The morning times., 1896-12-27
Hope for Genius in Need.

WHICH give IfSlit W Iiit
for the student ltis quiet and retiring
little building which gives no hint OF the
activity within, beneath sky-lights that
halk curiosity or worldly distraction. Yet
from 8 O'Clock in the morning until 10
O'Clock at night, with BRIEF interval for
dinner, the rooms are filled with students
OF the brush. working tirelessly before
easeIs, and resentiDg nothing but the gong
which calls upon them TO lay aside their
work They become so plunged in their
several subjects that the gong is an irrita-
ton, peal of fate that drives them back
to the world Of stern reality where dreams
are dispellcd.
Inside the Shrine.
The interior of this building which will
serve to shelter the school for only few
weeks longer, is not ideal for its purpose
though it has served long and faithfully
1t is nothing 10 what the new quarters
will be in the beautiful marble structure
so nearly completed for the Corcoran
collection. There is here but one long
room divided by curtains into apartments
for the classes i n antique drawing and still
life, and one smaller room in the rear where
the life classes work. But to the ambitious
student this building has had no defects
1t gives quiet studio with good light, an
excellent collection Of casts, free models,
and free criticism from excellent teachers.
Give a student all this with a corner in
which to set up his easel and he is not
going to complain.
Mr. E. F. Andre ws, the director of the
art school, holds the open sesame to the
front door of this building, and you can
not penetrate further than the yestibule
without his consent. If you are student
seeking admission he is the man to he in
terviewcd. 1t is not difficult to get into
the night classes. There is no examina-
ton. The only trouble at the present
time is that the classes are filled as far
as accommodations 20 and there are many
waiting i'll line for the coveted oppor
tunitv. At night you will find seventy
five pupils at work, altogether In the
day classes { is a different matter. To
be admitted to the day classes one must
have had some training and be able to
submit work that will show a required
excellence The standard for admission
is not Extremely high, no wever, but it serves
to keep the day classes from overcrowding
In the Night Classes.
Tho night classes are delightful to visit
You will find ut work students far ad-
| vanced in excellence of execution, and
| humble beginners trembling over the lines
| of Il block ha nd. There is quiet, con-
| ce ntrated ambition prevalent, and no
| discplinarian is necessary to hold these
| students down to their work. They are
| chained by something mghtier than dis
| cipline from an outside will If a student
| goes to pieces in excitement over what he
| has wrought and walks about and gives
vent to his feelings in too much talkative-
| ness he is nithered with sarcasm and
| frowned down on all sides by disapproval
| When YOU enter the school at night the
| first sight makes you think of Greek
| play. The casts are arranged along the
| sides of the room and the light is so
| thrown upon them that the remainder of
| the room is in shadow. The long lines
| of gas jets are placed high, and the light
| is thrown with a strong effect by means
| of metal reflectors. The students grouped
| in the middle of the room at their easels
are silent and busy, and pay no heed to
who comes and goes. They work with
| their long pencils of charcoal, and the
faces of anguish, courage, love, calm re-
pose, grow on the paper. BY this light
| at night the shadows on the casts are
| black, and not the elusive grey and blue
| of the soft daylight Athena looks her
| lofty serenity, Venus smiles her wondrous
| tenderness, Apollo thrills with his god
| like youth and beauty, the Greek slave
| writhes in torment. As one watches them
| the ache to create grows in the mind and
muscles, and perfect form seems the only
| good thing in the world
1
| No Mixed Life Classes.
| at night and class of young men drawing
| from life. The life class for women is
conducted during the morning. Asin New
| York there is no mixed classes in Washing
ton drawing from the life. 1t has been
said by some artists who argued in favor
| of that custom that women's work was
| stronger and mems more sympathetic
where they drew side by side. But, as
the director Of the Washington Art School
| says, there are weak men and strong
women in art, and all things considered
they get on better by themselves. AT the
womans life class the other morning an
excellent model was posing on the throne
and the women were working with sort
of concentrated fury. They sat upon their
high stools, their dresses covered over
with paint daubed aprons, their hair
tousled and awry, their faces smirched
and worked as though it was a JOY mingled