The times., 1899-05-28

mind one too strongly of some other paint
er.
Charles ii. Davis.
No truer painter OF landscape is painting
today than Charles H. Davis. Halfway be-
tween Boston and New York he resides
the year round in a simple white house of
colonial design. This home and studio is
situated in little neck of land that pro-
ieets out into the Mystic river. AT this
point the river is perhaps one-half mile
wide. The low hills of the eastern shore
make the most charming of pictures in
sunshine, mist or rain AT dawn the
broad acres of sky above these hills are
painted with sunrises that are a success
sion of glorious pictures. This is Davis
school. No city studio deprives him of
daily homage at the shrine of nature. A
smaller man would sink into obscurity in
this environment, but Davis grows bigger
in It. His pictures go to the cities and
such success as they win is won entirely
by the reason OF their truthfulness. They
breathe of his great love of out -of-doors
and a fine poetic temperament which di-
reefs him unerringly TO the thing that is
most worth painting. That poetic insight
and wonderful knowledge OF nature which
this painters pictures disclose make them
conspicuous in any collection. No lobbying.
no logrolling, no social or other influence
is ever needed to boom Davis. Silent as
sphinx, so far as the outside world is con-
cerned, he remains at Mystic painting ma
ture because he must and oblivious to
business considerations because his simple
wants are met by periodical returns from
the city art dealers. No mans ideals were
ever higher, no mans enjoyment Of art
was ever deeper. and no man ever gaTe
mo- n q prnfaesinD
His work. from being intensely French,
as 1t was during the ten years he painted
in France has become as intensely Ameri-
can by his five years residence in Connec-
ticut.
The student Will do well TO consider Da-
Wis and his methods. MIR. Davis would be
the last man TO hint that one should paint
as he does Nature is ever The watchword
of Davis and it must be of the students
who are to become the masters Of the fu-
ture. Study well that noble twilight of
Davis at the Corcoran gallery-the mi
nuteness of the detail, its fidelity TO
nature. and withal Its simplicity OF execu
tion. Only the most profound and inti-
mate knowledge of nature makes such
pictures of twilight possible.
The society of landscape painters whose
exhibition in New York created such a fu-
ror there have transferred the collection
to Chicago Brush and PENCIL q West
ern art magazine. makes this reference to
the Davis pictures. which shows plainly
how deeply this artists work impresses
the wide-awake critic who is bound to no
school or fad, but who has a knowledge of
nature and keen appreciation Of sincere,
direct, thoughtful, progressive work.
This outburst should inspire the student
to self-reliance and give him courage TO
go to nature with confidence that no better
way TO success is open to anyone:
There is one display here that proves
conclusively to me that landscape painting
is possible in these degenerate days; that
pictures can give pleasure. can awaken
enthusiasm. can bring out in the spectator
the real feelings that nature herself
arouses. refer to the paintings of Charles
H. Davis, who lives and paints under the
sky, who owes no rent to New York land
lord, but who pays nature for all he gets in
the coin of sincerity and honesty, which is
the only currency she ever accepts.
Washington Women Artists.
Mr.. Howard Helmick works so quietly
here that it is not generally known that he
is one of the few American figure paint
ers. who have a European reputation. His
work is probably better known In London
than ii is here in Washington. The maga-
zines, notably the Century" appreciating
his Sklll IN ueiineatllS character nave
placed important stories in his hands which
he has illustrated most Gcceptably. News
comes from Paris that one OF Mr.. Hell
mick's Washington pupils, Mrs. Thurber,
has an admirable picture in this years
Salon. Mrs. Thurber has only been in Par
is a little over a year. Miss Menden and
Miss Thompson. also Washington artists.
have pictures in this years Salon Wash
ington is proud OF this trio OF women
painters. The men are not keeping pace
with these progressive women. There are
able men among them, but they are doing
little toward extending their regulations
away from home. Il Is to be hoped on an
other season they may do better. For on
ly by exhibiting in the great centres,
where the work stands solely on its mer-
its, can they hope for laurels that possess
real value Provincialism is liable TO over
come the best of them, however earnest
they may be. if they avoid the competition
that must be met in the great art centres
met and conquered. The narrow hori-
zon of home town is not the wide hori-
zon of the great world of art that knows
no nationality and no limitations. To
cease to look beyond this narrow hori-
zon is to cease to grow-and that is the
beginning of the end.
JAMES HENRY MosER