Evening star., 1899-03-04
A RT AN D ARTIST is

The eleven notable pictures which the
Corcoran Art Gallery secured at the Thos.
B. Clarke sale in New York, a couple Of
weeks ago, were allotted their places on
the wall this week. and it is probab BILE that
when the gallery opens next Monday the
hanging will have been entirely finished
and the pictures ready for inspection. One
of the galleries is already devoted entirely
to American pictures, and with the superb
group Of new paintings as a nucleus the
trustees intend to fill another room eventu-
ally with the work Of our own painters. A
strong showing of American art is certain
ly most fitting, as, in the absence of any
national gallery in Washington, the Cor
coran Gallery must in a measure supply
the place of such an institution. Among
the new additions there are four good fig
ure compositions. but the group is chiefly
remarkably for the landscapes, represent
ing as they do the highest achievement
in modern American landscape art, and
worthy of comparison with the best pro-
ductions of any country.
Possibly the most striking picture is w.
L. Picknel's Road to Concarneau," which
won the artist his first recognition in the
SGlon-an honorable mention in the year
1880. The burning white road. stretching
away into the distance straight as an ar
row, gives the composition a pronouncedy
angular effect, and the subject chosen is
not especially pleasing. 1t is the splendid
way in which it is done that compels our
admiration, and almost deceives US into
the belief that we are looking on the scene
itself. The sense of brilliant sunlight, OBJ
tanned without recourse to the methods of
the impressionists; the sense of distance
and unrestricted space, and the breadth
and largeneSs of treatment, all show the
hand of master. The atmospheric quail
ty Of the MONDAY sky is especially notice
able, and the artist has not, after the man
ner of some of his brethren, treated his
sky as a species of mosaic with clouds in
laid a field of azure. The few light
Clouds drifting lazily across the heavens
seem to float in infinite space, and the sky
more than anything else helps to give the
immensity of nature to the picture.
The same TRUTH born of intimate study,
is found in ths .Springtime" of IL. Bolton
Jones-a canvas which presents to the eye
a view of the fat, marshy land seen so
often near small streams. The note of joy
BUSINESS in this picture cannot fail to eX-
ercise a charm over all who see 1t, and as
an expression of the budding life and
fresh, tender coloring of spring day,
where shall one look for it's superior? The
foreground Is painted with consummate
skill, and the CLINT of sunshine on the bat
talions of rushes, which lift their spears
above the green clumps of marsh grass,
and on the blush green leaves of the wild
cabbage is remarkably well rendered.
October by j. Francis Murphy, is one
of the choicest things in the entire group,
Inness, alike in the sentiment, the color
quality and the manner of execution by
repeated g:aZings of transparent color. 1t
has hardly the close observation OF nature
that one sees in the canvas by II. Bolton
Jones, but as a picture it is more unified,
more thoroughly harmonious, and the eX-
preston of more imaginative and poetic
temperament. 1t is pre-eminently study
of color, and the refinement and rich
beauty of the ensemble place it in the
highest rank.
"The Deepening Shadows" by Charles II.
Davis, is at once one of the artists best
works and a thoroughly typical specimen.
The cloudless expanse of twilight sky, pale
gold above and deepening to a rosy hue
before it fades into the ashen gray haze
along the horizon, is SO familiar to the ad-
mirers of Davis that the picture could al
most be recognized by the sky alone. Sim
pie in subject. but invested with much ar
tistic charm, this work is sure to prove a
favorite with many connoisseurs.
1.-The Eastern Sky at Sunset" by Jervis
McEntee, is a picture in which the somber
solitude of a winter landscape at twilight
has been interpreted with great depth of
expression. In the cheerless snow-covered
stretch of country growing slowly indis-
tinct in the gathering dusk there is much
tinge of melancholy that one finds in
Rousseau's celebrated "L'Effet de Givre"
D. w. Tryon's End of Day. is an effect
i've work that carries well when seen at a
distance, and the same is true of Charles
Melville Dewey's 1.-The Edge of the Forest"
with its dramatic Illumination and finely
balanced masses of light and shade "Ac-
cused of Witchcraft' has been considered
by many to be one of Douglas Volk's best
pictures Of Puritan life, and it certainly
tells its story in a most forcible way.
Louis Moeller's Disagreement" portrays
quarrelsome discussion over a game of
cards. and Horace Bonham's "The Issue of
the Cockpit" are admirable in their express
sion of character. 1.-THE Fortune Teller Of
Brittany an interesting genre subject. by
Robert Wylie, completes the list of figure
paintings. which. while not as important
as the landscapes. are the serious produc-
tions Of able men.
X X
Mr.. s. Jerome Uhl is to hold an exhibition
next week in the gallery of the Society of
Washington Artists, 1920 Connecticut ave-
nue., and his display will bs open every
afternoon from 1:S0 to 6. The exhibition Is
free, and the public is invited to attend.
Mr.. Uhl's chief purpose in holding this dis
play is to exhibit the large mural decora-
ton called ''The Apotheosis of Music"
which he has bean doing for the ceiling Of