The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09
AMONG THE PAINTERS.

country soon, ~ hs present plan Is carried
out. He expects to sail for England this
month. He has been dined at the Lotos
and Salmagundi clubs an d entertained in
many places In the weeks of his stay here.
Al Louis Tiffany" reception. in his most
curious Of studios, the other evening, Mr..
Abbey frightened the conversation In an
unwonted degree, which was noted and
has been passed along among the men
largely for tho reason that Mr.. Abbey's
habitual demeanor at some Of the func-
tons designed to make things pleasant
for him here has not been 30 much one OF
enthusiastic participation AZ OF tacit APP
proval. Mr.. Abbey found many friends
waiting to greet him on his return TO the
United States, and he found at the recep-
lions ia his honor many more friends OF his
work anxious TO meet him.
In the conversation incident to his visit.
much speculation has been INDUCED as
10 why. here in his homeland, he has been
reported always as Edwin A. Abbey, X. 4.
While all were glad TO have the American
"A Royal Acadhmician, and many joined the
group Of believers that he will succeed
eventually to the distinction OF that other
American painter who captured the BRITISH.
Benjamin West, and become President OF
tho Royal Academy, many others asked
why, at least while in America, he did not
appear as Edwin A. Abbey, n. A.
The fact is that Mr.. Abbey is not a Ma.
tional Academician, and the reason Tor II
is odd enough. In his first years Of popu-
larity here, 1t will be remembered, the
years Of his first achievements in the art
world, Mr.. Abbey was an illustrator. In
black-and-white illustrations he made his
name INC his fame only a comparatively
few years ago. He went into water color,
exhibiting In the various water color en-
hibitions, and then left New York, having
ever exhibited at the Academy, which
ia to say that he had not exhibited a work
In oils. II IL while abroad that he has de-
veloped into the artist that he is.
One Of the rules OF the National Academy
Of Design for many years was that no
painter should be eligible TO membership
who should not have exhibited some OF
his work in oil. That rule has since been
abrogated, and under The present more
liberal regulations Mr.. Abbey was some
time ago elekted an "A. y. A. or associate
of the National Academy. The next step
would be his election as an Acadefnician,
which will undoubtedly follow in time.
Richard n. Brooke. President Of the
Society Of Washington Artists, has been
in New York looking up works that would
adorn the coming exhibition OF his society.
which is set for March. 1t Is the desire Of
the Washingtonians to ave the forth
coming tAUlDlllOu u very kO'b OlI'' MN
they are e~xerting themselves to that end.
The exhibition will be in the Corcoran
Art Gallery. and in addit ion to the Henri
cycle which the society had for last years
exhibition, one OF the large gale ries has
been accorded to IL for this seasons o
Miss Cecilia Beaux II AT work upon a por-
trait of President Roosevelt's daughter,
which will be completed in time for the
Washington exhibition and will be S hown
there. The character Of Miss Beau1s
work is so well known as to make II In no
wise unsafe to observe that Miss Roosevelt
will be justified in being proud beyond
papa should the portrait ever be- ex-
hibited beside the recently completed one
Of the President, which, unfortunately, Is
stamped foreign made though done
here. Another painting which President
Brooke secured for the Washington exhi-
bi,ion is Irving r. wiles's portrait OF Miss
Julia Marlowe. which had the place OF
honor in the Vanderbilt gallery Of the Fine
Arts Building at the Academy exhibition
just closed.
This portrait Of Miss Marlowe was the
nearest approach to a -sensation,' in the
artists use of the word. which the Academy
or anv other New York exhibition has had
for some years. Among the artists them
selves il was the talk Of the O u from the
time il was first seen, and the art directors
of several Of the magazines promptly asked
leave To reproduce it In carefully done
illust rations. Among others. tho Century,
the Critic and TOuR and Country early re-
uues'ed permission 10 publish reproductions.
John La Fargo, whom his associates h rave
placed at their head as President of the
Society Of American Artists, sald that the
portrait "madc the exhibition. Carleton
Virgins aid In his enthusiasm that II was
"the hest thing ever one in this country
Charles NJ. Shean, the Secretary OF the
Architectural League, called II ore OF the
finest things ever shown here ty an Amci-
lean painter.
These ara merely examples of the eX-
pressions one hears among the painters
themselves George lnness, Jr., in his
admiration OF the work commissioned MIR.
\,iles 10 paint a portrait OF his daughter,
whom his fellow artists describe 6s a beau
tiful young woman. IL remained for so ma
Of the professional critics who do not y amt
10 experience a feeling OF dihidcnce when
they were impelled To praise the portra IL.
But now comes the Art Interchange in its
February issue with "A suggestion that the
painting be snnt abroad TO challenge a
wider attention. Ia an editorial II says:
In the portrait Of Miss MHrlowe, Mr.
Wiles has achieved a distinguished success
and one that places him among the foremost
living portrait painters OF the world. Mr..
Sargent, who is acknowledged the best
portrait painter Of our time, has never
shown anything more just in rendering,
more sympathetic in quality, or more dis-
tinR.iShed in composition. We're
this canyas shown ia London or Paris. where
such things receive greater attention than
here, il would create a genuine sensation
and its painter be flooded with commits
sions for portraits.
The Art Students League, which has &C
cornplished much good work since its organ
ization and has turned out some strong
men, and has successfully governed itself
since it, inception. finds itself now in need
Of an endowment il IL il to go on In tho
career designed. To this end. and with
the aim Of ~arousiug interest among those
able to b. of service ia the creation of an
endowment, the League gave a reception
in the Fine Arts Building on Thursday
evening and exhibited some Of the Work,
in illustration Of former members and
pupils OF the League.
y The exhibits were original drawings
loaned by editors and publishers Of mag
azines and books. Among them were
kenyon CoN's drawings for some Of the
earlier and beautiful covers for McClure's
Magazine. and drawings 10y Robert Blum,
Albert Steiner. Louis Loeb. Howard Pyle
and Howard Chandler Christie.
Once more the irony Of fate, nowhere
more often felt than among artists, vas
revealed last Wednesday evening at the