The times., 1900-12-23

left out without serving some supreme
purpose which the ensemble is expected
| to impress upon the observer. This and a
preserving of what one might call the
| equilibrium of his compositions is a sur
| prising quality in those pictures of Mr..
| Jefferson. His large Storms in the Cats
| kills. No. 30, with its low tone and big,
solemn, dignifed feeling, is very artistic,
/ and in conception approaches closely to
the work OF the great landscapists. But
for that little something which comes
only from long years of training and study
this picture might rank with theirs. In
that canvas the Indians, the campfire, and
the touch of smoke are placed most artis-
| tically AS to which of his pictures pleases
me most l think The Trout Brook with
| the fisherman and a small landscape,
like best. The latter is a perfect unit.
The sky and landscape are treated with a
simplicity and directness which make 1t
a successful and quite professional little
picture"
! The week past has been full of Christ
mas, and the occupants of the stud os
were too busy to see or know much of
what was going on in an art way about
| town. However, the Voss exhibition at
the Hemicycle continues to attract q
good deal of attention and much we'll
deserved praise for il is novel collec-
tiOn of Jayanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, and
othe, types. The exhibition will con-
tinue two weeks longer.
The new art event of the week was the
Sharp collection of Indian heads. shown
at the Cosmos Club, the exhibition clcs-
ing yesterday 1t was splendid collec-
tion of studies, interesting both artisti-
cally and ethEologically. Although not
reaching the artistic rank of Farney and
Brush, they are far beyond Catlin and
Nehlig, earlier painters of Indians; but
ethnologically these pictures are higher
than those of either of the several
artists mentioned, and better in both
respects than Burbank, of Chicago, who
has quite a reputation just now in this
field. Sharps pictures form the mcst
intensely human collection of ethnologi-
cal studies / have ever seen. and ii this
were France the eagle eye of the Gov
eminent would never permit such treas
ure to slip through its capital. Such col
lection would eventually be priceless,
once the Government possessed it. AL
though / am no prophet, nor the son of a
prophet. am ready to declare that there
will be mourning in the house some day
if this collection of portraits of The
First Americans" should. by any mishap.
go to some foreign country. | happen TO
know that man possessing such tech
nical skill who will set himself to work
for eight consecutive summers, as Mr..
Sharp has done, to such task, and dig
ii out with an eye so nearly single to
chronological interest is not likely to ap-
pear again in this generation, and the
next may produce the artist, but-there
will be no Indiansi l do not know Mr..
Sharp beyond his excellent reputation as
a thoroughly trained and conscientious
painter, who comes from Cincinnati,
where l believe, he is an instructor in
the Cincinnati Museum schools. In
very interesting account of his Indian
work. published year ago in Brush
and Pencil Mr.. Sharp says:
''The Indian is becoming factor for
distinctly American pictures, and West
ern artists ip particular seem to be grasp
ing his Importance as picturesque
motif. In 1898 l made my initial
trip to the Indians of the Southwest,
aud continue to spend three to four
months each summer with them, finding
them more and more interesting.
"As q model the Indian is not great
success. After various tribulations to get
him to pose it is impossible TO make
him unbend. II it is his first attempt
he will invariably take a pose of majestic
and often Iudicrous stiffness. Having
used much persuasion. time, and patience
in breaking one in, he soon becomes in
different often gets too familiar, goes en-
strike for more pay. or stays away alto
gether. The real, picturesque In
dian is fast disappearing and seems to be
going with this generation. The Govern
ment school on the reservation, and at
every pueblo, is making this change. The
small boys wear short hair and a shirt,
while the girls are tidied up and in calico.
1t is heartbreaking to the artist. and par
ticularly SO If he has not had foresight
TO collect costumes and various articles
which become more rare each year. An
Indian in store clothes, his hair cut, and
minus his blanket, is not as picturesque
as a negro
Mr.. Sharp also pays deserved tribute
to Fl. T. Farney, who is the most dis
tinguished and original of the pioneers In
the field. JAMES HENRY MOSER.