The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-21
Representative Artists Opin-
ions on the Spring
Exhibition.
GENERAL VERDICT FAVORABLE.
Some of the Pictures Faulty, but
the Collection Is Credit
able.

widely different In their styles as in their
lines OF work The mean line should be a
fair and correct valuation of the pictures
now on exhibition at the Mark Hopkins
Institute, where the spring exhibition of
the San Francisco Art Association is being
held.
Frederic NJ. Vermorcken has already
achieved high reputation as a portrait
painter. Some of his pictures now on
view at the exhibition were "lined" by the
New York National Academy of Design
and the Philadelphia Art Club 1t follows
thatnot only because he is a recognized
artist OF ability, but because he has been in
San Francisco but a few months and holds
necessarily impartial views, that his criti-
cism is as impartial as can be and as
authoritative as the reputation of the man
is we'll grounded. He writes:
Having been asked to give my impression of
the spring exhibition OF the San Francisco Art
Association. / have consented to do so with
some hesitation, for, being q newcomer in a
most hospitable community, 1 feel that it
would be presumption on my part TO attempt
anything in the way of criticism.
I consider the exhibition most creditable
one 10 q new country, and it is only 10 be re-
GREETED that the gallery is not better adapted
10 show the merit OF the pictures. The excess
of decoration, the poor light, and the reflection
effect of the works OF art displayed.
II Is also mistake, think, TO have accepted
QulteSO many pictures. Quality is always better
than quantity, and bad picture can spoil the
effect OF good one in the eyes of the public
small exhibition OF thoroughly good work is
infinitely more instructive than Il larger one in
which the work Is OF varied degrees of merit.
The picture OF the exhibition is emphatically
"a Study in Black and Gray" by W. A Reaser.
Evidently the artist is an admirer OF Whistler,
Tor the picture strongly suggests Whistler's
DOTtrn1r o. in ha ool iprE- Of
the Luxembourg. 1t is painted in most diff
cult key, and is calm and harmonious in tone
with that distinction and simplicity which are
PROOFS OF the highest art. The values OF the
background are not quite correct, and were it
not for this fault the picture could hold its own
IN any exhibition.
As is, the art students of San Francisco
would do well to study this piece of work, for
the head is well painted, and as a whole it is
an unusually good and serious effort. There is
no work IN the exhibition TO be compared
with il.
=. J. Mathews has two portraits that are well
touched, but which might have been pushed q
little farther. However, they are well drawn,
and have excellent qualities. OF the two pic
lures by William Keith, - Sunset" and after
the First Rain" the former is much the better.
san Francisco is fortunate in having man OF
such artistic capacity, and who does work so
full OF feeling and sentiment
Alice 3. Chittenden shows a fower-piece
called Spring Morning" which is well done
good in color and very decorative.
Alameda Sanddunes," by a. Joullin, has
ciate his other picture owing to the bad light.
J. H. Z. Darlington has two portraits, of
which the smaller one is very satisfactory. If
Il were little less brown in tone it would be
Z. N. Pissis exhibits large landscape, which
is full OF light.
The water-colors OF L. P. Latimer are the
best in the exhibition, with those Of Alice B.
Chittenden.
There is also some very good work by John |
A. Stanton.
have neither time nor space to discuss the
exhibition more fully, but before closing I !
should like 10 mention the pictures of the fOl- I
lowing artists: Mary Curtis Richardson, Helen |
Hyde, Nellie E. Mccormick, Maren NJ. Froeleh !
and Lou E. Wall.
FREDERIC N. VERMoRCKEN.
In contradistinction to Vermorcken's es-
innate is that of L. P. Latimer. Neither
man knew the other was writing criticism
Ior the CALL, but they meet on many points.
Latimer stands at the head of San Fran
cisco's water-color men and his work at
the exhibition has been warmly admired.
In his criticism he shows good discrimina-
ton and appreciation. He writes:
Keith is the best landscape painter
here, and his "Sunset," No. 81, and
Twilight" lib, are beautiful There is so
much quiet restful feeling in his pictures
that one is loathe to leave them.
The Yosemite Valley pictures by Hill are
grand, but one would like to see some of
our quiet bits of nature in our foothills
painted by him.
John A. Stanton has good work. His
knowledge of tone and color is exquisite
Joullin's study of Preside marsh shows
that he handled the color of sand in a mas
terly manner. Judson's "Rising Moon"
81, is charming. One can imagine he can
hear the chirping OF the crickets in the
gray twilight effect. Raschen s studies of
Indians show how well he handles color,
light and shade. Mrs. Alice B. Chitten-
den takes the lead in flower painting; there
is such true feeling of nature in her work
without the hardness some painters get
that it is great pleasure to see
her work. One feels like picking
up a rose and inhaling its fragrance. Her
portraits are also charming in delicacy of
touch and color. G. D. Robinson's marine
1872 is one of the best things he has ever
painted. The water is so wet, the feeling
of atmosphere so delicate that one could
never tire of it. 1t has fascination that
draws
1t is very gratifying to have such an ar
fist as Vermorcken here. His ''Le Recit |
du Voyage" 43, is charming; you become |
interested in the recital yourself, and his |
Dutch Smoker" is very good. Yelland |
has work splendid In feeling. He is broad |
ening out. He is hard, conscientious |
worker and is true to nature.
1t is good to see Chris Jorgensen among !
the exhibitors again. His "Genoese Beg |
gar" is excellent in tone and feeling, par
ticularly in the face, which is very pa
thetic. His study, 226, is also very good. |
NJ. Urunuella has some water-colors that |
show breadth and good feeling. Otto |
Emerson has some good studies made in |
Holland. Mrs. Mention has grape study |
and some water-colors, showing splendid |
improvement. Miss Helen Hyde's work is /
always good; SO is Miss Lou Wallis. |
Anna Nordgreen has some clever work. |
Miss Carpenter umpkin-field is good as |
to the pumpkins, but she wants to study |
trees more, Ambrose Snow, pupil of the /
art school, has a landscape, "Old Ala |
media" that shows promise. Mrs. Nellie |
Stearns Goodloe's "a Foggy Day. shows |
good study and her pen-and inks are |
Splendid.
Miss Isabella Morrison in "The Garden" |
shows hard study and much improvement. |
John NJ. Gamble shows Improvement in |
his picture 149. Miss Bender has some ex-
cellent flower pieces.
Ameng the new exhibitors is Mrs. Clara |
Curtis. Her landscapes in water-colors |
have that delicate feeling that charms |