The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
ARTISTS AID PICTURES
A Fine Marine View by the
Painter Rein.
Continued Observations on the
Work. Exhibited Mt the Sprinr
Showing in Washington. of Paint
ers ON the High Road to Fame.
A Miniature of Captain Sigsbee.

Thoreau preached the philosophy and
wisdom of wearing old clothes cOntentedly
and Carlyle held up to ridicule him who
! judges too quickly the man by his apparel
| Spaniards say good manners are letters
recommendatory," and so are good clothes.
But the professional man who loves
books, music and pictures and whose
| greatest delight is in these things finds
year by year that the simple matter OF
dressing up to his surroundings is a prob
| lem involving great and, it seems TO
him, unnecessary expense. Such are mod
ern conditions that if one is dependent
upon his own earnings from day to day,
and has family with strong leanings
| toward the highest culture and coed So
| cety, the amount of money called for TO
meet this demand is appalling. Philip
| Gilbert Hamerton. who wrote volumnous
| ly and well on art, was a painter who felt
| the full force of this. He had the entree
| everywhere, and worked his life away, dy-
| ing prematurely, in an effort to keep up
the pace. This from the outlook dis
| closes the situation as Hamerton clearly
realized it. Speaking of the increase of
comfort in England Mr.. Hamerton groans
| at the trying strain OF expense to
our extremely high standards of living sub
Jects all except the very rich
Well-worn clothes are no sign that the
wearer, II an artist, may not be one OF the
ablest and most earnest in the profession
ana by the same token 1t is well not to be
too sure that the artist who is always fash
ionably attired is painter of ability 1t is
well 10 remember that the profession is a
most absorbing one and that q man with
high ideals may stand by them when temp
tation to do potbolers is very great. Form
your opinions of the man on his work and
professional standing and give him a cor
dial encouragement of your friendship even
if you do not buy his pictures-v!sit his
studio and home-you may be surprised Al
his modest but entirely comfortable and
artistic surroundings. Well filled shelves
OF choice books are there. Here one may
see where the artists surplus cash goes
and where his affections are.
There is at NeerhofIs this week a ma
rine in oil by F. X. NJ REIN. not a large
picture. but one of Rehn's very best ana
mat means a picture of the first class.
The writer does not hesitate to say that this
Moonlight" of Mr. Rehn's rises to the
standard and poetic charm of the best
landscapes of Inness, Wyant. and DAVIS.
The sky is vibrant with that paIpitating
elusive r-richness of a low. full moon
over the sea. With great artistic Iudg, leat
Mr.. Rehn leaves the white disk just OUT
side the picture that one may enjoy It's
full beauty. There is in ii the simplicity
of Winslow Homer and the quality OF
Quartly. but it is superior to either In
those things which make for highest tOnal
charm. II is a great picture individual
and true and would be a worthy addition
10 the Corcoran Gallery between the Rich
ards and the Harrison.
There has been some severe criticism of
this picture by two well-informed con
noisseurs here but il is not the habit of
the writer to modify his opinions on hear
ing comments SO entirely opposite to his
own. 1t is his custom TO return to the
object under discussion and examine it
most carefully again. This was done. and
he came away very sure that his opinion
was entirely justified by that canvas May
he not be mistaken? some one asks. That
does not concern the writer; he Is only
expected TO write what he believes TO be
the truth about pictures. One of the I ost
famous French writer's art once de
clared that there We're but twenty persons
in the whole world who knew anything |
about art. and though he wrote much on
the subject he was not al all sure thar ne |
was one of the twenty.
There is also at Veerhoffs a miniature oil |
Captain Sigsbee by Margaret X. Stotle- |
meyer. An interested friend OF the |
artist has called attention To this |
and he takes this occasion |
to say that any information regard |
ing works of art here which are Access |
sible to the public and are really artistic |
is very welcome. The writer is ever ready |
TO hunt up such works of art and make the |
public acquainted with them-and further
more, while silence is likely to be observed |
if the work is by a local artist and merits |
no praise-works by out of town painters |
will be criticised with the utmost frank !
ness. Miss Stotlemeyer is a specialist |
in miniature. as card with her Fifth Ave. |
nue. studio address clearly indicates, and |
while one would not care TO criticise it had |
this miniature come from some little town |
in Maryland, coming as it does from New |
York it must be considered from metro |
politan and Washington standards.
This is the sort of miniature which re-
senibles the weak pink-and- white colorei |
photographs which have had their day |
with the philistine and never at any time /
rose to the plane of art. The color and |
texture is that of a three year old child |
and it is as devoid of wrinkles
1t is scarcely necessary 10 say that this
is the first time the writer ever heard of /
Miss StOtlemeyer. We have miniature
painters here and while they have their
limitations. and excel in different quail
ties they are artists to whom this absurd |
sort Of work is impossible. Leading among
these specialists whose work at times is
artistic and altogether charming is Robert
kuling, Sarah y. Bartle, and Mrs
while Bertha PerIie has done
some excellent work in this direction.
Miss Stotlemeyer would de well if she
IS really in earnest. to recall her minia-
lures and study those of Laura Hills, whose
work is so easily reached where she is
She need not be discouraged so long as she
remains in New York
The tenth annual OF the Society is at
tracing all the attention that was pre-
iicted for it. II IS an unusually fine ex-
hibition of local art work The small
number of pictures shown, and the very
attractive hanging has relieved il of the
shop or sale look. which a crowded picture
gallery always has. There is a refined and
restful atmosphere about the place. and
that is in no small part due to the taste
.ul color scheme-olive, green, and black -
Of the wall decorations. II was a little
raw when the gallery was first opened. but
1t has faded to soft harmonious and
agreeable tone, which the sensitive cannot
but remark on entering the place
In the review last week Mrs Margaret |
'raig's name was overlooked. although her
litle picture of the hens nest
n the hay was highly praised Mrs Craig
works quietly, but her pictures are al
ways conspicuous for their artistic charm
and fine color. Miss Edith Ogden Is the
only sculptor who exhibits at the tenth
annual. and all three Of the numbers are
excellent. Her decorative design for a
PANEL on monument or wall-a sort of
memorial tablet supported by an angel
With outstretched arms-is skillfully mod