St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-23
THE HIrCACoCk EXHIBITION.
An Interesting Display of Cam
vases by an American Artist.

An Interesting Display of Cam
vases by an American Artist.
There is an interesting collection of
paintings and studies in oil and pastel,
by George Hitchcock, now on exhibition
at BouSsod, Vala don IL Co.'s gallery.
The collection is small one, but, con-
tanning as it does, besides several orig
inal canvaSeS, number of studies made
for other pictures, which have con-
tributed 10 the artists fame, 1t is thor
Oughly representative of his art.
George Hitchcock is an enthusiast,
not only in his art. but in his religious
convictions. He looks upon Holland
with its interrupted Vistas' Its breeze
swept, canal-Streaked meadows, its
vivid-hued, multl-colored flora, its
clouded skies and its frank, open,
honest landscape, as the supreme
Illustration OF the beauty of nature.
The sublimity of the Christian be-
lief lies to him in its apOthe-
oSis of maternity. He considers
the Biblical tale of Mary and the Child
to be n symbolical allegory. lie is fond
of expressing these views, and their
record here is based upon a conversation
with visitor to his Paris studio, in the
Avenue Hoche, in the spring of 81. In
a previous salon, Hitchcock had OBJ
tanned medal for his Tulip Culture"
now owned by w. Fl. Taller, and ne
hoped to repeat his success III the eXhl-
biton of 1887 with his "Annunciation,
canvas which now adornS the
collection of Potter Palmer. AS Mary
was to him a SymDOlical figure, the
matters of race and locality were details
of comparative unimportance. 10 use
his own words. the divinity of ma
ternity' was not of cline or country-lt
was universal. From that point of view
there could be no anachroniSm in giving
to his Madonna the physical form OF
Dutch peasant. and placing her in a
Dutch environment. 1.-The Annuncla
ton" was HitchcOck'S first expression
through the medium of his brush of
this more or less mystic conception OF
the Christian doctrine. The picture is
a simple one. Mary stands in a bed of
Aununciation lilies, with all the beatlhc
wonder of her divine selection expressed
in her attitude and expression. 10 APP
preciate the picture one must under
stand the artists motive. 1t was not
understood by the Jury of Admission,
and it was ''Skied."
The same governing IDEA Is expressed
in The Blessed Mother" the largest
picture in the small collection now on
exhibition. The Madonna is peasant
woman OF the Netherlands, arrayed Ill
all the richness of ceremonial attire.
The babe clings to her breast. In her
face there is depicted all of the glory of
MOTHERHOOD. The background is char
acteriStic of tie country. The wild
flowers form soft carpet, and there Is
framing of rich apple blossoms.
In 1.-The Flight to Egypt" owned by
Fred L. Ames, of Boston. Hitchcock
has been most successful in imparting
reverential character to the scene. This
picture is a wonderful study Of minor
colors. The tones are subdued blues,
grays and browns. There is one little
touch Of a bright line, line of red-the
saddle-girth of the ass which bears the
precious burden of the mother and the
child. IL is but a speck of color, and
yet it serves as point d'arret" In the
contemplation of the>picture. The land
scape is Enthusiastically Dutch, and,
all things considered, this is, perhaps.
an exaggeration of HitchcOck'S theory.
Winter Twilight" is gem Of atmOs-
pheric effect.
In the studies for his several flower
pieces - Spring Flowers" "Hya-
cinths'' and Tulip Culture'-Hitch-
cock indicates his consummate skill as
colorist. These pictures represent the
preeiseness of Dutch Horticulture. Tn g
gardens are laid out in systematic mo-
sales of solid colorS. "HyacinthS is a
treatment of purples, whites and vel
lows. Spring Flowers" is a variation of
pinks and graded shades of red. They
are all gems of color.
The general style of Hitchcock is
broad, and, to use a French term liter
ally translated, "well-bruShed."
In the Flight TO Egypt" there has
been free use of the palette knife in
the application of color.