The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06

artistic achievement of the latter quarter
CT the century which has just closed
Other schools busy themselves with the
| problem of exceeding that achievement
without being like the Dutch. They ac-
| complish only interesting things which,
however good. cannot equal those of the
| Dutch school. The leading American
| painters, on the other hand, recognizing
| the superIatiYe artistic excellence Of
| Dutch water color, frankly adapt that
method TO American landscape and figure
! subjects. The consequence is that in re-
| cent exhibitions in America tone and quail
| ity are conspicuous. 1t is apparent to all
| students that the mastership of such
| great DGtchmen as Israels Mauve, Neu-
! huys Kever Elstert, and PogeIbeck is
| openly confessed by the ablest American
water colorists and the best of them make
a clcGe second TO the great lights Of the
school Of Holland.
The Pettes collection is large, most en-
/ PERTAINING and instructive. There are
| shown some notable examples which will
/ be described at length later On. It is
| sufficient to state now that this ereeed-
| ingly valuable collection will be on ex
! hibition for some little time and lovers
of water color should not miss the vel
| core opportunity to see some realI; fine
work in this charming medium.
| In a review of the Academy exhibition
! which is held this year in The Fine Arts
| Societies Building, in New York, Mr
| Townsend. in the Times makes this
note, which the Washington artists, who
| are about to hold their eleventh annual
exhibition here. Will DO well to consider:
'On the contrary, the awkward predica-
ment of having no galleries Of its own
has furnished an excuse to free the ex-
hibition of much undesirable material
on the line, which used to be there ac-
cording to Academy rules and in pursu-
ance of immemorial privilege. The pres
ent show has been reduced to less thaH
800 pieces. including a dozen sculptures.
The result of this hard heartednesS. com
bined with inesse, is a single row OF
paintings on many walls-and rarely, if
ever. more than a double row. The pic
lures can be studied with comfort, and
are decidedly worthy Of a visit for other
and more important reasons than ease Of
examination
II w.n. by the way be remembered
the Academy sold It's OLD home at Twenty
third Street and Fourth Avenue, and the
new Academy Is still on paper.
Mr.. Townsend has also this to say Of the
prizes awarded at the National Academy
exhibition this year:
To speak Of the newest thing FIRST, the
gold medal given in honor Of The late
George Illness by his son has been award
ed for the first time. and the winner is Mr..
Bruce Crane, the painter OF snowy reaches
in Connecticut, of CrOcus- colored sunsets.
and bare fields OF stubble, gloriied b. the
afterglow The medal goes to the hest
landscape in the ibition but the honor
is qualified by prOyiso on the part Of the
Academy that no picture shall receive two
prizes.
The first Hallcarten prize of 5000 goes
this year to W. Elmer SchOfeld of Ogontz,
Pa. for a township with water, called
Winter Fyeuing'-snow on the ground,
bare trees. a cloudy, greenish sky with
the broken moonlight giving the snow
greenish hue. This is a very fine work.
and the jury IS to be congratulated on the
taste shown ir its selection. 1t has all
the feeling OF iadistinct outlines and cold
that belongs to such season and time OF
day.
"Tle second Hallgarten prize was won
by Miss Clara McChesney-'A Good story
is the title of her picture.
THE third Hallgarten prize of $1OO is
not so happy a choice; it is Repose,' by
Miss Matilda Browns.
The Thomas B. Clarke prize of $500 is
won by William Fair Kline. with Flight
Into Egypt that is more landscape than
4 figure piece. Yet as a landscape 1t is
inpressive-a cool diffused. moonlit coun-
try. rugged and stern. while the figures,
though small. are very charmingly put in.
The Norman w. Dodge prize of $500 for
the best picture painted by a woman goes
to Miss Mary Theresa Hart. She shows a
portrait of her father, James NJ Hart the
paintcr, and conformity with her sister, 4
portrait study OF two maldens."
JAMES HENRY MOSER.