Evening star., 1898-05-28
ART AND ARTISTS.

Mr.. Messer has a number of subjects
nearing completion, a result OF his practice
of carrying along good many things at
the same time, working now at one, now
another, his mood suggests. That a
method which is Of doubtful practicability
with some is successful with him one
can doubt Who knows the number and va
riety Of his subjects, and the clear and
simple impression made upon the sense by
ncst of his work. Among his landscapes.
little picture, gray in tone, which he has
lately done, gives fine windy day effect
with the trees on the crest of a little hill
bending beneath the force of the wind, and
sky with moving clouds. such he de-
lights to paint. Two others are painted in
warmer tones; in one everything, from the
fields lying in the broad light to the dis
tant hills and woods, is seen through a
golden haze, which imparts an air of poetic
mystery. The other recently begun, is
similar in it's effect of light to the picture
which was admired at the loan exhibit
ton, and is glowing with rich and satisfy
ing color. The pastel head of himself,
which Mr.. MeSSer has almost finished, is a
fine thing, strong and full of dignity, while
apart from its unQueStionabe value a
likeness 1t is pervaded by the essentially
artistic quality. The artist also has in his
studio portrait of Captain Sigsbee wait
ing its opportunity to be finished. During
the summer Mr.. Messer will paint, usual.
at Paxson, Va, going up on the 1st of
June. Beside working on his own account,
ne VIII probably have a good-SiZed class
this year, as dozen or more students
have already signified their intention to
spend some time at PaXson, where they
can find paintable subjects in embarrass-
ing profusion.
When the resolution authorizing an ap-
preparation for medals of honor to be pre-
sented to Admiral Dewey and his subordi-
mates has received the approval of both
houses of Congress, Assistant Secretary AL
len will convene the board which will have
charge OF the matter. There is a strong
probability that when this body meets it
will decide to obtain designs for the medals
by a competition open to artists every
where. Even if this course is not taken,
disposition to secure designs Of undoubted
artistic value has been manifested, and
there are good reasons for believing that
the medals will oe in every way worthy to
commemorate the brilliant victory at Ma
nila. Admiral Ramsay and Prof. OliVer,
who constitute the board i'll charge OF
pans for the erection of a statue to Ad-
miral Porter, have already met togeth her
to consider the project. The statue is to
be of heroic size. and promises to be note
worthy addition to the many monuments
IN this city.
Mr.. William Fuller Curtis has just fin
ished and placed on view at F1schers
burnt wood decoration that can lay very
good claim to being the best thing that has
yet come from his hand. 1t is called The
Golden Hour subject which seems to
have been chosen as an excuse Tor some
mastery workmanship in the presentation
OF three types OF feminine beauty. In no
previous work has Mr.. Curtis succeeded SO
well in giving the soft texture of the flesh,
the head on the left being very good ex-
ample of the skill he displays in that re-
spect. 1t is face of pensive beauty, with
dreamy far-away look in the dark eyes.
The three figures in the composition are
knit together by the decorative screen. OF
leaves and branches which serves as a
background. and the general arrangement
is very pleasing both in its effect OF masses
and in it's effect of line. The warm brown
of the burnt wood surface is nicely ac-
cented here and there by the touches OF
gold that have been introduced in the
background, and the effect resulting is one
OF Subdued richness.
X
The jury appointed by the board of con-
troll Of the Art Students League to award
the scholarship that is given annually
single seasons course in the class of de-
sign, met on Tuesday afternoon and sim
gled out the work of Miss Minnie Rynex
as the most meritorious. The book cover
which Miss Ellen Lynch made for the COM
petition received honorable mention, and
the committee also gave special mention
to Miss katherine Mimmack for the gen.
eral excellence of her work. Each of the
contestants designed a book cover for
1.-The Lady of the Lake." and this counted
half in their rating. The regular work
which the students have done under Miss
Humphreys during the year also counted
half, and 1t was on the quality of this
work that Miss RyEex was adjudged the
winner. Among the designs which she
entered there were several book covers
that we're as good or better than the
rather formal design which she made spe-
cially for the competition. Her book cover
for 1.-The Last Days of Pompeii' was an
especially rich but tasteful design. and
the striking cover which she made for
with the Corquering Turk was excel
lent in it's oriental character. Miss Ellen
Lynch showed skillful work iii her pat
terms of tiles, silks. ETC., but above ali
in her design for The Lady of the Lake"
Grseme clan for the body of the cover.
Mr.. Hobs rt Nichols is able to find great
deal OF material Tor Out-O1-QOOr SkelCnlng
without going very far from his present
residence on Holmead avenue, and has
therefore accomplished quite a little even
at this early point in the season. 1t would
be difficult for an artist with less de-
cided gift for selection to find many sub
jects in that region that are interesting
pictorially, and Mr.. Nichols Is successful
only because that faculty Is in him SO
highly developed. BY skillful suppress
sion of the unimpcrtant facts and an in
telligent accenting of those Of Importance
he turns out study that is pleasing in
composition and harmonious in color, but
which adheres strictly to the broad prin-
ciples Of truth. 1t is not often that he
is rigidly literal, but now and then he
comes across a subject which lends itself
well to that kind of treatment. A good
example OF this is his study Of a line of
willows, a sunny subject bearing in every
stroke the stamp of close fidelity to ma
ture. The ssme truthful outdoor quality
is to be seen in a recently finished sketch
of cool, shady nook on Rock creek. Mr..
Nichols has several pictures in progress
in his studio, enc OF the most Interesting
being an early evening scene in which
the pale radiance Of the moon is Just be-
FaIx