Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-07
A r T N o T E S .

An engraving of the Durer arch, belong
ing to the Bradley COLLECTION, has lately
been placed on exhibition in the Congress
sonal Library. 1t is ten feet six inches high
by nine feet wide, and was designed by
Durer to proclaim the triumph of MaXimil-
ian l. Patterned considerably after the
triumphal arches of ancient Rome, it has
three gates or entrances, named respective
ly Honor and Power, Praise and Nobility,
above which rise three great towers. Its
entire surface is completely covered by
series of pictures and categorical designs
purposng to set forth the glory and power
of the German emperor ruler and man.
Over the main gate rises Maximilian's
genealogical tree, by which his ancestry is
traced back to Clodovic the Great, and on
either side are twenty-four pictures illus
tratng the important events in the mon
archs life, with an explanatory verse in
doggereI rhyme by Stabius above each.
These verses are a potent part of the de-
sign, being cut in the wood and making in
telligible the pictures, which, though exc
cuted with great skill and accuracy, need
the given key for proper appreciation.
Harpies and armed knights represent con-
quered temptations and victory over moral
enemies, and no opportunity of space seems
to have been lost in carrying out the gem
eral scheme of laudation.
1t has been aptly said, however, that the
triumph this really represented was that of
wood engraving. 1t was originally in nine
tO-twO plates, and it is estimated that its
execution took Hleronymus (Who Neudorfer
tells us was the engraver about four Years.
That Macmillan himself was deeply inter
ested in it is easily to be believed and that
his untimely death prevented it's designer
receiving the 200 forms for his work and
it's immediate publication are matters of
history. Durer was, however granted per-
mission to use it for his own benefit. and
at once he published twenty-one of the his
torical pictures in a large round WOodcut
which proved sufficiently popular to pass
through four editions The complete de-
sign was first printed in 1853, at the request
of Archduke Ferdinand, the grandson of
Macmillan, and again in 1893 it again
published by Adam Bartsch. the art critic
In the meantime some of the plates were
lost and others Joined together, SO that it is
now extremely difficult to obtain com
plete copy, and even in museums the whole
is rarely shown except in sections.
X x
The Water Color Clubs sixth annual ex-
hibiton in the hemicycle of the Corcoran
Gallery has been the most important event
of the week. The pictures are of kind
that wear well-that improve upon &C
quaintance, so that those who visit the gal
lery twice are more than inclined to go
again. Some who enthusiastically admired
same gallery last spring have been sur
prised to discover here among the work Of
our local painters equally as poetic, pic
turesque and unique interpretations. rem
dered with cOnSummate technical skill
| and even greater force and individuality.
All join in pronouncing the display an
artistic success, and none who enjoy or ap-
preciate pictures Of real merit should miss
viewing 1t.
The exhibition will be open, free to the
public until the 18th of the month on week
days from am. to pm: Tuesday and
Saturday evenings from to 10, and on
Sundays from to pm.
A substantial compliment has been paid
the work of Miss Rachel Thompson by the
purchase of her clever water color sketch
of crab shown in the Water Color Clubs
exhibition by Mr.. Mcclure, the director of
the Corcoran Gallery. The force, freshness
and individuality with which this artist
student has handled her subject testify both
to the fact that the compliment was well
deserved and to her unusual ability, as well
as promising better accomplishment in the
future.
x
Four new and exceedingly interesting pic
lures have just been received at the Fischer
Gallery, water color by Kever, two land
scapes by Richard Wilson and portrait by
Albert Lynch. The Kever pictures an hum
BILE interior as background for three peas
ant children-a little brother and sister
playing with a baby in a rude wooden
cradle between them. 1t is done in the
broadcast Dutch manner, but possesses a
touch of that sweet homely sentiment with
which Kever is wont to invest all of his
peasant paintings. The landscapes are
more out of the ordinary, being superb ex-
amples of the work of Richard Wilson, one
of the founders of the English landscape
school. They are large canvases, showing
classical and somewhat conventional COM
positions. Dark foliage is shown to the
| right and left in the foreground, with an