The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27

| the MesSer landscapes Their subtle
truth and poetic quality appeal strongly
! to ones sense of beauty; particularly is
| this true of the twilight 'Hill Tcp
Lodges which attracted so much atten-
! ton at the last exhibition OF the Society
| OF Washington Artists
Miss Thompsons three exhibits-'yir-
| ginia," a sweet-faced child, smiling out
| at the observer from a dark. strongly
! contrasting. shadowy background-hangs
/ most prominently on the line in the large
/ south gallery Immediately next to Miss
McChesney's portrait of an old man.
! which vas awarded one of the prizes
| Miss Thompsons "Portia," which looked
! 50 stunning in the hemicycle at the Water
| Color Club show in December looks
| coarse in execution, and seems lacking in
| technical refinement. placed as il is in
a small room where it occupies the centre
of wall on the line. 1t is impossible to
get any distance from it, where alone
such a picture can be properly seen and
Judged. Had it only been placed any
where in the Vanderbilt Gallery il must
have made the stirring impression it did
when 1t was publicly exhibited in Wash
ington. Such is the fate that befalls good
things now and then at the great ex-
hbitions. Had this "Portia" been hung in
any number of places on the walls of tie
, Philadelphia show, the ooarseness of
their technique would have made Miss
Thompson's picture seem rather Ie-
strained and delicate in execution than
otherwise. 1t is not only useless, but
unwise to complain-"all things come to
him"-or her-"who waits"
Mr.. Parker Mann. one of the best known
and most influential OF the Washington
artists though he no longer resides here
is represented in Philadelphia by we'll
painted little landscape in oil. 1t is also
well hung, in one of the galleries devoted
to the choicer pictures. At the Academy
while not SO well hung, is a small oil pic
ture by Mr.. Mann painted probably near
Gloucester which is one of the very best
of the smaller landscapes in the exhibit
ton. Mr.. Mann may well be congratu-
lated upon this sincere and very artistic
picture, which recalls those palmy days
of Bolton Jones when he painted "Squam"
with so much sincerity and skill. The
rich green and brown of the dark foliage
in autumn, the purple smoky masses of
leafiess trees, the red and yellow grasses
and weeds. and last of all. the two white
lines of sand where the wheels pillow along
this natural and little travelled road by
the sea combine to make il a very true
transcript of nature at her best. There
is also a fine individual note in this little
thing which is full of promise and Mr.
Mann will successfully develop on these
lines, finally giving rs the big picture !
which Will make hjyI a worthy successor |
to the lamented Eichnell who painted |
similar subjects and whose landscapes are |
just now held in such high esteem. In |
Philadelphia Mr.. Warner shows one Of |
his New York street scenes. II is hung /
on the line and makes a good showing |
but hardly equals in artistic quality some |
former efforts of his in this field.
/ never tire of repeating that an artist !
only learns his exact standing as painter |
by going to the great annual exhibitions |
Of American art, where the best work of |
the year is gathered together. Too often one |
sees some pet picture of his own shoulder /
to shoulder with some better one, and |
after the first shock of disappointment he |
sets himself to the task of finding out why
his picture should have ia len so TO pieces
when 1t reached that company Of can
vases painted by others no less mortal
han himself.
This once settled 20 his satisfaction,
he really earnest, pre- gressive man wan
ier3 off over the gallery to learn what /
he may Of new meti DDS and point of
view OF course, there are ''kickers"
whose good opinion Of thsir own work
has ossiied; they calno; grow. They
ire not 20 be convince; by any authority
Or circumstance of the exact status of /
heir work. These return from great
exhibition mournfully bewaiIing the SUI
- VI NiidNSS iiuSr WHERE Il !
good man don't get nc show as l once
heard a painter say. -.e need not be
TASTED upon them, ana the really good
nan whose work is sighted deserves I'M
United sympathy; but that sort of thing
s too rare to dwell upon here, and is
letter forgotten. II is all important that
me go North 10 these exhibitions Don't
ak about expense; there are men making
ess money than some OF us are who come
ii the way from smaller towns than this
n Illinois and Kansas. 1t is all very
veil TO pursue the even tenor of your way
nd work out individual ideals. but
Michael Angelo at eighty wore on the
ront of his hat-so the story ruus-'T am
till learning" and the place to learn 10
ust now In New York and Philadelphia.
JAMES HENRY MOSER