The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
THE WATER COLOR cur.

New York Water Color Club now open at tho
Fine Arts Galleries in West Fifty-seventh street. |
Sucn works are here seen to be produced both
by the skilful and the unskilful. In one case.
that Of Mr.. Albert Hertor. the artist is well
known as q clever painter who hos done some
serious work. In most cases, however, the work
Of the serious minded is free from a tendency
toward the methods Of any school whatever. and
the best work in any field OF art Is always
that which 10 most individual and sim
cere. Japanese influence, whether In choice OF
subject or In treatment OF local themes, is APP
parent In the present exhibition In "Violette."
No. l, by Anita Ashley; In q "Nikko Avenue"
No. 3, and From Sengenyama,' No. z. by Oil
yer Ainsley; in Sunlight and Shadow" No. 25,
by r. e. Sherwood; in Summer Night" No.
1875, by NJ. Louise Stowcll; in THE Saw Mill"
No. 100, and 1.-THE Black Dog" No. 1875. both
very decorative and pleasing in general aspect,
by Harvey Ellis; in Lake Louise" No. 1913, by
Margaret Redmond; In "Castine Lighthouse"
No. 1913. by Margaret Longstreth, and yet
other pictures on tho walls. There 10
some good In each Of them. but 1t
is to be hoped that the skill shown
in painting them may later on DO turned to
more serious and naive efforts. 1t Is quite un-
likely that the tendency will affect any painters
who are striving to render their impressions as
they have appeared to their own eyes. 1t is worth
Wnlle meTcly W mdht u noto il ho dCt tnub III
the Water Color Clubs exhibition admiration
of Japanese art has produced a certain number
OF pictures that have not much more than tho
quality of imitation TO them.
Mr.. Hertcr's Japanese panels, The Hostess"
No. 223; 1.-THE Princes" No. 22i; THE The
atre," No. 225; THE Temple" No. 227, and
others, are 80 frankly limitations OF Japanese
work that they disarm criticism on the score of
imitation, because they do not pretend to be
anything else, and they are SO cleverly done
that they compel admiration for their skill.
They are extraordinary as copies OF a foreign
treatment of subjects. and they are in them
selves very good in color, and attractive as
decorative notes. In the large work, The
Danaides," No. 226. the rendering is similar to
that employed in the pictures already named,
but il Is n little less Japanesque. The subject Is
found in the ! gend which tells that
tho Danaides were compelled, in cxpia-
tion Of the crime Of numbering their
husbands, to fill up a well which, unknown to
them. was bottomless. The composition shows
a long panel with numerous female figures.
Values and atmospheric effects are disregarded
by a parti-pris, and each figure, represented in
almost fiat silhouette. is clad In drapery Of fan
tastic and intricate pattern. There is a vast
amount Of painstaking labor in the rendering of
a thousand details and the whole is we'll held
together. Besides these interesting and curl
Gus works Mr.. Herter shows several strong,
well-colored studies Of peonies mos. 213. 232,
234, and 235), and still other subject pictures,
while Mrs. Adele Herter contributes some good
works in pastel. He Portrait OF w. w. b."
No. 233. is the best of them.
1t is pleasant to find three pictures by w. l.
Lathrop. the painter whose landscapes at the
exl ibitions of the American Water Color Soci-
ciety the asst two or three years have deserved
| " attracted an much affention "Thp Autumn
Scented Haze that Hangeth Der the Hollow in
the Wood /" mo. 1871 has too sweet q title for so
sincere a bit of work, but the painter has not
offended in this respect before. and perhaps will
not do 30 again. 1t is a good picture, truthfully
observed and c%harmingly painted. though its
tone is a tritle cold and its aspect not entirely
sympathetic. On the other hand, the second
work. AN Ohiu Intervale" mo. 5Oh a
picture of n gully at tho foot of the
hill road down which COWS are coming
to drink on a November day. is in every
way excellent. 1t Is quite as good landscape in
water color as anybody knows how to paint, and
it possesses individual qualities in conception
and rendering. The third picture Is "Ehsterly
Weather" No. 139. A dramatic little picture
Of an Indian refining up his pony in a winter
landscape. spirited in action and with good
composition lines, is Seeming Danger."No 81,
by Ernest l.. Blumenschein. This is a new name.
but the artist shows that he has a competent
grasp OF his medium and a decided sense of
the art Of picture making. "Daffodil," No.
II. by Alice Kellogg Tyler, a study of a young
woman in u elbow gown, with her chin
resting on her hand. good, but not attractive;
1.-The Greon Princess" No. 0s. by William ].
Whittemore. somewhat smoothly painted, but
with the character Of the model well expressed
by the suave drawing; Polishing Brasses,"
No. 1876, by Clara McChcsney, a good sized
picture with a rather conventional composition
W II held together; AT the Breakfast Table, -
No. 40, by Charles G. Curran; Grandmother
Spinning" No. 2s3. by Anna f.. Klumpke. and
"St. Christmas Girls" No. 2s4. by Enella Bon.
edict, are some Of the most noticeable figure
pictures in the exhibition. People on the
Beach," No. $50, and Franklin Park, -
No. 1854. with a garden party in prog
ress on the lawn before a country hotel. must
be mentioned, because, though in both the para
soils and gowns are much more gayly colored
than they ever are in real life nowadays, they
are good examples OF a free and sketchy hand.
ling of transparent washes. Each makes a dis
~tinctive spot on the walls and each carries In IL,
self something that is personal and progresses
ing. Among the landscapes Mr.. Palmer
Mountain Road. Arkville," No. "a. one
OF his clever snow effects; Frank Russell
GREEN'S a Pastoral" No. 30. with horst
and cart and driver in the foreground
Alice NJ. Curtis's pretty study. "A Roadside
in Spring." No. 20; Mr.. Parton's excel
lent The Woods No. 90, a successful render
ing OF n difficult effect; Ben Fosters small pic
ture, Sailing the Sheep" No. l43. and tn,
large one. "In the Twilight" No. l4S, witt
sheep also, and the collection Of marine studiei
In pastel by Howard Russell Butler mos. 23s Il
26i inclusiye) are those that will be found
nearest the high standard that should rule II
exhibitions II interest In the works Is to consisi
in seeing something worth doing presented
with ability. There is an abundance OF Sigh
sketches both of landscape and figure in the OK
hibition, but 1t may be questioned whether 1t Il
worth while to hang them unless we take tn,
good, natured view that beginners must b,
given u chance, no matter whether they hav,
tried hard or not.
In the central gallery a collection Of upward
of thirty Fantasies on Oriental Themes
mos. $50 to BAD. and Studies OF Travel mos
34s and 36i), by Mr.. La Fargo, will interest,"
visitors both on account of their portrayal o.
at.a .-l ,,.A and ihniR tntrtnsl