The times., 1898-12-25
NO Time FOR PICTURES
Art Is Forgotten During the
Yulctide Season.
THE CONDITION EXPLAINED
Portrait Painters Full of Orders
The Miniatures at the Recent Ex-
biLiiion-Mr. KeeiinG's Hork-The
Portrait OF Miss Fostcr-A Well
known Ar;fst-4-ricf General Notes

known Ariist-A-rief General Notes
| That the Christmas season Is not 4 good
tins. 10 sell pictures IS an established fact
one hears repeated in the strdios as reg
uiarly as The season returns. Notwith-
standing this conviction on the part of the
| artists, there seems always 10 be the
greatest rush. hurry and hustle about me
studies early in December, condition
that continues with Increasing liveliness
unfit Christmas eve
l Paradoxioal as this appears, it is none
the less true and easily explained. for at
| this holiday time one has TO divide his
! Christmas money up into so many Titles
that no one Of them represents an amount
/, large enough to go far in good pictures
! This is the explanation offered in the
studios and is probably true. The art
dealers tell the same story; the demand Is
for less costly things. Notwithstanding
this. the artists are busy, but large and
! important canvases rarely ind purchasers
| at Christmas time.
The portrait painters are fun. of orders,
1 notably the miniature painters whose
- =
adapted for gifts that are tokens of af-
fection. This art has recently experienced
notable revival As was reported in The
/ Times, the miniatures at the recent Water
Ceior Club exhibition We're conspicuous for
their unusually high artistic quality and
rare beauty The work of three local min
! iature painters-Miss Bartle, Mrs. kerk-
ham and Mrs. Cassaday-attracted enthu-
| siastic attention.
| 1t was regretted by the board of man
ayers that Mr. Keeling, Mr.. Schwartz.
Mrs Mindeleff and Miss Perrie were not
renresented, since their work in this
branch of painting is most acceptable.
Mr.. NeeIing's Work.
Robert Keeling's work is well known
through his exhibition of miniatures at
the Fischer gallery. His work is distinct
ly progressive. Baltimorean, studying
first in New York and more recently in
Paris, he is established in studio here
and may be considered one of the Wash
ington artists. Mr.. Keeling is brother
of Mrs. Stilson Hutchins. and being in j.
mate in the most exclusive set here his
work is in great demand.
4 very excellent miniature of Mrs.
Whitney. finished recently, pleased the
family so much that he has received an
order for another like 1t. In the great
portrait show now being held at the Acad-
e,ny in New York Mr.. Keeling has three
of his choicest miniatures. particular
ly individual and artistic touch IN flesh
texture is the strong personal quality In
Mr.. Keeiing's work that is certain in time
to bring him wide recognition. Mr.. Kee'-
ing is pupil of Dunamere. the greatest
living miniature painter in France.
The revival in miniature painting Is a
welcome sign of the times. People have
filed their houses with canvases that
| were bought before their taste had been
cultivated. These pictures are being re-
. ! placed, one by one, with paintings OF
the undying kind; pictures that are paint
ed seriously by able artists and costing
often less than the imposing, snowy
things that possessed little beyond wall
covering power 10 recommend them.
This is the hopeful sign which the earn
est painter contemplating the flood of
cheap work, which New York sends out
over the country. The worst as well as
the best pictures come from New York.
The cheap things which dealers with an
eye single to commercial advantage
flood the market Is most depressing 10
the earnest painter. He tries to believe
that he is not in competition with them,
but he is, through public ignorance, in the
competition. He has this consolation,
however; there Is a demand for the best
} work in circles where good are is under
stood, and he may supply this demand il
he will only dig and make his pictures
really first class.
Miss Fosters Portrait.
There has been nothing more notable
shown privately in the studios this Win
ter than the charming portrait of Miss
Foster, now on the easel at Mr. Floyd's
studio In The Art League building 1t Is
} a half-length picture: the lady is seated
! in a chair, which is barely visible. The
black satin party costume and simple
dark background are full of quiet color
} which, by marked contrast, throws out in
bold relief the flesh, and that is beauti-
fully painted. The color is pure and
clear.
The shadows on the flesh, though forci-
} BILE. are so deftly managed that one for
gets them in the sense of life there is
about it. There is style and elegance
about this picture that is unusual and
! reveals sensitive aristocratic taste on
: the part of the artist which is no small
part of Its excellence. Technically it is
not a Sargent though painted in much
the same method. 1t possesses some
good qualities one often misses in Sar-
gent: that is "a certain cleanness OF
handling which makes one able to enjoy
the lovely presence without a thought
of paint
On examining the picture closely, one
. L
with which the painting is executed In
this picture with all its realistic quality
Mr.. Floyd shows how real portrait may
be and yet be entirely wanting in that
} hard, brittle sharpness which marks a
trade photograph of the best class. Mr..
Floyd is to be congratulated upon this
picture, a most important and difficult
, problem painted in manner that must
add to his already excellent reputation.
This painter is a newcomer here, who
has added greatly TO the strength of the
Society OF Washington Artists of which
he is a member.
a WeH-Known Artist.
Mr. Siias Jerome Uhl is one of the
strongest and best known of the local ar
lists. If asked to note his most striking
and individual characteristics. one would
say at once-surprise; for one can never
tell at what moment he will exhibit
something that, for technical skill and ar
tistic excellence. will tower above the
work of his fellows-a bit of painting so
startlingly good to lead one to the
conclusion that all things are possible to
him. Things painted subsequently may be
disappointing to the verge of ones Won
dering how he could do them. This is
not the time or place for criticism or ad-
vice, but 1t must not be forgotten in
mentioning the leaders of the profession
here to name Mr.. Uhl as a painter with
out superior among them. and that few
heads have been painted in this country
that may be compared with his supert
study of Mr. Geiger-now in his studio.
As to Uneven Work.
|. | II is useless to complain when a man 1,