Evening star., 1898-12-10
ART AND ART T S


will close the third annual exhibition of
| the Water Color Club and the artists eX-
| pect to turn out in force on this occasion.
| In spite of the vigorous efforts of those in
charge. the show has not been a really sue
! cessful one, either in attendance or in
sales, and 1t is possible that the members
of the club may have to make up a small
deficit when the accounts are balanced.
| The artists complain with much Justice
| that with the exception of very few con-
nolsseurs who have Loyalty stood by them.
| their efforts to build up fourishing art
| life here regarded with general indif-
ference. People are willing to go TO see
| hbitions if il doesn't cost them cent: but
when it comes to putting their hands into
| their pockets, that is quite another matter.
The same persons, one artist has point ted
out, are only too glad to part with large
sums for old pictures of doubtful authen-
| ticity and stiii more doubtful merit and
the local painters are being forced to he
conclusion that the only successful artist
| like the only good Indian" is a dead ar
tist- Eastern people are apt to sneer at
| the lack of interest which western cities
manifest in purely aesthetic things and
the following comparison of figures ought
| TO give these scoffers food for thought. In
| the last published list the annual associo te
members of the Society of Washington Ar
| fists numbered 1873 In Chicago the Art In
StItute, Nnlle organized on different lines
| fills much the same position in the com
mGnity, though its scope is broader and lis
work on larger scale. The last report is
sued gave the number of citizens who Icnt
their support to that, through membership
dues paid annually. as 2.o37. II is true thlt
ChlcaSo is very much larger city and
that the population of Washington is a
constantly changing one. but the comp ari-
son is nevertheless rather humiliati ting
Another exhibition will follow close on
the heels of the one just closing at Ia2a
Connecticut avenue, and as no great
amount of time will be given to preparation
i Will probably be ready to open before TIE
end of next week. No charge will be made
for admission, as the artists wish to have
a large attendance, and have reluctantly
realized that the two don't go together
some OF the pictures now on the walls viii
De allowed to remain and form a mart Of
the new display, and other pictures will he
added, the contributions beng confined Ia
members of the S. ". A. Probably a Good
many Things that have been previously
SHOWN viii make their second appearance.
nut the display promises to be no less cred
liable on this account.
x
Mr.. Henry Noyd has lust finished q threa-
quarter-length portrait OF Miss Daisy Fos-
Ter, which Is undoubtedly the best thing of
this kind he has done since he came here
and Ii VIII do much toward establishing
ms reputation as skil.ful portrait painter
on a firmer footing. AS yet his work i'm
this direction is not so very we'll known
here, because he has contributed to a few
exhibitions only, and at one of these dis
plays large and extremely effective land
scape from mis- brush robbed his porfrait
work of its full share of attention His
latest production is executed with a great
zeal of reserve, and there is a studied sim
pilcity in the way he has handled both face
and figure. The coloring has also been
kept in a quiet, harmonious key and while
1t may sound paradoXical the painting is
all the more striking for the effort to sim
pn1y the lines ana TO keep the color well
under control
On Tuesday afternoon there was a meet
ing of the Art Students League Mr.
Thomas Nelson Page presiding In accord
ance with the suggestion of the president
the league voted to create an advisory
board, to work with the board of control.
and TO take an active part in directing the
affairs of the school Mr. James M John
ston, DR.. Burnett and DIR. Felix Adler
were placed on this board, and other men,
bers will be added later. The treasurer's
report showed that the classes are in
hcurishing condition. and If it was not for
the league debt and the summer rent, which
mounts up when the receipts of the school
are cut off, the league would not only be
able to meet its current expenses with
ease, but to enlarge its sphere of useful
ness. Two new members were elected
Mr.. Arthur p. Spear and Miss Florence
Behrend-and the other students are eagerly
anticipating the treats" that they are
going to furnish in fulfillment of time
honored art school custom.
y
Next Wednesday evening the Corcoran
Art Gallery will be the scene of very bril-
liant affair-a reception given In honor of
the Anglo-American joint high commission
The reception is held under the auspices of
the State Department, and this I'm itself Is
an assurance that the gathering will be q,
distinguished one. including, of course the
most prominent personages of the official
service and the diplomatic corps.
x
The large piece of sculpture called "Jep-
thahs Daughter which Miss Daisy King
finished recently, is now being cast in plas-
ter, but she has not yet decided to send it
to any of the out-of-town exhibitions de-
voted to or including sculpture. 1t is to be
hoped that she will make some such dis
position of it, as ii is certainly a work that
will win approval wherever 1t Is sent. Miss
King leaves Washington on the 3oth of this
month, and will go to Boston to study un-
der Bella L. Platt.
Miss Edith Ogden, who has been sharing
Miss Kings studio for some time past, will
continue to occupy this spacious work
room. Miss Ogden is now working on an
extremely interesting composition called
''The Women at the Tomb" and the excel |
lent grouping and well-studied effect of line
in this is especially to be commended. No
part of the work Is entirely finished, but
the figure Of the angel In the center is very
impressive. suggested, as IT is, with a hap
by blending of dehcacy and simplicity An
other good piece of work from the sculp-
tors hand is a profile head In bas-rellef a
portrait which is full of life and express
sion.