The Washington times., 1902-02-02

tances in Innes' later landscapes were
based on an exact knowledge OF distant
realities. 1t is probable that fnnes was
insensitive to temporary influences; in
huenced, OF course, as all good painters
are, by masters who have preceded them
but intent still upon an ever feeting and
personal ideal Il would seem TO be the
man who can resist. or. IL you please, is
insensitiye to passing influences. who is
enabled to outlast school. Winsiow
Homer is a notable example Of this i'm
perviousEess to influences that do not
concern him or his art and today. when
the painters assemble to receive the
honors of International salons. We find
Ninslow Homer distinguished with his
more youthful competitors.
There are fashions in art but great
art is superior to such vieissitudes. being
based in fundamental and therefore en-
during truth. Rembrandt and velasqueZ
are not Old masters, for they appeal to
us as well as to their contemporaries
fhe secret Of immortality would seem to
be getting in touch with permaEencies
and the whole world is kin so far as it
! concerns its great men.
There is considerable fruitless discus
sion as to the Importance of school train
/ ing, and We shall find a good deal Of pref
udice among successful painters against
I academies. II is true that masters in all
professions are TO great degree indie
pendent OF schools. III a man is born to
greatness il Is not worth while trying to
thrust greatness upon him. But it is also
true that art is long, the processes OF
painting difficult OF mastery. good
craftsmanship thing to be striven for.
I and even the genius might find his road
shortened by iudicious school training.
( The difficulty is that the academy becomes
pedantic. takes pride in its formulated
! processes, and makes hard and fast rules
for all men IL comes to be committed
to conventions. Jealous of innovations
and loses the sense OF the relative impor-
/ tance of truths The painters OF enduring
reputation knew what not to know. refus-
ing to burden themselves with Ineffective
information. The schools should teach
the student not to know as we'll as to
know, and should recognize the futility OF
[ trying to impose dead issues on live men.
We say the man does not grow old vino
keeps his spirit young. Art viii not grow
old If its spirit is kept alive.
Mr. Walter King Stone has a commits
sioS. from the publishers of McClure's
A., Magazine TO make four covers for the
! magazine. Mr.. Stone has selected the
! four seasons as his motives. He has fin
/ ished the one for Summer and it is
an excellent example of his art.
His point CT view is decorative and
the SUBJECT Is treated III SlI0pie udl TONES
which lend themselves very readily to
reproduction by she photo-mechanicaI
processes. Treating landscape in simple
fat tones, conventionaliZing it rather
than attempting realism, is not original
with Mr. Stone. but there is a decided
personal element in his work that is
spontaneous and gratifying. 1t is not
great art, but it is beautiful art and
may evolve bigger. more thoughtful and
profound quality as Mr.. stone grows old
er and more experienced; ne is young
and virile, his standard is high. he has
temperament, rs everything he does
shows a strong poetic feeling, and his
principles are sound, so we have every
reason to predict very bright future
for him.
Max Weyl has just returned from New
York. where he visited, after attending
the opening of the Pennsylvania Academy.
He spent some time in the National Acad-
emy exhibition, which is being held for
the first time in the Fifty-seventh Street
galleries. Mr. Weyl was very much
pleased with the exhibition. and says it
compares very favorably with the Penn
sylvania Academy exhibition.
The ocean in all its phases, storm
tossed. calm, under lowering sky or
scintillating in the summer sum- attracts
Mr.. Ray more. perhaps, than any other
aspect of nature. Last summer he spent
some time at Gloucester. Mass, and he
now has in his studio many sketches and
studies which are the result of his So
journ.
He has recently completed a picture
that was painted from one of these
sketches. 1t represents 4 schooner rock
ing gently at her moorings. Her anchor
lights are lighted and in the distance one
may see the twinkle of the lights of other
vessels. 1t is night. and the whole scene
is flooded in light given by the great full
moon, which is majestically rising behind
the tall mast of the schooner. The tone
of the whole picture is blue. It represents
one Of those beautiful blue nights that
every one must remember to have OBJ
ssr'k from time to time. 1t is quiet
aud niled with the sentiment of the hour.
The Society of Washington Artists are
making every effort to surpass the high
standard OF last year in their Forthcoming
annual. 1t is not an easy task to induce
artists of other cities to send their
work to Washington.
The reasons for this Indifference might
be summed up by saying that there is
nothing in it for them. The prizes offered.
which are a great encouragement and
stimulus 20 local painters because they
indicate an interest IN art, are not much
OF an inducement to the big painters of
other cities. Thousands of dollars are
annually offered in the four important
exhibitions held in New York. Thousands
are offered annually at the Pittsburg eX-
hibition; at Philadelphia. and some of the
Western cities large amounts are awarded
meritorious paintings, SO the few hun
dred dollars which our city offers becomes
unimportant to the outsider.
The inadequate facilities for showing
pictures is another great drawback The
light in the Hemicycle is poor. and very
often an excellent picture looks only in
differently well when shown there. This
and the fact that the line space is so
limited is a great obstacle in the way OF
procuring outside work. Lastly. but by
no means the least discouraging feature.
is the lack OF patronage. We have no pic
ture-b buying public here
The two local societies generally lose
money on every exhibition they hold.
The commission on sales seldom amounts
to enough to pay for the necessary
printing. and there are other and heavier
expenses connected with such exhibitions.
But in the face OF all these upfavorable
conditions, the society is determined to
increase its standard and show examples OF
the best art that the country Is producing.
\ committee has been appointed OF
members of The society who have large
acquaintance among the strongest paint
ers OF other cities and by personal solicit
tation the society expects an important
reinforcement from the outside at its
forthcoming annual.
LIES AVERAGE.