The record-union., 1896-09-08

september, Dy the way, Will pc IOunO
by our readers some account Of fire
etching by it's master in this country
]. w. FOsdick of Massachusetts, who
did the first work of the kind ever ex-
ecuted In this country. He received for
his exhibit in the work the grand gold
medal at the Atlanta Exposition. He
is a graduate of the Boston Art Museum
School, and studied in Europe seven
years under Grundmann, Boulanger and
Lefebvre.
When the invention of thermo-
cautery was made in surgery, Fosdick
discovered it's applicability to fire etch-
ing. That was ten years ago. Before
that the fire etcher imperiled his eye
sight, lungs and hands with heat, smoke
and dust. Now hollow point kept hot
by a delicate naptha flame removes all
discomfort of smoke and heat and
makes fire etching possible to any one
with art training without inconvenience.
Immediately to the right of the pyro-
grapic exhibition as one faces the Art
Gallery is to be found the large, very
large, collection of the studies of pupils
in the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art,
San Francisco. 1t speaks for itself and
fairly illustrates the work laid out and
the course pursued in that school in
drawing in black and white and in
color work While fully appreciating
these studies of the school, which stand
high to it's credit. it is simple justice to
home talent to say that last spring the
Sacramento School of Design made an
exhibition of the studies and work or
it's pupils. Were the two collections
placed side by side, that of the home
school would not be second
Our attention was yesterday attracted
to three beautiful examples of pen and
ink work by Jules Pages, San Fran
cisco, on the east wall, just south of the
school exhibition. Nothing better In
pen and ink has ever been shown in
the art displays at the State Fair Low
ers of this order Of art should study
these three panels as superior examples
in all respects.
The central piece of the gallery, that
which commands, and justly, most at
tention, is the full-length portrait of a
lady by Eva Withrow Gid. There are
few large pieces in the gallery this year,
though the collection of small works is
great. This example of figure and por-
traiture by Eva Withrow is one of
marked excellence. In tone and feeling
it is especially noticeable. There is life
in the picture. Its warmth is felt, and
that it is high class as q portrait the
spectator feels assured, since indeed 1T
must be a speaking portrait. The
drapery effects on this canvas have been
handled better by Miss Withrow, we
think, than in anything she has hung
in the gallery before, and she has fire.
quently been medalist.
Next in value and Importance in fe-
male portraiture and drapery effect Is
(250) portrait of a lady, full length
by Miss Mary Hinkson Of Sacramento.
1t is a delicate piece Of work and one
that impresseS the spectator with Its
fidelity. The drapery is soft filmy
white and therefore less difficult to
handle than that in Miss Withrow's
canvas. The pose is easy, the figure
graceful, the treatment good and the
general execution exceedingly to the
credit of this medalist of the Sacra-
mento School Of Design.
Raschen's Calling the Pigeons" OSO
is a canvas that merits much praise.
1t is worthy of more attention than can
here be given it, In the character Of
the subject, the handling, the figure
work and the expression Of life and mo-
ton Raschen has been especially sue
cessful.
Jules Pages salon picture 041) Mai
son delEclusier'' is an especially no
ticeable picture and will escape the at
tention Of no discerning intelligence
that examines the exhibits. 1t is
strong and vigorous work and impresses
one sensibly with it's faithfulness in
detail and color to the landscape that
is its subject That it won the honor OF
a place in the estimation OF the Salon
Hanging Committee speaks for it.
Thomas Hill, the veteran artist, has
five Yosemite views in the gallery, his
most recent works, and possibly the
last we shall have from the stricken
artist They are not his best; indeed
whoever views his Yosemite in the
City Art Gallery will concede that his
best can never come after that. But
Hills canvases in this exposition are
works of the superior order, and we
shall endeavor to speak of them here
after when examined under better con-
ditions as to light.