The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-09

| age 10, LOT one nOnOTS potn them ant
himself in acknowledging their influence
| There is in this picture an unusually
| fine sky. grey clouds pierced with lens
/ lines OF delicate blue. The high keyed
| sky is in strong contrasting value to the
! landscape, which Is so very true. The
foliage, grass. stubble. and bit of still
water are introduced with consummate
| skill and taste.
This is a delightful picture, and one
WHICH. to see again. Is to find new
beauties Of tone, color, and atmosphere
in the simple. unobtrusive canvas. There
| is drowsy sweetness in Ii. which is the
charm of much OF Mr.. Jefferson's work
at his best. for he sees with eyes alive
TO what one feels in lovely landscape,
rather than what one sees whose heart
is not in tune with the beauty OF out OF
doors. Just to exist in such places as
he pictures would be Joy enough for any
one.
Farming Retreat" No. 25, without te-
ing like any Corot or Dupre, is still
Strongly reminiscent Of them, yet it is,
withal, Enthusiastically Jefferson's own in
dividual Interpretation of nature. This
picture comes very near to being the
most thoroughly complete and artistic
composition to be found among the small
err things shown at the Fischer gallery.
The scene-some cottages on river bank
lis one Of those familiar schemes which
depend for their success on the mastery
of the material and the power OF the
artist to make a landscape sing with fine
subtle gradations of color and tone
nothing is realized-everything is in
terpreted with breadth which shows
that the poetry of the scene was the enc
sweet message Mr.. jefferson had to de-
liver. and that he has done 1t in this
little landscape as only trained poet
painters Of the first class can, is ap-
parent to every sympathethic beholder.
This picture. il there were not others
in the collection. would silence that
group Of rnole-eyed critics who complain
at Mr.. Jefferson's technical method. I his
little canvas from corner to corner is a
gem, and l can only add that l feel sure
Corot would have liked it-though it's
touch is as distinctly "Jcffersonian' as
Corot's best work was marked by his in
dividual manner.
I'm the Moors." No. 81. is an impressive
and finely painted picture Of especial pow
er, with a sky full OF movement and a
rocky brook passing between rich dark
masses Of trees. This picture Is full Of
fine color OF sombre but very fascinat-
ing sort. The trees are conspicuous for
tLcir excellent drawing and every artistic
arrangement.
"In the Rockies" No. Is. is similar in
tone, and especially notable are the fine
gradations in the mountains. Solidity
and sublimity are fOrceful qualities
which are never missing from Mr.. Jeffer-
sons mountain pictures. There is always
present the overwhelming grandeur of
nature, and this artist never plays with
nature by attempting to paint her in these
gayer aspects, when mountains seem Ike
vapor. delicate and unreal. There is al
ways a dignity and virility In his point CO
view as we'll as in his technique.
Few figures are introduced in the ,Ief-
ferson landscapes and where they do ap-
pear only emphasize the solitude and
vastness of the scene. All lovers of nat
ure know the humility which takes pos
session of one in these mighty mountain
Businesses and this is a quality which is
always so impressive in Mr.. Jefferson's
mountain and glen pictures. before them
human affairs seem so small and inconse-
quential.
No. 80, Storm in the Catskills." IS by So
inches. is the largest canvas shown. 1t is
a most imposing picture for it has the
qualities just mentioned. The foreground
is superb. rugged. sinister, and very real.
The Indians and the campfire intensity
the loneliness of the scene. The great
storm effect, an array of ominous clouds. is
less successfully rendered than the rest of
the picture. yet their meaning is clear and
they lend to the impressiveness of the
scene.
ION the Island Of Naushon.'' Nc. u. is a
rich sepia toned monochromatic effect. fine
in sentiment and full of CorOt quality
which, alone OF all the pictures, shows,
particularly in the group of trees on the
right, how loyal Mr.. Jefferson has been to |
this one Of his masters. Corot. This pas !
sage is so Corot-like as to be almost MS !
leading, and is probably study made |
with the intention of interpreting his sub |
ject as he imagined Corot would have |
done it. Il is a delightful little picture |
and not without Jeffersons charae.erist-
les, but still showing strongly the Corot |
influence.
There Is another monotone of a swampy /
Bayou in louisiana" No Al, which is
most dramatic and true to nature. In it's
weird contrasts it reminds one Of some of |
Iustave Dore's black and white effects.
"a Street in st. Augustine is very
and shows great familiarity
with tropical foliage and atmosphere,
but Mr.. Jefferson's strength lies in those
pictures of woodsy dells and secluded
places old mills, and brooks In the por-
travail of masses of foliage seen in the
mysterious haif-light which dwells in
shady places, he is exceedingly true and
full of sentiment. With his trowel-like
palette knife he is able to treat in masses
trees. branches, buildings. rccks. and
flashing water in that wonderful way
which. without definition, conveys to the
that sense of fullness of detail
which is so luscious in ones conte:npla-
ion of such lovely places in nature. This
s art to paint the impression of the
hing, not the thing itself. Waterfalls,
mills. and rustic bridges furnish the
hemc of quite the larger part OF this
and these motives are but
slender cord on which this artist loves
o string his tenderly expressed tonal
symphonies. Some of these are deli ate
md silycry. while others are rugged and
ull of the harshness of nature, but there
S in them ever present that artistic
tote which is appealing in spite of the
ugged and sinister material of which
he picture may be composed.
"A Waterfall" No. 49, is finely ilustrat
d in the catalogue and is a case in point
Iere is glimpse up a rather narrow val
az in some secluded spot in the Catskills.
he observer stands at the foot of roar
~ trout brook. Broken and brilliant the |
ASKING water forms fine accent in the |
entre of the wilderness, of rocks and
rees of this ravine, r. glimpse of noun
iin side and sky-this is all-but there
Il sense of utter solitude about 1t that
charming 1t is a great picture. 1t is
,so the subject of one of the most sue
essful half-tones in the catalogue and
would be difficult to find painting In
DIOR where the values. as sho"n in the
alf-tone, are so nearly perfect What
,uld be finer than the forceful fore
round, the tangle of white blrchcs, rho
res of these introduced with extraordi-
pry judgment The more one studies
nose birches the more marvellous |
boc h. I