The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-10

longed for a botanist at my elbow to tell
me something more of them.
The technical skill shown here in the
handling of watercolor is simply consum-
mate. / never even believed it possible &c
arrive at such exquisite fidelity in so
many ingenious ways as these drawings
demonstrated is possible to the method.
Here are flowers wherein maze OF
stamens are woven together into forms
that suggest the wonderful and mystcri-
Gus lines made by n geOmetriCal lathe
with barely a thought OF that freedom
from mechanical accuracy which pre-
vents lathe work ever possessing the
beauty which belongs to natural forms.
Among our own home flowers are many
familiar ones wherein the close observer
familiar with them may trace beyond
the close observance of natural form an
color an artistic temperament, delicate
and sensitive to the painter quality,
which nature never more than hints at,
quality without which pa ntings o,
natural objects. however true. possess lit
tie more than scientific interest.
Some pale Indian pipes, those delicate
fungi. which, more than any natural OBJ
iect, seem the image of departed souls,
she has painted with marvellous truth to
that translucent quality-a sort OF ala
baster look. or like that look, pure white
blotting paper takes on when soaked
with water-au indescribable som thing
which must have eluded a less sklllful
brush. 1t was pleasure ana priv ege
to have seen these paintings Of Mrs.
Rowan. One may safely count on see
ing a collection of flower paintings 50
comprehensive and individual but once in
lifetime, and while there is another way
of painting roses and some few howerS-
and that is, too, beautiful way, but way
in which it matters little whether you
are painting roses, fruit, or sea shells,
it is art, but it is not the way to paint
flowers. Mrs. Rowan has shown us how
to paint flowers Personally, / feel CRATE
full to the Cosmos Club. and congratu-
late Mrs. Rowan upon worldwide rrecog-
milton and her many medals which one
has only to see these pictures to see how
clearly deserved is the fame she seems
SO unconscious Of
In the Hemicycle Gallery, March to II,
will be a free exhibition of watereolor
paintings by six young Japanese students
now in the city. On the back of the cat
alOgue, conveying besides the titles Of the
26j watercolors exhibited is the following
nsive statement signed by the artists
themselves. Who could read it without
having his curiosity and interest awak-
ened. and. truly. the pictures will not dis
appoint the busiest visitor who will take
the time to go and see them:
Our paintings on exhibition which follow after
the Western style, are very new features to I'M
dertake in our country. We have had no time to
show any result.
We hope that the public will look at our work
a. a plant Just started, but which has not yet
grown enough to make the form. We only desire
that some time in the future it will be able TO
have the blossoms.
Hiroshi Yoshida. Hachiro Nakaeawa. Kunishiro
Mitsutani, Banka Maruyama, Shinzo hawai-,
Takeshiro kanokogi.
These watercolors are not conventional
japanese art. but done from the Euro
pean point of view and possess artistic
qualities Of n very high order.
The collection is unique and will prove
one of the most interesting art shows ever
given here.
The artists are young men who contem-
plate further study in Paris, London, MI
mich. and Rome on the termination of
their present American tour.
JAMES HENRY MOSER.