The times., 1899-10-29
Paintings BY JEFFERSON
The First Collective Exhibit of The
Actors Splendid Work.
Opening OF the Art Season at the
Fischer GaIIery-Seventeen Can
vases Done by the Veteran Thes-
piun-surprise at This Revelation
of New Phase of His Genius

Before a collection of paintings by Jo-
seph jefferson one feels first of all the
presence of a kindly soul whose appreeia-
ton OF beauty and all the finer things
which make life worth living is comp ete-
Those poetic truths which Constable,
Corot. d'Aubigney, Rousseau. and Mauve
saw clearly are open secrets to Jefferson.
II has been given TO him to see this di-
vine light as it was to John on Patmo5-
others might struggle through buy yeus
and accomplish this knowledge and happi-
nass inch by inch, but 10 Jefferson, per
| ceUtion of art has been revealed as IN
i dream. Those who know his native poetic
/ sensttiveness, and the purity OF his lie
/ and character are not surprised at these
| cIaar-visioned and sweet interpretations
! of nature. What if there does appear 10
] places faItering technique, the results
| are not less lovely and true some o.
! these Jefferson canyases from lnelI uI-
/ rectuess and simplicity may be oeyo-d Tie
| comprehension of the uninitiated, but 70
/ the cultivated critic and connoisseur tneFe
is in them unmistakab.e evidence OF true
artistic feeling and genius OF a gh order.
: The name of Joseph Jeusrzon Is one 10
! coniure with for where may be IoInd d
man so widely known and so generally De
loved,
II is an art event Of unusual interest
this gathering together of many canvases
/ by so distinguished an amateur, and IN thus
iDaugurating the art season here MI. " u
Fischer has shown great taste ana JudS-
/ ment. Furthermore. to Mr.. Fischer be-
Longs the honor Of giving the first collect
i've public exhibition OF the paintings ol
Joseph jefferson.
There are sixteen landscapes in all va
| rvipg in size from ~ by 30 10 80 by ~
( inches, and all most appropriately framed
His Methods and style.
At the Press View last week, had the
long looked for opportunity of making a
study OF Mr.. Jefferson's methods and style,
and the result was most satisfactory
I These later pictures from the brush Of this
| actor-painter show increasing knowledge
and mastery Of the method. One grows so
tired of the apologize observation, Re
member. this is not professional work, but
| the work OF an amateur, that IL is time
10 protest. This attitude toward Jeffer-
! sons paiuting is manifestly unnecessary
and unfair.
| This work is the recreation of a busy
/ man possessing the marvellous power OF
entering heart and soul into whatever he
/
ouainted with what Mr. jefferson has ac-
/ complished in his long and eventful career
! is where did he ever find the time TO dc
/ even these few canvases here shown. %
while the question of where he found time
10 perfect himself in this art of painting is
j simply unanswerabie.
J Many of these pictures are the work Of
| but a few hours and were turned OF az
! white heat just as Sargent produces his
| wonderful portraits. As consequence they
| possess certain unity Of feeling senti-
! ment and tone which is very attractive
| There is beyond the color and subjective
| matter something in the objective matter
| of these pictures as well, which strongly
/ suggests eighteenth century English art.
There is also a distinctly picturesque quail
! frv. often forceful and dramatic, which be
travs long familiarity with theatrical seen
| erv and the school is no mean one, for 10
| class of paiuters know so well as the scene
| nairtars how 10 make the most of OppOr-
! tunitv and material. There are in this col
lection tvpical old water mills, cascades
and shady deIIs The pervading color Is
| rich grey greens and the sEadOwy tones OF
wet mossv rocks and tree trunks with
somewhere on the canvas q note OF silyery
| grav and Delft blue. There is, too, Won
| derful richness and juicy quality in the
| foliage and the old buildings have caught
the green tone from the Omnipresent moist
ure tilI every canvas rings in tune and the
resulting tone is something delicate and
fine that remains long and pleasantly in
ones memory.
These pictures are in every sense strong
mature. and individual. They need no de-
fence. To be sure, there is not in them th'