The times., 1899-10-29

minute observation and drawing one looks
for in Pieknell or Bolton Jones, but there is
something mOre-that something without
which we should never have heard Of Cor0t
Of George Innis. These pictures are we'll
bred fancies, bsgotten OF great love and a
profound knowledge Of nature There is in
JefIersOn's work much Of that poetry and
tenderness Of tone to which all eyes are
turned just now, and which is so conspicu-
Gus in Constable. Wilson. and Gainsbor-
Ough- had expected to see stronger traces
IN this collection Of the influence Of Mauve,
whom Jefferson and so many other paint
ers adore One cannot regret. however. the
absence Of Naive manner. for the Jefferson
work goes back 20 an earlier tine and re-
wives for our enjoyment that serene spirft
OF England best period and the beloved
BarbizOus. II these pictures lack any
thing it is. perhaps-and that is apparent
only in a few Of the cauvases-a certain
subtle relation which may only be OBJ
tained by working over and over a canvas
as Innis Wyaut and Homer Martin worked
over theirs. But one must not look for
some other mans characteristics in JeffeF-
son. His method is his own Il is irdl-
vidual and unique and from this time on
his good wine needs no rush.
II is not an easy matter 10 single out
pictures in this Jefferson exhibition which
call for special mention They should be
seen together, If one is 70 comprehend this
artists ability and range In No. l.
nearby study Of an old mill. absolutely
skyless one gets perhaps the best idea u
/ Mr. JeffersOn's power TO make a complete
and satisfactory picture in every parJicu-
lar. In this canvas there is a note so true
that l claim for the painter place sec
/ Ond to none Of the early idyIic artists.
| There are men also painting in this school
! today, but they are not our strongest
7 artists J. Francis Murphy alone is the
one brilliant exception. To the weakness
/ and limited number of men working in this
school is due the fact that the school is
/ less prominent than others, more matter
\ Of fact and easily Comprehended- But
/ poets come and go. and there VIII some day
/ be q revival, when less attention viii be
/ paid 20 hard material facts and more
/ thought given 10 poetic interpretations OF
nature. The Glasgow school is doing
/ grand work in this direction. In this study
/ Of an old mill, deep i'm a forest glen, with
| its rOJung wheel and water trickling over
I messy rocks, is all imaginable richness OF
/ brown and green that may be found in
/ such a scene on a grey day. This sort OF
/ art is distressing 20 the apostle OF impress
I siUnism. who revels in viOlets and pale yell
/ lows, but let that pass. It is something to
! be catholic enough in ones tastes to realize
/ that this art OF JeffersOn's is not only
/ very beautiful, but very true as WE'LL
some Conspicuous Canvases.
| No. 3. Solitude" is a broadly painted
| impression of a showery day over rocky
/ hill pastures. This picture possesses
! great strength and is done with extr,Brdi-
I nary simplicity. There is about it a splen-
/ did movement and go" which makes it a
/ fayOriTP with the PAINTERS here
/ No. IL The Canyon. is a gorge span
/ ned by bridge through which a wild tor
/ rent dashes over the powders This in
/ composition is conventional TO the last
| degree. but it is nevertheless a most dTa-
| matte effect
| No. is a Winter of great bleakness.
/ No g. The Mountain Torrent" is very
! Scotch in character. extremely good in
I composition, and possesses fine color.
/ Technically. this is one of the strongest
and most interesting things shown. The
/ Old Beech Tree" No. S. is very interesting
/ also ard shows his artistic ability TO treat
| a bit OF nature as a study and yet an is
/ with poetry. No. IS. con the Beach. % is a
\ verv true glimpse Of the seashcre that IS
I strongly reminiscent OF Arthur Qu8rtly.
I who was a true artist and who painted
/ the seashore in q sympathetic fashion
( which seems 10 be a lost art since his IN
| timely death some years ago.
/ Taken altogether. the Jefferson CoFee-
! tiou is a most satisfactory showing and
/ places him Wen i'm the front rank oI nod
/ ern landscape painters. This is a prodislous
/ achievement for an amateur whose life s
\ been actively devoted TO other work
/ When I think of what JOS ph Jefferson
/ has accomplished in his cho=eu pro -e=siCn.
/ 1 repeat that it is a mystery where he ever
/ found time to master the painters art
/ Tho tHorgnr which naturally fol ,0ws IS
/ what heights his undoubtei gen US might
have reached had landscape been his d e
/ work and not simply the recreation OF his
| leisure hours.
JAMES HENRY MOSER-