The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-23

Boston Art Club and the National Academy
of Design of New York came through mere
on his way to Japan.
Mr.. Bicknell leaves for Japan to-day on
the Coptic, but for the last three or four
days he has been in the city and has, as is
natural for man in his profession, circu-
lated more or less among the artists and
was present at the opening exhibition, as
guest of T. M. Vermorcken.
1t was only a transitory view of the ex-
hibition that MIR. Bicknell obtained, but
even from that standpoint his criticisms
should be valuable to local artists. In dis
cussing the exhibition Mr.. BickneIl said {:
"There is in the exhibition the nucleus
of q strong collection if the wealthy men
of the West would but interest themselves
in California art work. Unfortunately for
the exhibition of the Art Association, the
walls upon which the pictures were hung
were injurious in color and effect. Judg-
ing from the pictures hung | presume that
California has strong native talent, and
especially do | prefer Keith's landscapes.
They are local in tone and color and strong
in technical handling.
"In an exhibition so broad in its method
of acceptances there must necessarily creep
in many bad things. There were many
bad things in this exhibition, but barring
the reasons that may have influenced the
hanging committeeman there are reasons
why the hanging committee, being the
jury, should have been broad in the matter
of acceptances-there were in the exhibit
ton evidences of strong work.
at seems to me that for the encourage
ment of local art work here some of the
Eastern methods should prevail. 1t would
not be difficult, nor would it be expensive,
to obtain for the Art Association a very
valuable collection of casts, which would
enhance the value of an exhibition subse-
quently made by the Art Association. /
do not think that it is wise to sacrifice
that this is done by the Art Association in
its spring exhibition.
The value of this criticism to California
art is due to the standing of the critic, and
Mr. Bicknell is strong enough to be
competent Judge He is native of Maine.
and under A. II. Bicknell-a man to whom
be was in no way related-made his first
Paris to study under Bouguereau, Fleury
and Terrier.
For four years Mr.. Bicknell did hard
work IN the Latin quarter and during that
time proved his ability. In 1892 he exhib-
tied in the salon "The Old Apple Orchard, /"
which was at the time praised very highly
by Figaro and the art critics of the French
city. In 1893 he exhibited an etching, the
"Old House at Chartis,' which was one of
the admittedly cleverest things done by an
American artist in Paris.
After his Paris student work Mr.. Bicknell
went through France, Holland and Ger
many, stopping while at Venice and then
going back to the south of England.
Thence he returned to America. When he
came back it was not difficult for him to
find recognition, as is made evident by
the fact that Boston, New York and Phila-
delphia promptly recognized his ability.
There are on the line at the National
Academy of Design to-day three pictures
by Bicknell and there were three on the
line at the Boston Art Club exhibition,
which has Just closed. In the water-color
exhibition by the Boston Art Club, now
open, he has also picture on the line.
His "The Meadows Near Charts" is lined
in the Philadelphia Art Club to-day.
of Mr.. Bicknell's strongest pictures. It
was lined at the Columbian Exhibition in
Chicago, and subsequently at the National
Academy of Design in New York.
In person Mr.. Bicknell is rather tall and
slender, with dark hair and very light
mustache. Somehow he does not strike
one as man of artistic temperament until
he begins to talk about the art work of
other men-he seldom talks about his own
work-then he brightens, and underneath
the conventional gentleman you find the
artist.
From San Francisco Mr.'Bicknell goes to
Japan, and his method to be pursued there
is unlike any American artist who has
heretofore done Japanese work. OF course
he is going at this time of year for the pur-
pose OF reaching the blossom season, but
his general idea is to be. if possible, more
realistic than heretofore has been the
scheme Of A merican artists.
1t is possible that he may return to San
Francisco, in which case there is no doubt
that many of the local artists will take adj
vantage of the invitation, which will be
broadly extended, to have look at his
studies. Then it will be the province of