Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
A Creditable Collection by the 80
ciety Of Washington Artists.
A FORTNIGHT'S FREE VIEW
Some Striking Work From the
Easels of WeII-Known Artists.
SUBJ ECTS AND METHODS

Inc Sketch eShlD1tlon at the new gallery
Of the Society of Washington Artists, 1920
Connecticut avenue. will be thrown open
to the public Monday, and will continue
for two weeks. The gallery will be open
from to daily, and Mondays, Wednes-
days and Thursdays in the evening from
8 to 1890. AS the exhibition is entirely
free, no cards have been issued, and
through the press the artists extend to all
a cordial Invitation to come and inspect
the collection of sketches. The exhibit was
assembled largely with view to increas-
ing the fund which the society needs TO
keep up the new gallery, and to this end it
was stipulated that 30 per cent of the sales
should go to the society. The artists lent
their hearty cooperation to this scheme,
and not only contributed literally, but
marked their sketches often at ridiculously
low prices, so that it will be strange if
there are not a goodly number of sales to
enrich the treasury of the s. W. A. In
deed, not few of the artists send sketches
that are much ahead of anything they have
ever shown.
There is q breezy directness about work
executed right from nature that exercises
peculiar charm, and in many ways this
collection is as well worth seeing as the
annual exhibitions Of more ambitious paint
iEgs. One thing that adds to the interest
of the exhibit is the great variety in the
mediums employed. There Is work in oil,
water color pastel. pen and ink, charcoal
and pencil, and one finds also upon the
walls a group of monotypes and sDeci-
n.tn Of burnt wood decoration. OF course,
there is a fairly large quota of student
work.. but the proportion is hardly larger
than in the regular exhibitions, and COM
raratively few of the sketches are dis
tinctly marked with the word amateur.
Some Striking Sketches.
Any one who visits the gallery with the
idea that because it is an exhibition of
sketches the works will in general be inef
fectual and lacking in definite qualities,
has genuine surprise in store. Mastery
is more often evident in a sketch than in
finished picture. Alice Barney's contribu-
ton will be of the surprises, as her
studies are unquestionably better than
those she showed in the Water Color Club
exhibit, striking those were. There is
nothing in the gallery that exhibits more
cleverness than the two pastel heads that
hang On either side of her large oil study.
They are executed in a very confident way
in the fewest possible strokes. and against
the background of gray paper the heads
come out with telling effect In oil she is
less fortunate. bat her studies in that me-
dunn are equally broai and dashing III
treatment.
There are very few portrait studies in the
exhibition, the only other notable one be-
ing the pastel by Edward l.. Morse. The
intent lock of the eyes well rendered.
Good Landscapes.
In landscape work. of which the larger
part of the exhibition is composed, Max
Weyls rich color studies easily take a
leading place. He sends two sketches in
which sunset colors glow in the western
sky, but perhaps the most interesting of
his contributions is delicate moonlight eff
feet in which the crescent hangs bright
and luminous over the picturesque walls
of an old country cabin: E.. c. Messers
breezy sketch of a couple of hay stacks
with flying clouds overhead is the most
spontaneous of his canvases. but another
PaXson motive which he shows has fine
harmony of tone and color. even though it
smacks more of the studio. Carl Weller
shows very large and attractive collection
of water color sketches of European sub
jects, and r. LIE Grand Johnston is repre-
scented by some excellent work in water
colors. His two sunny sketches on gray
paper are in many ways superior to the
works he sent to the last exhibition, as
they handled in style more suited to
the medium.
Edward Sieberts representation is really
the sensation of the exhibition, as he has
never been seen to anything like as good
advantage. With an idea that his sketches
were unworthy of an exhibition of complet-
ed pictures he has always kept back his
studies and has usually been represented
ia an unsatisfactory manner. This time
and the gallery does not boast a truer tran
script from nature than the view Of a road
side watering trough.
]. H. Moser shows the only monotypes
that are contributed, and they are gems of
artistic feeling and sentiment His collec-
ton of little sketches in color is equally at
tractive, and he is also represented by
larger landscapes. Marietta NJ. Andrews
sends a large group of water cOlors, in
which her grasp of the technical difficult
ties is very evident. The old fence corner
is one of the most taking of her outdoor
subjects. Water color is also the medium
which Bertha E. Perrie employs in her
contributions. and the marine view from
her brush will find especial favor.
From Ross Turner'S Easel.
Mrs j. NJ. Turner, who is known here by
her artistic work in photography, sends in
some sketches by her brother-in-law, Ross
Turner, two characteristic glimpses of
Salem, and bit of old Marblehead. Park
er Mann exhibits several little thumb-nail
sketches jotted down abroad, and, in addi-
ton to this work in pencil, shows three
suggestive pastels. Frank Moss is seen to
good advantage in number of oil studies,
and w. b. Chiffon also sends strong work
in that medium. Most Of his sketches
too lacking in finish to be very popular,
but carefully studied wood interior from
his hand is one Of the best things he has
ever done. Wells NJ. Sawyer is represented
in a very satisfactory manner by work in
oil. and his cornfield and little symphony
il blue and gray are as delicate and truth
full as anything he has ever painted. Carl
GutherZ is not fortunate in his outdoor
work. and his figure study, THE Kings
Seal and his designs for mural decora-
ton will make a stronger bid for popular
favor.
George Gibbs Naval Scenes.
In Illustration. Mr.. George Gibbs, of
course. is at his best and his series of ma
val scenes in black and white will attract
much attention. Not less interesting are
the drawings of characteristic scenes about
the Capitol William F. Curtis has also
some very taking specimens of black and
white work. both in pencil and in pen and
ink. Robert Coleman Child has on view a
burnt wood decoration. which he calls the
departure of the Angel Gabriel" Parts
of this ambitious composition are very
graceful, but it is little stiff and formal
in it's lines. There will be many words of
praise for the quaint little figure study in
pastel which is exhibited by Mrs. Child.
Lucien Powell's wheat-field study is notice.