Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-22
OUR SOCIAL WORLD

lAll items of social interest will be gladly
 noted in these columns if sent to Mrs
 George c. Ball, Nineteenth street between
 Tenth and Eleventh avenues, South Hlgh-
 ianhs. Telephone sSs)
 With the present revival of all old
 fashions-in our styles of dress, furniture
 and architecture-zcomes another and
 by far the prettiest of all revivals. that of the miniature, or small portrait paint
 ed upon ivory. These exquisite works of art of the olden. times are scattered over the country in different families and are
 treasured along with other priceless
 relics of generations gone. In large cit iesz occasionally miniature exhibitions
 are held and have excited an enthusf- asm among critics and lovers of the
 beautiful. which is about to result in
 this form of .portraiture being revived. The expense of having fine miniatures painted will probably always prevent them from being exceedingly popular, no matter how much admired. At the Atlanta exposition there are number of these paintings on ivory the work of the best artists of this and foreign coun- tries. In the Charleston room perhaps Is the finest collection. selected with much care by Dr. Manigault of Charles
 ton, an art critic of much reputation. Among the miniatures sent from South Carolina are those of Mrs. Ralph Izard Mary Ann Smith, Mrs Davis Deas, Mrs Henry Prescott Miss Mary Panley and Washington Alston. Several of this re- markable collection were painted by Malone and Fraser, both artists of re- markable ability and reputation in tfat | particular line of work. Tn the Cacorat- i've art department in the woman's build | ing there is a fine collection of minia- lures, among them one of Mrs. Cleve- land, which is said to be an excellent though idealized likeness of her Miss Dayton of New York has a case of min iatures in the New York room, and the | other rooms in the woman's building have treasures of this kind. Perhaps the | people of the south will not have an- | other such opportunity to enjoy this rare
 and beautiful form of portraiture as is now presented at the exposition in Att lanta. In thinking of this great exposi- l tion we are tempted to consider it chiefly as a place for exhibiting the material greatness of our country and lose sight of its immense and incalculable value as an education to the masses. Not only in art of every kind, In inventions, in the sciences, but in the history of our na- tions it is teaching lessons almost i'm possible to learn in any other way. As an example: A cultivated friend of mine was standing in one of the departments a few days ago enjoying the manifold sights, among them figure of conti- mental soldier, when by-stander asked him: ITO what nation. sir, did that man belong?" Think of that in this day of public schools, public libraries and the
 daily newspapers! The reply of my friend gave that ignorant questioner more knowledge of her countrys past than all the lessons of her youth, because the matter was made real and present to her limited intelligence by this expo sition.
 Referring again to nina lures, an ex- tract from an exchange giving details of interest concerning them will prove pleasant and instructive reading: "The revival of the miniature is some thing for which all true lovers of high art are grateful. This rare and delicate line of portriature in which the south boasts the memory of two such supreme and famous masters as Edward Green Malone and Charles Fraser, has been during the last fifty or seventy-five years practically lost art in America Its decadence was directly due to the introduction of the daguerrotype and later to the popularity of the photograph During the past ten years, however, there has been steady revival in Eng land. where, indeed. ever since the death of the immortal painter, Cowsly the art has never been allowed to become entre- ly extinct. The pioneer in the miniature revival, both in England and later in America, is the distinguished artist Mr. Gerald Sinclair Hayward the celebrated miniature painter of the court of St James. His remarkable and finished worries have been on exhibition at the Avery galleries in New York from time to time during the past several years and have enthralled all the lovers of the sincere. accurate and delicate in art by whom they have been seen. MT. Hay ward is now living in America with his | family. and while lending his influence to | the revival, is doing some distinguished work Among the best known of his | American miniatures is one of Mrs. Cleveland, taken in 1888. which is admit l ted to be the most interesting and at | tractive likeness ever made of the presi- | dents wife. Her soft coloring, candid | eyes and sweet mouth are all there as
 well as that indefinable spiritual some l thing which gives to every great portrait l Its potent and most lasting charm | 'The finest miniatures are painted with hard water colors on transparent ivory so thin that ages do not yellow it, unless 1 improperly handled or unduly exposed. The paints are mixed on an ivory palette the exact thickness of the tablet. so that
 the tints can be accurately tested before
 placed. During the past few years min- | iatures done on porcelain, with mineral
 paints. have been growing in popularity
 They are much cheaper and more dur | able but far less exquisite.
 All the great miniature painters
 have done their best fvorys from life l They prefer to do them at the home of
 the sitter. where they can study their | changing expression and poses free from
 the restraint of the studio The 'sittings
 are usually short, which makes the work
 tedious and trying. and as natural re-
 suit all The more expensive and desirable. | Since the days of Malone, Fraser and 1Rman. all of whom enjoyed national rep
 utattons and ranked among the great | miniaturfsts of their different ages. America has permitted the advent of | photography to crush out the art of min
 nature. But the revival is upon us, head ed by Hayward and encouraged by a wealthy and appreciative public" The following handsome cards are be-. 1 ing sent out to her friends by Mrs. J. B. | McrsoD:
 Mrs. James Bruce Morson, Wednes- day. November 27. from to 6. R. s. W. P.' Enclosed is the card of Mrs Philip Trapwell Allen of Louisville, Ky, Mrs