The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28

and a little more variety of subject
would have produced a better exhibit
| Considered in detail the exhibit seems
| much better than when considered en-
masse. There are a handful of pictures
which may fairly claim to be artistic pro-
ductions of the highest merit. The judges
in making their selections segregated
those photographs which in their mind
possessed conspicuous artistic merit. and
put THEM in a special class" This division
contains about twenty-five pictures, but
ii holds by no means all those which have
conspicuous artistic merit. and IT does
on the contrary, contain some which have
not.
After making casual survey of the pro-
auctions hung on the walls, and stop
ping OIL the second round in front of the
class special, because ii has to recon-
mend it the weight of the judges good
opinion. it is quite likely that the visitor
will find himself before two soft prints.
in a rather subdued shade of red, by
Charles l. Fairman, which are entitled
The Lullaby and Wash Day one
shows a small girl in a big rocking chair,
holding in loving embrace little baby.
The other is an Interior genre scene with
I a woman at a tub of suds as the central
figure, and child in a little rocking
chair as subordinate They are gum
prints, and while not handled techni-
cally as well as they might be, are note
worthy because of the subject and the
treatment In contrast with the majority
OF the genre pictures hung, they are
neither conventional, strained. nor stilted
Detail Is sacrificed to general effect. and
the combination and contrast of masses,
light, and shade, is truly picturesque. In
the class special is another picture by the
same artist. entitled, 'HCmeward.' done
in the same medium. and showing the
same qualities.
quite at the opposite end OF the scale
is a little landscape by John y. Massie.
called The Daisy Field Ii Is all bright
ness and sunshine, and is remarkable first
because of the wonderful yigor and con-
tr:iSt ii possesses, and second. because it
undertakes to study intimately little
corner. something which other land
scapist exhibiting seems to have conSd-
cred profitable. Mr. Massie has, judg-
upon the proper way to treat the land
scape material which is most ready to
hand IN this country. He has succeeded
in using clouds for an artistic effect
Among the sea pictures Charles W. Had
ley deserves thanks for having produced
one so full of feeling as his After the
Storm" 1t is a symphony in brilliant
greys, and though there is not real high
light, almost everything in il seems To
gisten. Ii shows few ships, a few low
houses clustered on the shore. and a
broad eXpanse of ripDled water that
catches the bright grey of the sky and
reflects it from each ripple.
Flower pictures are quite numerous.
md perhaps of this group Cosmos, by
T. A. Mullett, is the best He has repro
duced the dainty white flower remarka-
bly with plenty of softness. yet no sac
riflce of detail. His management OF his
plate has evidently been excellent, for he
sacrifices nothing even in the very lowest
tones. while his middle tones are soft and
transparent.
The most attractive of all the portraits
is Helen" by E. b. Thompson. Helen