Evening star., 1897-05-29
ART AND ARTIST S.

, Mr. H. F. waltman. who. came to the
city to act as one OF the Judges in the
recent medal contest at the Corcoran Art
School, plans to remain for week or
two longer. Since his arrival he has been
engaged upon q small portrait Of Mrs.
Frances Hodgson Burnett. and he expects
to paint a larger one Of her when he goes
to London in the fall. Mr. Waltman is
well known here. having come to the city
to study art In 1889. He worked for a time
In the Corcoran School and later at the
Art Students League. but it was from
Mr.. 8. Jerome Uhl that he received most
Of his instruction, and it was in his studio
that he first took up portraiture. the
branch of art in which he has achieved
such a signal success. After about four
years he left this city to try his fortunes
in New York, but not before he had made
a host of friends. who have since watched
his steady rise with pleasure. His latest
triumph is a portrait Of Lady Cunard,
which was exhibited some weeks ago at
Knoedler's gallery in New York. and at
tracted widespread attention. The figure
Is graceful and well drawn and the inter-
estins accessories. such as the suboued
landscape background and the large plumed
hat. help to give it something of the charm
which is found in the works of the early
English school. Another recent piece of
WOTk Dy MI. NaltInan IS likeness Ol
Mrs. John Philip Sousa. and when the
artist leaves Washington he will go to
Manhattan Beach, where he is to paint
portrait OF the March King himself.
Il
Mr.. +. c. Messer starts for Paxson, Va,
today. and will drive UP there according
to his usual custom. He will conduct an
outdoor sketching class. as in former sea-
sons. and the picturesqueness of the re-
gton will doubtless make ii very popu-
lar resort with students. Many of Mr..
Messer's best motives have been obtained
in the near neighborhood Of the Rose
more cottages. where his studio is located
and every year he finds an endless supply
of paintable material Every one who
goes up there practically lives out of doors,
but Mr. Messer's studio is comfortably fit
wcrk there when the Gather pre-, ents open
air study.
Eifhu Vedder's mosaic panel, Minerva -
which he has designed for the landing at
the head Of the stairs leading from the sec
ond story corridor of the west main en-
trance hall UP into the rotunda, has just
been put in place in the new Congressional
Library, and Is the last of the great deco
rations to arrive. This mosaic is 15,1 feet
heroic figure of the patroness of learning
and the arts not fully clad in her armor
Of war, but with symbols about her by
which Mr.. Vedder suggests the dependence
of a prosperous. cultured civilization upon
righteous warfare. Such symbols are the
small statue Of Victory beside her, the
helmet and shield which lie at her feet,
the Egis which she still wears and the
double pointed spear carried in her right
hand. In the other hand the goddess holds
SCROLL whereon are written the names
of the principal sciences and arts, and on
this she turns her clear. steady gaze. All
around are the emblems especially signif-
cant of the subject, the sun Of prosperity
shining bright above her head. the owl.
standing for wisdom. olive trees for peace,
| and the iaurels of the victor arranged like
vine surrounding the panel. With all
this wealth of detail. which is so richly ex-
pressed by the tiny blocks of marble. there
is nothing in the elaboration to take away
from The dignity and nobleness of the
strong central figure. Mr.. Vedder's pen
chant Tor fiat decorative effects renders his
art almost perfectly adaptable to the me-
dium of mosaic. and his Minerva stands
before the observer beautiful to the eye
and suggestive to the mind as well. The
method of making and setting such mo-
sale design Is extremely interesting. The
artists cartoon, made full size and in the
| desired colors, is transferred in sections to
| thicker paper. which is then covered with
| a thin coating of glue. A workman then
| lays the different nt-colored bits Of stone face
down upon this paper. The wall is then
| covered with a layer of cement and the
mosaic applied. after which the paper is
soaked Off and the design pounded down
| evenly and oiled.
| Mr.. H. b. Bradford plans to go to New
| York in a few days. and will take with him
| a number of specimens of his work In
| black and white. The most important
piece of work of this kind that he has done
is view of the interior of the Corcorar
! Art Gallery as it appeared on the opening
| night, a brilliant scene, presenting many
difficulties in execution. Not only was
there a complex architectural problem te
| deal with, but there were hundreds of fig
| ures to be suggested and many of tint
nearer ones had to be drawn with grea
| fidelity. being portraits of some of the well
| known people who were present on tina
memorable evening. The interior is viewed
from the second story. and the foreshort
ening of the figures on the main floor i!
| very we'll brought out Mr.. Bradford ha.
been making quite a study Of animals, ant
one of the best of his recent drawings pic
lures sleepy old horse. turned out t,
Craze. Portraits In black and white oc
cupy part of his attention. and he has re
Gently executed several very good heads
both In charcoal and pen-and-ink.
Mr.. E. H. Miller. whose fire water colo
portrait of himself was so greatly admired
has recently completed one of Majo
Powell. which is much approved by tn
family and the friends who have seen II
1t is life size. and shows the thoughtfv
| brow and concentrated expression, whic
| are the distinguishing marks Of the schola
and thinker Major Powell is everywher
recognized to be. Besides this well-har
died water color portrait. Mr.. Miller ha
finished a study of girl reading in whic
he has given a very delicate gaslight effec
The source of the light is not visible. bu
1t falls from behind so that finely pencile
shadows are thrown upon the cheek fro1
the tendrils of hair about the face. whic
also shows the upward reflection from ,h
| printed page.
Mr.. Emi, H. Meyer has just completed
portrait Of Mrs. John b. Larner, which
pronounced by all to be an excellent like
ness. and is about to commence work upo
one of Mrs. Stanley Matthews On Sa:u,
days he has a class in outdoor sketchin,
with instruction In pencil, wash, wa;e
4 cOl0r and In several ofhar noos9iup,S