The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10

colors shown at the academy. There was
good display of oil still life, big coarse
| objects simply painted. which showed the
excellent Chase influence, but tho still
| life achievement before which all the rest
of that class shown in the other schools
paled was that exhibited at the .l:useum
School. 1t was superior only in a few
pots, Jars. bottles. ETC.. but the note
reached was very high in color of a refined
quality, the handling was simplicity
Itself. The best OF these were BY a
young man named Sprenkle, Miss Lippin-
colts star pupil, who is studying interior
decorative design. These fifteen or twenty
water colors. the whole exhibit in the
water-color pictorial class. were presented
| most appropriately. all being mounted in
wide bronze mats, only two rows deep,
where each and every study shown could
be satisfactorily examined. ~
The academy is treated at length, be-
cause that school is more in line with the
work being done here In Washington. and
for the further reason that the greater
part of my day was given to study of this
particular exhibition. Through the kind
mes Of Mr.. Mertz. one OF the students
there. was enabled to see the Museum
Schools fine show. which was not to be
opened until the following day. 1t was
there that found those Sprenkle studies,
without having seen which one must have
concluded there were no water color
painters in Philadelphia. Be It remember
ed that these choice water colors are only
an auxiliary branch of the great Museum
School of Industrial Art, and that the
main features Of the exhibition, which
was arranged with dignity and consum-
mate TASTE were the screen after screen
full OF decorative designs of every con-
ceivable description. These ranged from
book covers to oilcloth. It would be too
much to enumerate all the classes Of
work In design accomplished here-stained
glass. wood carving, furniture. ETC..
everything useful, in fact, which might
properly be made more agreeable to the
human eye by decoration in form or color.
receives attention here.
was struck with the extremely high
standard as to the execution of the work.
Even that Of beginners was only begin
ners' work in subject. The execution might
be that Of the teacher. There was also
in the Museum School an extensive COL
lection of excellent drawings from cast
and the nude. Nothing impressed me more
profoundly in the work Of these schools
than their thoroughness. This is doubtless
due to the severe critical standard to which
the student must accustom himself at the
very beginning. Mr.. Mertz was repre-
sented by some choice stained-g glass de-
signs and some drawings Of flowers which
japanese appreciation for the
little angular characteristics which are
peculiar to most flowers. They were ar
tistic and charming. A jonquil design In |
particular was conspicuous.
Just an hour before train time-but 1t |
was worth it-rushing to the great Drexel |
Institute Building. l found another varied |
show of students work, In all classes-cast.
life, and Industrial design-besides rooms
full of specimens Of millinery, others filled
with examples OF work by pupils in the |
classes, and SO attractively
presented that they might have been ac-
ceptable showrooms in some great store.
These are referred to that 1t may be seen
how wide in range is the Drexel Institute.
The same high quality, earnestness. and /
general excellence prevailed in the drawing I
classes under Clifford Grayson, who. by the
way, was one OF the committee that made
the recent prize awards at the Corcoran
School. The best feature to me at Drexel
was the illustration class. under Howard
Pyle. 1t was simply great. The infius.ce
IF the master was apparent, and much OF 1t
might have passed for Pyle's own work,
This is as it should be. Much of 1t also
was individual and unlike him but equally
good. There were series of things. sin
gle figures. suggestive of Dewing's charm
Ing subjects and methods. One-half of this
Drexel exhibition of the class In illustra-
ton might have been placed on a wall Of
The Society of American Artists or the Ma
Iional Academy and It would have added
strength to any show ever saw at either
place.
Congratulations to Philadelphia and her
great art schools! New York may well
ook to her laurels, for these schools are
pressing those of the metropolis very, very
,lose, II they do not already surpass them.
JAMES HENRY MOSER. |