Evening star., 1897-01-16
A RT A Nd ARTISTS

On Monday there was a reception and
tea at Mr.. Frank Moss studio In the Bar
| bizon building. and quite a number of
people availed themselves of this oppor-
trnity to see his work. His atelier was
decked out in gala style. and the pleasant
lighting made the pictures show up to
the best advantage. Mr. Moss has been
in Washington only a short time, and
| many of the visitors made their first ac-
quaintance with his work. In addition to
| bis own paintings, there were many other
things to admire, and special interest was
manifested In the collection of tiles bear
| ing quick head or figure sketches by Chas.
Sprague Pearce. F. A. Bridgman and other
well-known artists, who are numbered
among Mr.. Moss friends. In his own pic
lures, which covered the walls he shows
great versatility. and handles widely differ
ing subjects with equal success. There were
many landscapes and marines painted near
his summer home in Prouts Neck, Me-,
and also number Of important figure can
vases Among the latter one which at
| tracted considerable attention was a large
painting entitled Prayer" showing a monk
Kneeiing at his devotions. Another. The
Death Of the Hamadryad," contains group
OF graceful nude figures, and has a deli
cate beauty of color that is very pleasing
One OF the most interesting of his smaller
canvases is painting showing the interior
OF cottage in Clovelly, North Devon
england. Seated at his work bench is
the old sailor who taught Charles Kings
ley how to swim, and befriended him in
ms rough. hearty way. 1t was in this
picturesque work room that Kingsley wrote
Westward Hon.
In a recently completed likeness of JUS
tice Brewer. Mr.. H. B. Bradford has
6aron tod
necessary to successful portraiture. 1t Is
executed in charcoal. and the likeness is
reached In the simplest and most direct
manner. He finished a short time ago two
other portraits in black and white. a full
length figure of Miss Bessie Brewer and
head of Mrs. Morgan. Mr.. Bradford de-
votes large part of his time to pen and
INK ustration, and recently made a
series or ten drawings for a poem written
by President Rankin of Howard Uniyer-
sity.
X
Miss Sara Bartle has been quite busy
with miniature work, and has recently fin
lshed a portrait of Mrs. Fenwick's little
child. She is now working up from an old
faded photograph a likeness of a young
officer in confederate Uniform. AS Miss
Barte has number of orders on hand
now, with others in prospect, she will not
leave for New York as early as she had
planned She thinks that her work here
VIII be completed some time in Febru-
ary, and she will then 20 to New YORK
where she will remain until sprinp if she
receives sufficient encoura cement.
Mr.. George Gibbs is now at work unon
picture which he expects to send to the
coming exhibition Of the Society of Wash
ftQfc
prevailing during the early part of the
French renaissance is seated at a table
porting over book by the light of a candle.
The significance which underlies the picture
Is the awakening interest in books and
learning, and the mans sword and cloak.
Which are laid aside, indicate that the
supremacy or arms Is on the wane Mr.
Gipbs has not, however. attempted to give
,he picture any very deep meaning but
mas taken the subject on account of the
interesting effect of light and shade which
1t afforded. He has studied with great
fidelity the effect of light on the mans
iace' and his huge shadow on the wall be-
nlnd MIN. Mr. Gibbs is always interested
In effects of light and shade and caught a
Quick impression of the recent fire on New
York avenue. He has commenced work
upon an illustration showing George WASH
ington at dinner in Alexandria.
* X
MISS Enzabeth Nourse, who is known to
wide circle of Washingtonians, will
shortly leave Paris for Tunis. She expects
to remain there some time making char
acter sketches of Arab life, and those who
have seen her pictures when thew have
been exhibited here, feel confident that her
ability will command success in this as in
the other fields in which she has worked.
X
AT the new Congressional Library the
scaffolding that has hidden the decoration
OF the corridors surrounding the west main
entrance hall on the second floor has been
entirely removed and the plan of decora-
ton may be seen in its entirety. The color
scheme is based somewhat on that of the
sienna Library, and the hues employed
are very brilliant and intense almost crude
In places. The general opinion of artists
and connoisseurs who have visited the
building seems to be that this part of the
library is overdecorated, and that 1t falls
Deiow the nigh standard of taste shown in
the rest Of the structure. The truly fine
mural paintings by Walter Shirlaw Robert
Reid. Frank Benson and George Barsa are
SO to speak, stified in the atmosphere of
conventional ornament with which they
are surrounded, and appear to poor adj
vantage. Here, as elsewhere in the library
are numerous tablets, upon which appro-
pirate quotations are inscribed. A special
one Is the series of publishers marks or
trade devices painted upon the walls. and
along with the devices of Aldus Manutius
Caxton and the Elziyirs and many Others
OF the earliest printers are the trade marks
OF the modern publishing houses that have
contributed most to the perfection of book
making.
George r. Barse's decorations in the cor
ridor east of the grand stair hall were al
most the last of the actual frescoes to he
completed, and the scaffolding there has
Just been removed. He has filled eient
spaces in the spandrels of the arches, and
his decorations correspond in shape to those
representing the Sciences. which Walter
Shirlaw has painted in the corridor on the
opposite side Of the hall. Mr.. Barse has
taken as his subjects Lyrica, Tragedy
Comedy. History. Romance, Fancy, Ira
dition and Erotica, and has typified these
subjects by female figures with appropriate
emblems. There is nothing very striking
in his paintings, but they are extremely
decorative and pleasing in color:
Another man whose work has been re-
vealed to view by the removal of the scaf-
folding IS F. C. Martin. He has painted
thirty-two figures for the galleries of the
ives. main entrance hall, and, while
number of them show hasty execution, they
are in general quite effective