Evening star., 1896-08-22
A RT AND ARTIST is


Mr.. Carl Weller made quite a number of
good sketches while he was up at Paxson,
Va, and obtained material on which to
base more pretentious paintings. Since his
return he has started a large picture from
sketch he made up there of one Of the
favorite motives. The scene. one familiar
TO all who have sketched In that neighbor-
hood, is view of the road leading up to
Smokers Gap. The road is bordered on
one side by a dilapidated worm fence,
while on the other Is a still more pictur-
esque stone wall. In the middle distance
two trees rise, one on each side of the
highway, and at this point the road dips
down suddenly and is lost to view, reap
pearing again on the distant mountain
side, where its windings can be only dimly
traced. This subject is of kind that
seems simple at the first glance, but upon
commencing work proves to be very diff
cult. especially on a gray day, such as Mr..
Weller has chosen He left a week ago for
East Gloucester, Mass, and after remain
'ng there for time will probably go to
Cape Cod.
X
Mr.. E. A. Poole, who is now living In
Pittsburg, stopped in Washington on a fly
known to most Of the older artists, and
especially to those who were domiciled in
Vernon Row. where he had his studio.
The director Of the Western Pennsylvania
Exposition Society, Mr.. Keatng, stopped
here several days ago when on his way to
Baltimore and left a number Of blanks with
Mr.. Veerhoff in order that Washington
artists nliphr foil fo ha tod
the exhibition to be held in Pittsburg Mr..
vernon plans to send large canvas by
t. LeGrand Johnston, of his sheep
pictures which are so well known, and Mr..
Johnston himself will probably supplement
1t with another smaller painting It IS
probable that Mr.. 8. Jerome Uhl and Mr..
Wells Sawyer will be among those who
will exhibit.
About week ago Robert Reid brought
to the city his paintings for the New Con-
gressional Library, and they are now in
position on the walls. The canvases are
In the west main entrance. the five hex
asonal-shaped designs being placed In the
ceiling of the north gallery, and the four
circular ones on the side wall of the gal
lery. The best work is in the paintings
on the ceiling. which represent the five
senses. Taste Is personif1ed by woman
drinking from SHE'LL and Sight is looking
into hand mirror. while beside her is a
peacock, which. considering the circum-
stances. Is not an inappropriate emblem,
thoush 1t was probably introduced on ac-
count of its splendid opportunities for
color Smell is represented by a woman
reclining in bed of flowers and partly
burying her face in a mass of them. which
She Is holding in her hands. A woman
noiui:is sea shell to her ear represents
tearing. and Feeling is personihed by a
female figure. upon whose outstretched
nand butterfly has alighted
The most noticeable feature of these
designs Is the coloring. which, though
d Urine nlsh In key. is superb, and is bold
and daring throughout the entire series.
MI. Reid Is out and out impressionist,
ana lays on the raw colors side by side,
put with such skill that the touches Of
less when scrutinized closely, combine and
resolve themselves into the desired shade
when viewed from the floor This method
OF working gives the paintings qualities of
isht ana atmosphere which can be gained
IN no otner way. 1t is as colorist that
ne excells. and his women are mere types
OF physical beauty. without a trace of the
on the side wall are supposed to represent
Philosophy. Knowledge Wisdom and I'm
derstanding, though these titles have been
added added as an afterthought. the artists only
Intention in painting them being to make
canvases Of decorative beauty.
Just around the corner from Mr. Reid's
work are the figures by Walter Shirlaw.
which are In striking contrast to those of
the former artist. More conservative and
less brilliant in color. they SEEM however.
more part Of the wall upon which they
are painted. and more in harmony with
their surroundings. Mr.. Shiraw's figures
have none Of the open-air qualities of
those by Mr.. Reid. but are statuesoue.
with certain architectural feeling about
them, which makes them more suitable for
mural decoration. There are eight of
these aliegorcal figures, each one repre-
sent1ng one Of the sciences and every fig
ure shows that much thought has been
brought to bear upon its conception.
MIR. Shirlaw has given to the figure rep
resenting Chemistry a mystic oriental
cast on account Of the occult nature of the
science. Astronomy is represented by a
woman holding Saturn in one hand and
the curve of the ring around the planet is
followed out by similar swirline Of the
drapery about the figure. Botany a flower
IKE hgure. Is poised lightly upon a water
~ my ieal. ana Archaeology. wearing look
OF absorption. and holding in her hand a
pagnlfy1ng glass, is porting over an old
book. Geology the artist has personitied
In the massive figure of a woman holding
SUE ~ oiie naho ana fragile shell in
the other. Mathematics. being one of the
most open and direct Of the sciences. he
has represented by partly nude figure.
holding scroll upon which some geomet-
ricai designs have been traced, and a wo-
man bearing a torch represents Physics.
The last design. Zoology, shows a woman
OF powerful build resting her hand on a
lions head. She is clad in skins. and even
her face seems to carry out by its express
sion the idea Of brute force found In the
rest of the figure. The decorations are
painted directly on the wall, and In places
the white plaster is allowed to shine
through the transparent color, thus giving
an effect of luminosity
MI Shirlaw has found quite an obstacle
IN the already existing ornamentation Of
the ceiling upon which he is working. NOT
1t Is SO profuse and ornate as to he ont ne
keeping with the seriousness and dignity
of the figures.