The herald., 1893-08-13
TALENTED AMERICAN ARTISTS
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. J. McCloskey
in France.
Recognized Is Artists Of Rare Ability
and Charm.
Their ideas Upon Art Matters ~ Dis
closed In . Delightful Letter from
Parls-Some of Their
Work.

Mr.. and Mrs. William J. McCloskey,
the two talented artists SO well known
from California to New York. and par
ticularly in Los Angeles where the fam.
lily OF Mrs. McCloskey resides. she be-
ing formerly Binford, have acquired
in q ehort space OF time world wide
reputation.
They have been in Paris for some
time, and without acquaintances on
their arrival there, they occupy today
a high place in the opinion Of the judges
OF true art.
Eastern papers have devoted great
deal of spoce to their work, and are
strong in their pr aise. The French
critics through the columns of their pa
pers have spoken in the highest terms
OF the separate and joint productions
OF these artists.
The perfection of their work has CIV
en- them place in the salon. where
some of their best painting are exhib-
tied.
Speaking Of the painting. Dinple. the
says: s'It ia q wonderful portrait. A
PASssyp tAtCA ootAAk 1hA AAtViitSVas ASCtA
ing little girl, dressed In an old-fash-
ioned light-colored silk there is plain,
plush background, against which ths
figure stands out as If it were alive. No
accessories of any kind, the acme OF
simplicity in arrangement. Iii not 3
dead likeness, like 80 many portraits one
sees. but life itself; the complexion is
not paint, but flesh and blood; the
veins appear to throb under the skin,
the lips look az if about to open to
speak, while the eyes, in this instance.
really windows of the SOUL seem to
reflect the thought and intelligence
within; added to this is q modelling OF
the head go mastery that one is appar-
emily able to see around it, and OF the
hands as if one could grasp them"
The critic for L'Avenlr Artietique, q
French paper devoted to art, IN an arti-
Gle headed "Mr. and Mrs. MscCloskey,"
says: On the streets OF Notre Dame
de Lorette is the old studio of Delaunay,
very simply arranged, but on the day Of
our visit it looked splendidly, decorated
with ornaments of canvas, each a mas
terpiece.
THE courteous Mr.. MacCloskey in
troduced me to Madame MacCloskey
and several visitors, who, like myself.
had come to study the last works Of the
two American artists. L recognized
among thoBe present Gerome, the mas.
ter, whom. l am delighted to meet
again; bowed to Nine. Brown; also to
Georges LIE Metayer and Nine. James
Grivar, the fine miniaturists, whom the
world knows.
"Mr. MacCloskey has sent to the
Champs Elysess 4 portrait Of his daugh-
ter and Mime. MacCloskey an aquarellc
Waiting" which have received great
deal Of notice. We congratulate them.
AS we examined the paintings in the
salon. observed among others one by
Mr.. MscCloskey. "rhe Game of Chess"
and another, 1.-The Song" Both we're
of good color and of such detail that
they mnet hsrs sp;sSsazss4------,tftss5srs rs-ra
surrounded me.
Finally Bouquet of Horteptiss, by
Nine. McClosksy. and also The Meadow,
by both artists, display quisits9race
and character. The general character OF
this last painting shows the gift otin-
spiration and delicacy of execution.
There are in The Meadow varieties and
grsdations of tone that must have re-
quired infinite labor.
They sre indeed excellent artists, and
their studio is worth visiting.
The following letter giving the views
of these distinguished artists upon art
matters will prove of exceptional inter-
est:
PARIS, July AIN reference to por-
traits, not long since had converse.
ton with Mr.. and Mrs. McCloskey, and
they talked 80 intelligently upon the
eubiect that I begged Mrs. McCloskey
to give me some notes on portraitnre for
a letter. American people have one
characteristic which is not found in the
French artistic world-that is their sci
entifc views are SO clearly conceived
that it is an easy task for them to ex-
plain them clearly. American artists
who know what they are about do their
work scientifically, pscychologically, If l
NAV be allowed two long words. Here
the natives are too prone to banter
about queetions OF art. How student
would pe laughed at in an art school u
he attempted to have scientiticyIews OF
coloring. drawing and ways OF looking
al models He would coon be pelted
with something harder than words, and
would be dubbed with name as pre-
tentlous as hia fellow atudents deemed
his language. Carolus Dvran is perhaps
the only master who attempts to'give
scientific explanations to his pupils,
and he does it with such howery lam
puage that nothing but an impression OF
beautiful smiles is left. But allow me,
to submit what Mrs. McCloskey has to
say upon portraiture. 1t ls botn lnter-
esting and instructive.
"Portraiture is distinct branch of
art and not within the grasp OF all VINO
paint the figure with divine genius.
The artist who creates a composition,
although he paints strictly the proper
tions and the form of the model whom
he has selected as the medium to con-
yey his thoughts, secures the personal.
ity of his individual temperament ana
produces result brilliant and tneoretl-
cally exact and yet fails to portray one
germ Of tine individuality OF the person
before him. These are the artists VINO
achieve renown in pictorial composi-
tions. But to produce portrait re-
auires an abdication of self, absolute
truthfulnees and obedience to the lave
of science governing the outward mani
festations of the analogy existing be-
tween the brain and the facial muscles,
and the artist must possess an INTUITION
into the study of human nature, wnlcn
is a talent separate and distinct rom
the artistic fire and susceptible OF culti'
yation. When we consider the mllllons
of Gods creatures and stop TO think
that within 30 small space as the cir
Gle formed in joining the thumbs and
the index fingers, we can cover tn Q
space allotted for the three features, the
b., re