The times., 1899-06-04

have been potent force in shaping and
making respectable Washington art.
Conventional, old fashioned, inadequate
teaching is the milestone that hangs hope
lessly about the neck of many an Ameri-
can painter today who might otherwise
have achieved unqualified success. Many
a man has spent more time unlearning
than he did in learning. The league in
New York, the parent society, has changed
all this. The league has been the cradle
of nine-tenths of the successful younger
American painters and draughtsmen.
League pupils went directly from New
York to Paris with nothing to unlearn,
however much there might be to be learn
ed. Every school in America has since
been reorganized on league lines. notably
the academy in New York. AS a conse
quence advanced and thorough education
| in the various branches of art NAV be
had in almost any OF the larger cities.
The writer remembers well working in
an old barn-like loft under the rafters
with some five long flights of stairs to
climb. when the league was on lower
Fifth Avenue. twenty years ago. This was
| il the days of the breakaway." Pupils
at the academy, in well lighted studios
OF the street floor, ground out bon bons
under Prof. Wilmarth's watehful eye, little
dreaming that the students who crowded
from Chase and Twachtman would so far
outstrip academy students as to make
complete change of masters and methods
necessary. The academy, however caught
/ up and today, with other important
schools. divides honors with the New York
Art Students League. These different
| schools have their champions, but one
| makes allowance, as he does when some
! undergraduate Of Princeton tells of the
shortcomings of Harvard. Yale and CO.
A! lumbia- Good, intelligent art teaching on
Partisan or Munich lines may now be had
in America SO easily that there is little
excuse for one not receiving an up to-date
education if he has time and means TO
study.
The New York SchOInrship
! The life drawings shown at the Wash
ington Art Students League are evidence
OF serious effort patient work. and able
instruction. A selection of the best of
these was sent on to New York where A.
r. Spear, of Washington, was awarded
the scholarship" This honor carries
with il a years free tuition at the Art
Students League in New York, having a
money value of about Sl00 Mr. Spear is
/ ambitious, full of energy. and a very con-
scientious worker He is immensely popu-
lar with the leaguers here, who unite with
his friends outside in congratulating him
most heartily upon his success.
Miss lie Dues Sketches.
The sketches from life in crayon. char
coal. and guasche form an attractive col
lection from the very lightness of touch
and the capricious fancies portrayed in de-
Hghtful variety. They are charming in
handling and motive. In some we'll
drawn studies of young ladies and in one
of her father, Miss LIE Due strikes a high
note that is vdy artistic. They reveal a
! fine perception of what is the true mis-
sion of n sketch.
Decorative Art DESIGNS.
! The class in Industrial design under the
efficient direction of Miss Humphreys, has
! produced some very attractive work The
designs cover many subjects from wall
! paper to hookcovers. fine sense of the
beauty and possibilities OF fiat decorative
treatment, both as to form and color. is
shown in this most interesting display
NJ. Mittledorfer Straus. a young man from