Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
A R 7 N 0 T ES.

| While the majority of the artists are
| laying aside palettes and brushes for
! season o. recreation, Mr.. Carl Gutherz is
| beginning large and important work
which will probably engage all of his time
| and keep him closely confined in his town
| studio until autumn. This commission con-
| sists OF series of mural decorations for
the Peoples (Unitarian) Church in St. Paul,
| Mimi, which was destroyed by fire a year
| or more ago and has just been rebuilt.
| There are to be four large, panel canvases,
each twenty feet high. Two are to occupy
| the spandrel-shaped spaces either side of
| the organ arch, which faces the congrega-
| ton, and the others will cover the remain
ing portion of the wall at the extremity of
| the side galleries. In a word the design
comprehends the entire interior front of
| the edifice.
| Mr.. Gutherz has made careful sketches
| for these paintings and though in detail
many changes will probably be made in
| the development of the work, a very
cellent idea Of the general scheme can be
obtained from them. The panels which
follow the lines of the organ arch are to
| Symbolic life and Immortality. Record
ing angels stand at the lower part of each
canvas; one writing in the Great Book
the deeds done in this world, the other
holding the volume closed and sealed. A
suggestion of the struggle of the soul and
the eternal joy and bliss of the triumphant
will be given and the two are to be so
closely connected in thought that they will
appear continuous The large canvases
Ranking these and separated from them
only by oak pilasters will be less spiritual,
but equally as symbolic. The one to the
right of the congregation is to signify
beneVolence, while the one to the left
stands for liberty in religious thought. Fee
male figures unfolding standards are prom
inent features in both, and in the latter the
ancient religions will be suggested by
architectural forms in the background and
portraits of men whose names have be-
come synonymous for religious liberty will
be introduced in the foreground The color
scheme is brilliant, yet charmngly har-
moniOus AS the woodwork of the church
is oak Mr.. Gutherz has chosen a luminous
yellow possessing much the quality of gold
as his keynote, though opalescent vaporous
| tones will prevail.
Around the arched frame of the organ
| the colors of the spectrum will appear in
| their regular order in small panels and the
! organ itself will be made to carry out the
| scheme. The stained glass windows. which
occupy the greater portion of the side walls
| have also been taken into consideration in
| forming the design, and in color and COM
| position are thoroughly harmonious. This
| is quite a new phase of ecclesiastical art,
| possessing deeper, more subtle symbolism
| than even that of the Byzantine era. 1t is
as far removed from the pre-Raphaelite
realism as it is from the religious pictures
of the cary renaissance 1t might. indeed.
be called the poetry of painting. Mr..
Gutherz himself has done much toward de-
velopng this branch of art and there is
none better fitted to execute work in this
strain.
Miss Leila J. Foote has gone to East Au-
rora, n. y, to study bookbnding as fine
art under Mrs. Conner. the wife of the
Roycroft sculptor. ''St, Gerome.'' who is
herself a pupil of Louis Kinder, the great
German binder of books. She will spend
the entire summer and early fall in this
little northern village but intends return
ing in time to resume her studies at the
league in the design class, of which she re-
Gently won the only scholarship offered
Miss Foote has been for some time past
very specially interested in the appropriate
binding of books. both from the designers
and craftsman standpoint.
:: x
Before Mr.. Hobart Nichols left for his
vacation trip to Maine he painted number
of little water colors which thor
oughly meritorious and interesting that
they will probably appear in some of next
years ANIMALS. Several are marines and
one is wood interior. All serious,
simple, yet studied, rich in tonal quail
ties, poetry and mystery. OF the marines
one is specially notable. 1t is a nocturne
radiant with the light of an unseen moon.
A two-masted schooner, with its dingy be-
side it, and a smaller sailing vessel near
by lie at anchor on an apparently limit
less, unruffled sea. 1t is half rugged, and a
dazzling light shines the port side. Rest,
silence and peace seem to reign supreme.
The wood interior is a more elaborate
study. grove Of sturdy oaks is pictured
at close range, SO that their moss-grown,
rugged trunks are more prominent than the
tight knotted foliage. a luminous, warm
sunset has been used as a background. and
N,l,,
density mingles POLITICALLY with the chill
evening mist which is already rising, The
effect of distance, of atmosphere and light
is admirably produced, and the manner of
handling is as forceful and unique as it is
clever. that this picture may well be
classed among the best work that Mr..
Nichols has yet accomplished
Miss Sands has just finished strong,
spirited portrait study in pastels of a young
girl with auburn hair, wearing loose cop
per-colored gown, which she clasps to-
gether on her breast with white, shapely
hand The pose is full of action and the
expression is somewhat intense The back
ground, a dark, almost indelible, green,
throws the figure into strong relief and
accents the richness of the coloring. In
execution It possesses dash and viriity, and
as a painting it is sincere and true. Miss
Sands left the city on the first of July for
several months vacation a part of which
will probably be spent on the Long Island
coast.
In spite of the summer exodus, the little
art reading room at the Library of Con-
gress has been well patroniZed during the
past month, as many out-of-town teachers
have awaited themselves of the exceptional
opportunities it offers for research and
study in all subjects pertaining to art. 1t
Is interesting and somewhat surprising to
| discover what diversity Of subjects are
being studied in this line, and the number
of these readers from other cities Is an evil
dence not only of the value Of this depart
ment, but also of how universally the his
tory Of art has been within the last few
years established as a regular course in
schools all over this country, and the in
creasing interest in it. A collection Of re-
cent photographs of Mt. Pelee and the Is
land of Martinique has lately been acquired
by the print division of the Library, which
is at present occupied with the arrange
ment of a most interesting exhibition Of
historic books and bindings.