The morning call., 1894-04-17
HILLS AND KEITH'S WORKS.
Many Schools Represented at the
Institute.
A RECEPTION FOR MEMBERS.
The Spring Exhibition of Pictures Is
About the Best Ever Seen Here.
Startling Color Effects.


deferring preparations for the spring ex-
hibition at the art institute till the eleventh
hour, the local painters have suddenly put
their best canyases forward. and have
sent some excellent samples OF new Work
to the big mansion on Mob Hill.
1t was vanishing day yesterday, and
the hanging committee had busy time
trying to place every picture on the line,
and give 1t the best possible light. The
permanent exhibition was relegated to the
first floor, and before sunset ell the new
eanvases had been assigned positions
downstairs, and made an excellent show
ing in their gorgeous surroundings.
This evening the members of the art in
stitute and their friends will ba given an
opportunity of attending the reception and
viewing the pictures, and tomorrow the
exhibition will be open to the general
public.
One great claim about the canvases is
that they they are all new to San Fran
cisco, most of them indeed are exhibited
for the first time in any public gallery,
and not few are good works by the best
local artists. Tom Hill is better repre-
sented than he has been for some time at
from his brush command attention i'm
mediately one enters the large hallway.
which forms the main gallery. One is
Yosemite" different, however, in tone
and treatment from most OF Hill's later
"Yosemites." The c0loriDg is very SUBJ
dued and grayiSh in its tintS, giving the
impression of dull. cloudy day, when the
middle and far distances are somber and
gray, although unveiled by mist. This
yosemite" is decidedly interesting addi-
ton to Hills other studies Of the same
subject.
''rhe Grand Canyon of the Colorado is
another larger canvas from HilPs brush
that will probably command attention.
About fifty miles Of wild, rocky distances
are pictured, with the gorgeous glow
either of sunrise or sunset Transforming
the canyon into vivid mass of transpa-
rent color. Crescent Lake" is another
characteristic piece of Hills work.
Visitors will probably be tempted to ex-
claim at the industry of E. w. Pissis
whose caDvaSes greet one at every turn.
He has depicted all sorts Of subjects, from
the sanguinary bull-ight to three nine
teenth century graces, IN faShlon-plate
attitudes and costumes, straylng hrOugh
a sylvan glade. Some of Mr.. Pissis' work
is extremely Interesting and commands
attention at once. "A French Landscape"
hamlet, nesting among trees clad in the
tender, delicate foliage of the lands, where
the first coming OF spring seems TO
throw green gOssamer veil over the bare
branches. The foliage is beautifully light
and suggestive of the season. and the light
must appeal to lovers of the modern
French school, though to ordinary, unro-
mantle beholders i: is "a light that never
was on sea or land" Mr.. Pissis shows
considerable versatility IN his treatment.
as we'll as in his choice OF subjects, and
much of his work is good.
William Keith gives the public for the
first time a chance of viewing the effects
OF coloring, which he claims to have redis-
covered after the secret had been lost in
the graves of the old masters. Thf por-
trait of lady is probab bly, his best Exam
pie of this kind of work. To heighten the
effect, probably, Mr.. Keith has chosen a
face of the grave. invasive stamp. so
often found in the old masters, aDd be has
DIRE ssed his model in the costume which
Francesca da Rimini" or Tasso's "Lau-
IA" might have worn. The treatment,
however, is more modern tnan the Dress
There is not an attempt at the smooth
finish of a Raphael; Indeed. the picture
suggests Van Dyke or Rem brandt.
particularly in the yelIowish light thrown
across the face against dark background.
Whatever the opinion of Keth's odd
whim to make his canvases look as if they
bad been scraped and vanished by a
dozen generations may be, there can be no
denying the fact that his flesh tints placed
beside the average modern portrait make
the latter look crude. During the hanging
very pink-f ced maiden was temporarily
placed beneath Keith's antique lady and
by contrast the bushing damsel's flesh
looked as if 1t had been boiled. The her
pictures shown by the disciple OF the
old masters are Twilight" and "a Sum-
mer Morning." The latter will probably
be the most admired. 1t is pastoral
scene, beautiful and subdued in coloring,
with fine transparent cloud effects.
Evelyn Mccormick shows one of her
pictures that was accepted at the Worlds
Fair. This particular one is a scene in
France at sunrise. 1t represents a long.
unbroken field as the foreground, with
trees in the middle and far distances.
Theodore Wores exhibits several land
scapes, painted with quaint Japanese con-
VentioD ality. One is little study 10 pink
and gray of an orchard, with fruit trees in
full bloom. Another artist who has caught
some japanese effects in his pictures is
William Hubacek. His t"A Gray Day" is
a little view of a river and trees, and IS
treated IN a singularly original way.
"Early Spring in Alameda" is another
very pleasing painting from Mr.. HUI
bacek's brush.
Arthur Mathews has three pictures in
the exhibition. sAn Old Dutch Smoker"
is a little painting full of character that
recalls the work of the famous Teniers.
A peasant in blue blouse and heavy
wooden shoes, sits at his ease enjoying his
pipe on rude W oden bench, surrounded
by the coarse accessories of a peasant in
terror. The coloring is remarkably true
and refreshing, and the expression is life
like. "A Field OF California Poppies" is
q pleasing landscape. and a scene at tie
Midwinter Fair, taken from the Liberal
Arts building. is sure to excite interest.
number of canvases from the brush
of r. D. Yeliand will help to spread the
fame of California scenery. One uf the
marines depicts the gorgeousness of a
sunset off Point Lobos. and When slug
gsh tides creep in" gives good idea of
Alameda marshes on a gray day. Miss
Eva Withrow's work is great advance
ulon what she has yet done. Her "Caii-
fornia opDies" are very trae to nature,
both in their tints and their freedom from
opaqueness. The picture of a woman clad
in gossamer and smoke. pursuing glitter
ing bu bble, is presumably allegorical. 1t
had NO name yesterday, but that did not
prevent people from expressing satisfac-
ton with the work.
Alice S. Chittenden shows good study
of roses. Henry Rasehan's "Study of
head" ably depicts little peasant girl in
H..