The San Francisco call., 1899-02-26

York, or at least tnaL part Oh II
- which passes through Broadway,
near Madison Square, is divided as
Il TO the merit of a certain picture
which hangs alone in the window
of an art dealer. The painter is Frederic
Remington, and it is a war picture: 1t is
one of the first fruits of the Spanish
American contest in the world Of art The
scene might have been laid in any of the
north New York parks. The background
IS a blue thicket of underground, from
which leads a wide level road. Along this
road, some staggering, some falling and
some lying face downward. are body OF
Rough Riders. They have been fired upon
BY an unseen body of ambassadors. using
the deadly, mysterious, smokeless powder
which gave the Spanards their chief ad-
vantage during the short and bloody con-
ffict outside Santiago.
1t is not the kind of a picture that some
art lovers would like to hang in their
drawing rooms. In some respects, the
horror cf war which marked the great
canvases of Verestchagin, the Russian
painter. is shown in this work. 1t exhib-
its a phase of war that is grewsome. 1t
is distinctly unpleasant to contemplate.
The Rough Riders are not using their
weapons. No smoke hides them from
view. They stand out clear and distinct
in the wonderful tropical summer atmos-
phere. Surprise and dread are depicted
on their faces as they meet these bullets,
which come apparently from nowhere. 1t
Is not the purpose of this article to criti-
cize Mr.. Remington's picture, but merely
TO chronicle its appearance. Seventy-five
per cent of those who pass the window
daily stop and look at it. This would
seem to indicate that the pictorial side of
the late war appeals strongly TO the pub
lie taste. Indeed, the war seems to have
had a marked effect in stimulating Ameri-
can artists in the production of military
pictures. The Spanish-American war will
certainly live on canvas.
"The Arrest of the Spy"
At the outbreak of the war many IA
nous artists went to Cuba. Among them
were LyeH Carr, Remington, Zogbaum
and Chapman, but by far the most ia
nous painter of war scenes, according to
most critics, was disappointed by the
shortness of the conflict and was left at
home He Is Gilbert Gaul, a distinguished
National Academician. He was waiting
for the fighting to begin around Havana
before leaving his busy studio in this city.
AS the war ended with the Santiago cam
paign, he missed one of the great oppor-
tunities of his life. The public, however.
will not feel this disappointment as keen
ly as Mr.. Gaul does, as he has turned out
since the beginning of the war number of
remarkable pictures representing stirring
scenes in the conflict. One of his most
important works is entitled THE Arrest
of the Spy" 1t depicts a man stripped
of most of his clothing, being searched
by a SQUAD of American soldiers and Of
ficers 1t is instinct with life and ranks
among the most meritortous OF this great
painters late canvases.
'I expected to go to Cuba" Mr.. Gaul
explained to me, but the war ended too
soon. I have, however, spent large
in d
les. and this conflict has given an added
inspiration to my brush. My spy picture
Is one of nv latest. shall probably paint
other war pictures as l have been doing
for many years past, and nope that the
national feeling of patriotism, now SO
widespread, will stimulate the purchase
of this kind of painting. Heretofore, how
ever pictures of this class, painted by
American artists, have not attained the
o annreciatton which I believe they have
deserved They have pleased the public
hut not the collectors and the dealers. A
man who has no collection may Duy a
war picture for his only painting, because
he likes it, but you find very few In our
large private collections. 90 not peheVe
thai YOU will find single war painting
hI- an American artist in the Vanderbilt
galleries.
"The Wounded Soldier"
e.. Anono, the most hopeful of American
ar+ists as to the effect of the war upon
arr Is Johannes Gelert, the famous sculp-
for Of the Haymarket monument IN chi
cato. Mr.. Gelert who has recently moved
m this city from the West, has won addi-
tional fame by his great statue of THE
Wounded Soldier" which has already
won one gold medal and recently attract
ed a large measure of praise at the exhi-
hilton of the National Academy of De-
sign.
I found the sculptor the other day
working upon new war medal In his
studio.
"Do | think that the Spanish-American
war has affected art? 1 should say that
If had most decidedly. In my opinion 1t
Is an inspiration such as art in this coun-
+rv has not had since the Civil War. In
scuIuture it will have a most beneficial
influence in the way of equestrian and
military statues. The public parks for a
decade TO come will be decorated all over
This country with the figures of the brave
men who gave up their lives for their ma
ton in the year 1898.
.What feature appeals particularly to
you?p
-.sI am giving only a sculptor's idea. but
should say that 1t is the figure of the
American soldier. He is different type
from the soldier of any other nation in
the world. He is. something like the Greek
and partakes Of the Goth and the Briton
vet he differs from all three To my mind
he is the ideal soldier.
The sculptor looked across his studio to