The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-13

ject is fetching and attractive to a
most unusual degree. If one had stood by
the artists easel in the corner of that
simple Dutch room and looked upon that
old man grooming over some sonnet while
he peeled the potatoes for the evening
meal and incidentally minded the dear
faXen- headed wholesome looking baby oc-
cupying a nearby barrel-like red chair
the child intent on two kittens who are
frisking about a cord which Is dangling
from its baby hand-he must have felt
that Independent of any artistic consid-
Grafton there was a picture of happiness
that would remain joyful memory to his
dying day.
The peasants of Millet, saddened by
drudgery, are unhappy beings-they
scarcely know why. The peasants OF
Israils, Mauve. and Neyhaus are a more
cheerful, happier kind. and Edward Mark
ham would have had to seek far among
them for something to inspire poem like
THE Man With the Hoe" but of all the
sturdy. homely. and happy Dutch scenes
have ever seen painted. surely this one
by Keever is the greatest.
1t seems hardly necessary to dwell upon
the technical value of so perfect a pic
ture as this great Keeyer, but one can
not resist the temptation to direct at
tention TO the masterful rendering of this
ture-possessing, as it does, all the
knowledge of water color, with the subtle
introduction of white into the washes
and into the high-light strokes. There
are present, also, those qualities of color
and atmosphere which are produced by
scrubbing and washing OUTPUT all this
one expects IN great examples OF these
great Dutch painters.
TIE visitor, however, should note the re-
IL I'll
| tails. A more wildly real rendering Of IL
| is hardly possible to conceive. The model
| ing Of the heads is refined, delicate, and
| true. The color is fascinating, and some-
: how these two figures seem almost to be
alive, the Interpretation is SO appreciative
| of the possibilities of the subject And,
after all, it is the highest art to make one
see what is beautiful in the subject and
dextrously obscure the rest, concealing
from the beholder the art by which 1t is
accomplished and the consciousness Of hav
ing done it.
There are two other Keevers in this
collection, much smaller and though good
I in every way, are less important than the
picture mentioned. One, a woman by a
table, busy over her needlework, and the
I other representing a mother and two chill
dren. The one seated on the floor In this
latter picture being treated with especial
| tenderness and skill.
4 large Boomers contains another very
! cunning youngster seated on the sandy
I seashore in the sun. while another by this
same artist is an especially interesting
! figure subtect-a Dutch interior with two
| figures, a man and woman, seated at a
| table on either side of window. IL is
charming in atmospheric quality and dem
onstrates clearly how the sense Of
| shaGowy gloom, which pervades such q
room, may be represented without any
very low values or dark notes.
Among the landscapes are more fine eX-
! amples OF the Dutch school. very
! strong and colorful Street in Volendain, -
| by Wysmueller; "A Moorland," by Gar
Jeanne. and Near Brock" by Rip, are
| worthy of especial mention.
C. p. Grippe. an American artist from
| Rochester, n. Y, who spends his summers
| in Holland is coming to the front with
excellent Dutch landscapes. They lack
individuality, but the excellence Of the
best examples of his work shown here and
! elsewhere is not to be question ed.
Suburbs of The Hague" is an especially
good picture.
charming and most refined rendering
| Of the sea, unusually good In color and
tone, is a Jersey coast by William T.
Richards. Mr. Richards is always con-
scientious. most Individual. and true to