The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

1t is not The absence OF fduits, but tue
presence of qualities which gives value 10
a work of art. Your standard is high, and
this is a fine show. for almost everything
here possesses excellent qualities of one
kind or another
This was said by one of the friends Of the
local painters a. a private view OF the
tenth annual exhibition of the Society of
Washington Artists. which was given yes
terday at the Connecticut Avenue Gal
leries. II was true word, and expressed
the general opinion Of yesterdays visitors
to the galleries.
The exhibition consists OF less than sew
outy pictures-the smallest shown in a
long time. but those qualities which give
value and interest TO works Of art were
never present in greater abundance than
this year Macdonald, whose work is al
ways serious and sometimes positively dis
tInguished. is back again after many years
absence from the society's exhibitions. His
portrait of the Secretary of the Treasury,
the largest and most important canvas
shown, occupies the place Of honor at the
end of the gallery This painting, vigor-
Gus and forceful to a point approaching the
dramatic, is wrought out with such pa
thence and skill that it is simply the Sec
rotary himself poised adroitly, sitting easily
in his office an interested listener. The
conventional accessories which characterize
the average official portrait are absent
Had the subject been commonplace. this
picture must have been barren affair. but
Mr.. Macdonald was fortunate in his sitter
and as a consequence the picture is a tri-
umph of portraiture which will long out
live him.
This success is particularly gratifying,
for the artist is plain man of high ideals.
No detail is so small as TO be unworthy Of
infinite care and patience. The public
have been slow to discover what the ar
fists always knew, that Mr.. Macdonalds
work is of the lasting kind. because, in the
first place he is fine craftsman and
sensitive to color, and in the second place
he is too earnest TO be contented with
mere cleverness.
There is in the present play an alb
sepcs of portraits of that perfunctory class
where the sitter's money and influence is
more apparent than the artists individual
taste and judgment, class of pictures
admittedly skillful. but uninteresting TO
This is a sort OF infection which few if
any OF the metropolitan exhibitions escape;
hence the present show is in that respect
unique. There are number of portraits,
but these are pictures full Of artistic in
terest..
First among these after Mr.. Macdonald's
work must be mentioned Prince TroubetZ-
koy's Young Yachtsman' and Miss Niue
den's Portrait of a Lady" These two
fIa ,Ia
quite as well painted. but as unlike
each other are the three as are Bo-
nat, Sargent. and Courtuois. The Trou-
betzl1oy and Mueden take a somewhat
higher place artistically, for they possess
besides skillfui painting a sentiment and
a charm which is manifestly impossible TO
the other. While Sargent-like in the sim
plicity and skill with which it is executed.
the boy is so delightful in color and tone
as TO give one the deepest enjoyment. The
sea and sky are masterful TO a degree.
Honest Winslow Homer would like that
feature. while the head of the boy is
painted in way to satisfy the connois-
seur who looks only for such qualities in
the early English school. II is Reyburn-
like. A finer type of bOyhood could not
well be imagined-it is so appealing. One
would like to know the child, for he is
scarcely more than that
The prince also exhibits a portrait of
purple gowned lady standing out from the
velvety gloom of a rich and mysterious
background.
Miss Mueden is a craftsman of such
skill and delicacy that her undertakings
are never unlnteresting. Nothing is more
pathetic than TO behold the blind cropping
of those unhappy souls full of genius who
cannot draw and yet will fritter their lives
away endesvoring to accomplish the i'm
4lsn EFrtl1 nf
blessed memory, are the exceptions. which
only prove the rule Miss Mueden's two
contributions lift the exhibitors standard
perceptibly. The larger one is a fulfill
ment OF the splendid promise contained in
her fine portrait exhibited at the Water
Color Club exhibition last December. Like
Mr.. Macdonslds work, that OF Miss Niue
den is marked by great seriousness. This
threequsrter length figure of lady fac
ing the beholder and seated in a chair is
finely composed. The right elbow rests
lightly Oh a table The dress is green and
a semi-transparent shawl of blue grey is
very agreeable in color, as is also the dark,
mysterious, and colorful background,
against which the head is projected The
face is a study. II is mastery Features
that do not promise to prove beautiful in
real life are rendered with a tenderness
and dellcscy which makes for real beauty.
1t is clear this painter possesses the
poetic instinct which turns everything it
torches into gold" The critics are united
in according this picture a very high place
az work of art Their enthusiasm recalls
Miss Thompson's success at the eighth an
nual of the society, held two years ago,
when her Portrait of q Lady" was 50
warmly applauded. But be It remembered
that though both are female subjects. this
OF Miss Mueden's Is a much more difficult
problem for IL is painted in oil and Mas
Thompson's picture was a pastel. Miss
Mueden's other contribution is a child Is
head. This is a dear little bit of femI-
rinity, done in a charming fashion, en-
tirely equal TO the larger picture.
The landscape contributions are scarcely
less distinguished and notable than the
figure pictures. Messer leads with large
and important landscape. which is the
ripest and most complete thing he has yet
shown. This picture, a serene twilight,
simple in composition. is fulfiilment OF
the promise which his friends found in
his smaller pictures.
The beautiful Twilight Sharon, Maine"
is large landscape, three by four feet.
1t is large In every way. composition,
color. and sentiment. There is about It
the bigness OF out OF doors, and, what is
more. that subtle charm OF twilight low
ingly and tenderly told This is the
sweetest note in all nature. and Mr. Mes
ser has sounded it only as the great men
do. Those who know Mr.. Messer's pas
sion for the subtle. colorful aspects OF
nature which is the joy OF good landscape,
are not surprised at this success.
There are few men in America, very
few, who can paint the peer to this
landscape. This picture should go TO the
Carnegie exhibition next year. The mem
DRY of that lone tree against an even
L.. Hi ~