The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-04

There was nothing but a monotonous
field of blue water watched idly from the
deck of the steamship between Two of the
most memorable landscape effects l ever
saw. One was winter in New England
and the other was, excepting that the
heat was not excessive midsummer in
the tropics. l was northward bound by
sea and the sensation of passing from
summer to winter without that blending Of
seasons, which a person residing contin-
ually in one place is accustomed to. was
| stronger than the sense of locality pro-
duced by cocoanut palms, white coral
streets, and blossoming roses in curious
little gardens surrounding quaint Spanish
like houses at Key Vest the first stop
| Ping place. and the naked leafless trees
and purple hills of New England at Corn
| wall, my destination. The scenes were
| SO remarkable in the matter of contrast
that they linger wildly in the memory Is
| might the recollection of two impressive
| pictures in an exhibition of paintings aud
from that day to this 1t has been difficult
| to believe that the experience was re-
! atty and not mere memory of two in
teresting paintings seen at the same time.
l am moved to recall this pleasant and
interesting happening because of some
what similar experience on my arrival here
| in Washington from the Berkshire hills
| last week. The mountains and the valleys
there were clothed in crimson and orange
with no green visible anywhere in the TO
| liage beyond the patches OF pines. and
| they were more black than green in tone
| Here l found on a trip made at once to
Cabin John Bridge, the hills clothed in
dull green bearing great sense Of weari-
| ness. few patches here and there Of
pale sickly yellow foliage seemed weakly
| to proclaim the presence Of October The
contrast was very like that November
| week years ago when / saw Key West and
Cornwall at so very nearly the same time.
Nothing could be lovelier than our dear
Potomac in summer, but it must yield the
palm to New England In October. 1t was
indeed rare autumn. The color never
was finer and l recall but one other Oc-
| tober scene SO magnificent and that was
Crawford Notch in the White Mountains
| OF New Hampshire on the 18th of Octo-
| Der. 1895.
This year the Housatonic River Valley
was exceptionally brilliant. The .rosts
were very late and not until October 10.
| when there was freeze that covered the
| shallow ponds about Stockbridge with ice.
| ulu lUe Oah trees, the ldSb ~ CiiASS theii
| rugged green leaves to crimson at the
| frost's bidding. join the yellow birches,
| naples and chestnuts in a superb pag-
cant of color. The mountain sides chang
ed almost in a night from green to the
! splendor of FURNISHED gold. This wealth
| of rich tints was backed up by
clear Delft blue sky of June's in
| tensity. The magnificence Of such a
| color display may not be adequate
" iecrrihed md only hone TO give
barely a hint of it. Orange yellow is the
prevailing tone, but it is a mosaic of ev-
cry possible shade of yellow and red with
russets and leathery tones of exquisite
beauty. 1t is this marvellous juxtaposition
of bright and sombre color with the ten
der feeling of atmosphere which makes
SO gorgeous an arrangement harmonious,
and l do not hesitate to say, it is never
crude or jarring on ones color sense.
should like to have painted some Of
those Berkshire and Cornwall hills. COW |
cred with their tailor made. close-ftting |
garments of gold, for they were indeed |
an inspiring sight-but who would believe |
such true effects! l thought l knew New |
England in autumn, but l am very sure |
/ should not have credited any picture. |
however faithful, of some of the effects |
nature produced there last month. 1t |
does not do to deal in freaks, however
lovely. Ohe is compelled to stick close
to the ground, and perhaps it is just
as well, for the beauty of the common
place and familiar is sufficient and mex
haustible.
In interesting personal letter re-
ceived recently from Mr.. Everett Warner.
who is lingering in the yellow hills OF
Massachusetts,, this Washington artist
tells of his very pleasant and profitable
summer in New England. Mr.. Warner is
a young painter, but there is no more
sensitive, sincere, and poetic interpreter
of landscape among us, and although he
seems to have disposed OF many of his
most important studies made this sum-
mer he expects to be worthily represent
ed the coming exhibition of the Water
Color Club at the Corcoran Gallery.
1t is a delicate matter to advise a painter
in the matter Of selling pictures. but a
bit of advice in my reply to Mr.. Warmers
letter may not be out OF place here. There
are no secrets in a sincere artists bust
ness. 1t is only that painter who is in
terested in getting higher price from his
customer than he knows the work Is worth
who lodges and hedges and keeps quiet
on the matter Of prices, or that other dis
creditable painter who is ashamed of his
business, and. while often more holly in
pursuit of the dollar than his more frank
neighbor. pretends to hold business in con-
tempt and affects an Indifference to money
he TdtHeT likes 10 nave the pubic DeIleVe |
him a gentleman of leisure, pursuing art
as a recreation only. He also treats his
patron with great condescension, but glee-
fully pockets every fat check which comes
his way.
This is my advice to Warner: Save
some of your choicest things every sum-
mer-yes, if only one-and hold it for the
great exhibitions. Size and time cut no
figure in these things-QuaIity alone Is to I
be considered: they will add to your rep |
utation. and If they don't sell you will in ]
time get little collection OF choice pic |
lures about you that will spur you on to I
greater things, and some day when a criti- +
cal connoisseur with long purse and gen.
erous impulses comes along to your studio
you can accept his money with clear
conscience.
The Fifth Annual Exhibition of the ]
Washington Water Color Club will be held
in the Hemicycle Gallery at the Corcoran.
The old Society of Washington Artists on
Connecticut Avenue. is thing of the past
It's beautiful burlaped walls and artistic ,
iecoratiorS have disappeared and most ,
prosaic. Though useful and desirable COM
mercial business has established itself
there in its place:
You may break. You may shatter the vase il you |