Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-18
A R T N O TES.

An interesting addition has been made
| this week to the print departments exhi-
bftion at the Library of Congress, In an
original drawing by Whistler, the property
| of Mr. A. j. Parsons. 1t is the preliminary
sketch for the Rica etching. the trial proof
and first state of which are placed beside
| IT. and Is chiefly interesting as an illustra-
ton Of the great etcher's method of work
ing. At glance 1t seems to be merely
! few lines. arbitrarily placed. with little or
| no definite meaning. but upon examination
| they fall into orderly groups. showing I'M
DERIVING thought and purpose. 1t is only
| the scafolding upon which the artist built.
and was certainly never intended for the
enlightenment Of any save himself. for
whom 1t was sufficient. There is appar-
emily not line too many or too few. A
recent writer has said that composition Is
the art Of eliminat ton. and never does this
truism seem to have more force than when
studying Whistlers work His etchings
OF The Salute-Dawn'' and The Little
Putney.' which are to be found comp2 ra-
lively near the Rica drawing. among those
recently added. are both notable on account
of their marvellous simplicity. Each has
been done with few strokes. yet possesses
the completeness of a finished drawing,
convey vivid impression of air and light.
The Doorway" and The Palace which
may also be reckoned among the best,
show. on the other hand. the etchers ability
to elaborate when in his Judgment the sub
ject demanded 1t. These, with several of
the Venice set and few others, have
placed the Cameron etchings. which for
some months occupied the last two cases in
the southwest gallery, so that room is now
entirely given over to the work of the two
greatest modern etcherS Whistler and Sey
mour Haden. Both collections are Un-
usually comprehensive, we'll selected and
admirably arranged. and 1t will be long be-
fore the public will again have such an
opportunity for studying the work of either.
Miss Sands has just finished a portrait
study in pastels. which is uncommonly in
teresting and good. The subject is a dark
haired woman with clear, brilliant COM
plexion and hazel eyes. The background Is
rich, deep red and the gown, which is
open at the throat is of a coppery hue. In
color it is delightful and in modelling
strong. The pose is graceful and easy, yet
suggestive of animation. The material is
cleverly and skillfully handled, and the
whole is very spirited and artistic.
:, );
In out-of-town places this has been any
thing but suspicious summer for the
artists, the climate in the northern resorts
being far too chilly to allow much com
Portable out-of- door work. High winds
| and, worse STILL long periods of fog pre-
vailed on the coast, that many of he
painters whose vacations were limited have
returned with almost empty portfolios and
a feeling of having been defrauded of their
rightful harvest season.
Miss Grace f. Atwater who was at Ogon-
quit, Me-, the entire summer was, however.
fortunate enough to find a goodly number
of available working hours and has brought
back with her quite a collection Of water
colorS to show for her holiday months.
They are chiefly broad views showing
strong color and vigorous handling which
carry with them a Whit of the ocean and
suggestion of the bigness of nature One
pictures some sand-dunes against sap
phire sea and sky; another gives view of
a bit Of headland whose evergreens and
scanty bushes are being ruthessly tossed
about by roilicking offshore breeze; two
are Of the 1owiands near the coast where
the grass and weeds have crept over the
fiat gray rocks to the very waters edge.
zlingly bright. More serious, somber and
difficult, though no less clever. Is picture
of a large. old-fashioned New England
| house. In all the tidiness Of white paint
and green shutters, seen behind and
through some great trees, which for many
years must have given it shade and shelter.
An old sailor sitting In the doorway of his
workshop mending his fishing tackle is also
an interesting and careful study and one
that will doubtless find many friends The
foreground. which is the interior of the
house, is in heavy shadow. whereas beyond
through the open door, the world seems to
be fairly stepped in sunshine
X
Mr.. E. H. Miller and his family spent the
| summer at their home in the Catskills and
have but recently returned to the city.
Cold, rainy weather interfered considerably
with Mr.. Miller's usual out-of-door work
but in spite of this he painted number of
pictures Of the nearby country in water
colors, and got together quite collection
Of pencil sketches for future reference.
Notable among the former is view of a
sloping pasture and wooded hollow, beyond
which is green-gray hillside and a purple
mountain. 1t is late afternoon, and the fore
ground lies In shadow. though the sun still
tips the edge Of the wood and gilds the dis
tant fields. Much of the mystery and maj
esty of the mountain scenery has found it's
way into this picture. 1t is very atmos-
pheric and restful. The pencil sketches,
too, are exceedingly interesting. In them