effective
work. Miss Mary Elmer is one of the most
successful painters on china in New York
She receives large orders from wholesale
houses. The china that she uses comes al
most exclusively from the works of Tren-
ton n. J. Miss Elmer says she prefers this
Of more beauty and the tints more delicate
than the china of foreign manufacture
Her sister is a tapestry painter. or more
speaking, she paints with dyes on
a material of silk. linen. and wool. made
In France, which costs $40 a yard. The art