Evening star., 1901-11-02
AR T N OF E S

>>o AAoiS AhtCiSSSiIS SAAibit1oN oL the
works of one artist has been held in Wash
ington of late years than that of paintings
by Mrs. A. c. Barney, which opens in the
Hemfcycle of the Corcoran Gallery on
Monday. The collection consists of fifty
five exhibits-just enough to make one row
around the entire wall-and is composed
chiefly of work done during Mrs. Barneys
recent sojourn in Paris With the eXcep-
ton of two tiny landscapes, they are all
portraits or figure studies. One was ex-
hibited at the Royal Academy of 1900 and
two have been previously shown here, but
the rest are exhibited now for the first
time In character they are altogether un-
usual, and from point of merit many Of
them rank with the best work of the mod
ern school.
Mrs. Barney was formerly a pupil of
Carolus Duran, and has lately studied un-
der Whistler. Moreover, she has known
and worked with many Of the other great
painters of the present day. There is per-
haps CLINT Of Vedder, or of Dewing or
suggestion of the late English painters
in some Of her work, but it is without cues
ton thoroughly individual. 1t is almost
masculine In strength and force. and mas
terly In its directness and simplicity, hut
1t is more than all these, for it has added
to it greater depth and meaning, a soul
fulness and poetic charm which is readily
felt, but not easily explained. Mrs Barney
gives us poetic interpretations of people,
as well as portraits and symbolical COM
position Her women are not idea lied
beauties, but rather beautiful from ex-
preston, from real womanliness and char
acter. The intense personality Of the men
and women whom she portrays is, indeed,
one of the most striking features of her
lost sight of in it, and yet that they have
not been forgotten is abundantly testified
by the half dozen or SO of simple studies
In pastels which are shown-studies made
nyffh ca
much knowledge that they must prove yery
attractive to artists and students
There are in the collection few real por-
traits The one of Miss H" a long, mar
row panel, which occupies the central DO
sition on the fiat wall, is one Of the most
striking and notable. Next to it is a small
one Of Mr. B" which was executed i'm a
little over an hour. and is a most excellent
likeness. To the left of the door is a nor
trait Of the artist herself, which is very
admirable, and nearby hangs the one of
Miss H" which has been for some time
In the Corcoran Gallery proper. These are
all done with much force and strong mod
cling. They are widely different from the
customary set portrait possessing the same
ease and action that pervades the other
more fanciful paintings and also the liter
alneSS and truth that are demanded Of a
portrait With these, therefore, should be
considered her delightful picture of a
large-eyed little lad, probably street mu-
sician, with his mandolin In his lap; and
creations will be found to come the por-
trait sketch of a young girl holding the
same graceful instrument. To the group of
illustrative interpretations belong several
studies in monochromes-one In deep reds
another in purple blues, and two in yellows,
golden and mellow. In one case it is the
head Of a young brunette that is seen in
profile against the vaporous color; in an
other maiden with golden hair, and in an
other woman haggard with years and
misunderstanding the lines by Miss Barney,
which may be found on it's frame:
"In thy blue veins a subtler poison runs than
slaves have drunk and died Of thy
hair with blood of many and lusts is red and
thy gold bodys tinged with the spent glory Of
million suns. :"
1t Is a weird creation-one such as we
would look for in the east or from the
hand of Vedder.
In somewhat the same strain is the panel
| occupying the position Of honor on the
semi-circular wall, which represents the
woman, spoken Of in the twelfth chapter
of Revelations. clothed with the sun and
the moon under her feet. and upon her
head a crown Of twelve stars" fleeing
from the great red dragon. 1t Is an am
bilious painting, and the painter has proved
herself equal to her task, but, though 1t Is
deeply interesting. 1t cannot be so gener-
ally pleasing as the Quieter subjects. which
possess sufficient strength and much beauty
and are mysterious enough to suggest the
very stun that dreams are made Of"
1t Is In all q remarkable exhfbition-one
that the painters viii surely appreciate,
and the general public Iike-for IL pes
sesses not only genuine merit, but also