The San Francisco call., 1895-11-15
Opening of the Fall Exhibi-
tion at the Art
Institute.
MR.. HUNT1NGToN's MURILLOs.
Local Artists Make a Good Showing
of Two New Works Each.
A Reception.

The autumn exhibition at the Art Insti-
tute opened yesterday evening with re-
ceptlon. which was attended by several
hundred of the members and their friends.
The exhibit consists of a loan exhib ibition,
to which a number of local art patrons
have contributed and display of works,
principally new, by resident artists.
An important improvement has been
made in the hanging capacities of the
hopkins mansion since it was last used
Tor exhibition purposes, for the west con-
servatory has been converted into pic
ture gallery, where the light both by day
and by night is good. In the west con-
servatory, too, the eye is not distracted by
the gorgeous backgrounds of brocaded
walls, which mar the rooms in the man
sion as hanging-place for pictures.
Some artistic decorations had been dis
posed about the rooms and staircase by
Emile PlssIs, assisted by Miss Hall, Miss
Demlng and Miss Ecker. Masses of hello
trope and white chrysanthemums were
banked against the main pillars, and from
the profusion of flowers sprang slender
shafts of palm and bam boo. The sides of
the stairway were lined with ferns and
evergreens, and flowers were gracefully
disposed about several of the rooms.
The reception lasted from till nearly II
P. NJ. Liquid refreshments were served in
the billiard-room, and an orchestra, placed
in the organ loft, played at intervals all
evening. People circulated about, chat
ting and admiring the pictures, the west
conservatory and the room containing the
Murillos attracting the largest number of
visitors. AS members entered the build
ing they were entitled to draw for chance
in the forty pictures by local artists situ-
ated in the room with the Mnrillos, which
will be drawn for on the last day of the
exhibition.
The Murillos lent by C. P. Huntington
form the glory of the collection. They are
ecclesiastical pictures, one being St. Fran
els d Assist and the other ST. Gregory.
Both are adorned with the cherubs which
must have been so dear 70 the great Span
lsh painters heart, since he uses them so
freely in his canvases, and both are WORKS
that are too well known to need extended
comment.
Mrs. Bixler has lent a moonlit marine
by Rosario, and DR.. Bazet picture by
Melanie Besson, 81 Infinite" showing
lamp-lit interior with an old man and
young girl playing checkers. James D.
Phelan's Tavernier, "Fire in the Yosemite
Valley" is one of the best works in the
collection. Irving NJ. Scott has lent a
something of a rarity, for that prolific
painter and illustrator had q distinct
preference for figure pictures. Mrs. Frank
}. Sullivan has lent Jacque, Baron Won
Schroeder Haas, and in the loan collec-
ton there are numerous other pictures by
well-known artists.
The hanging committee exercised more
discretion than usual in sitting out what
they considered the best pictures and re-
jecting those that were below their stan
dard.
The west conservatory and the upper
conservatory are the two galleries where
most of the local pictures are hung, though
there are a number of water-colors and
etchings of resident artists in the dining
room. William Keith is represented by
several pictures, Castle Crags' being per-
haps the most noticeable.
r. d. Yelland's picture of Monterey
Beach was one of the most admired in the
The sapphire colored water
OF the bay is seen through an opening in
the sand dunes; there is shadow in the
but light in the middle
distance, and the glow of sunset is on the
water.
Another work by Yelland is "Sunset
Light on Mount Shasta Hill has two
pictures which generally had little knot
of admirers before them. "The North
Fork of the Merced River" is a restful bit
of scenery. The sunset glow behind the
woods in the background falls upon the
water and foliage softly; the foreground is
in shadow.
Emile Pissis shows an original picture,
entitled ''Yose mite Falls Great masses
of ocher- -colored rock tower to the top of
the canvas, where strip of vivid blue
sky is seen. Over the yellow rocks water
fall dashes, in whose whirling waters a
number of nymphs are disporting them
SoIypc ha ioa h,1ti Sc
we'll carried out and the intense coloring,
though somewhat bizarre, Is perfectly true
to California scenery.
Joseph d. Strong shows an excellent
likeness of Hugh Burke. the we'll known
San Francisco journalist.
Mrs. Alice b. Chittenden shows her
wonted skill in flower painting by can
has two good flower pieces, and Mrs. Grace
HUDSON in her Yokia" gives a powerful
lifelike portrait of a Mendocino squaw.
Miss Mollie G.. Hutchinson's two Breton
scenes, one of an orchard and the other of
a street, have some color value, but they
are marred by the faults of being blurred
and faddy. The colors of Gam ble's
woodland Glade" are full Of green and
yellow melancholy, and his marine is not
much more inspiring.
Reaser shows good pastel MATERNITY"
Robinson's marine moonlight Waves" is
one OF the best pictures in the collection,
for the dashing surf is full of motion and
spray, and the tranquil moonlit sky is a
thing of beauty. Latimer's sylvan pic
lures were both much admired. In the
water-color collection his painting of a
stream in the redwoods attracted atten-
ton.
The hanging committee consisted of
Mrs. Alice B. Chlttenden, Arthur Math-
ews, Ernest Peixotto, L. P. Latimer and
j. A. Stanton.
ll0IklrIi nAnr nnnTnnMrn