Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-31
ART NOTES

f@Se -
Tho Corcoran Gallery was represented at
the sale Of the MarQuand collection Of
paintings In Ney York last week. In the
faint hope that one OF two Of its choice ex-
amples might possibly be brought to Wash
ington-ths pictuyes especially In mind being
Alma Tadema's well-known canvas, en-
titled "A Reading From Homer" It Is a
fine painting. alike IN subject treatment and
size. admirably adapted for a public gallery.
but such hopes as we're entertained came
to naught as SOON al bidding ON It COM
pared for disappointment when little
painting by the. came artist, only by ISL
In size, offered earlier in the evening.
started OF with an initial bid Of 5000. and
1t was knocked down to a New York dealer,
presumably under a commission from a
wealthy customer. And stiil further EVIL
dsnee was anorded In the same direction
81. 200 to q dealer who crossed the Atlantic
to attend the sale, and who said afterward
that he would have paid much more If nee
the Reading From Homer was put up the
gallery entered the lists: but it soon became
apparent that with its limited means, it
had no chance IN a contest with multi
difference whether a painting costs forty or
fifty thousand dollars more or less. and
who. in fact. rather prefer to give the
larger figure. for the eclat gained thereby.
Every bid the gallery made was promptly
advanced an even thousand dollars until
the sum Of 10000 was reached. when it
was deemed useless to continue the struggle
longer. and the prize was awarded to the
same dealer who bought the smaller Tade-
ma canvas. But even had the gallery zone
farther the result would, have been the
same. for 1t was afterward stated that its
fn hov y>3o
at any price. 'se{ ~
But II the committee left the auction room
empty-handed and in gloomy spirits, the
gallery wdl yet be enriched considerably,
Tor four oil paintings Of marked interest
and merit and a striking water color were
secured from other sources. Perhaps the
most important. II not the most pleasing,
of these Is portrait Of Bismarck by Lem
bach. who by common consent stands with
the first portrait painters of the period,
and who gave his very best efforts to this
work. 1t does not show the great chancel-
ior IN uniform and gilded helmet, looking
oena a,ILy INTO inc future, as Lenbach fire.
quentiy portrayed him, but represents him
late in .Hfe-in fact, as he appeared at
Fredericksruh. where It was, painted, in
Civilian costume. or. rather, in a hunters
dress. wearing cap and spectaces and
gazing, as It WERE. back into the past with
the dim and sad eyes Of old age.
Another OF the new acquisitions Is a large
and Characteristic interior. by Josef Israels,
the eminent Dutch painter Of domestic life.
It has all the artistic quality Of "Alone in
the World" by this artist. which, 1t viii be
remembered. was one Of the great features
OF the art department in the Chicago Co.
lumbian Exposition. But II is more pleas
Ing subject, and Is therefore the better
fitted for place In public gallery That
showed the sad side OF LIE, in the grief
stricken husband sitting mutely and IN de-
spadr by the dead body of his wife; this
shows the hopeful 1ide, in a happy mother
engaged in simpler dulles, sitting by the
side Of her healthy babe lying in a cradle.
in the gallery there can hardly be doubt.
NN
The other two OH paintings acquired were
large. bright. breexy early summer day
landscape. by Jul4An Xix. and an antithesis
to this is IA Lonely Road" by Ben Foster,
showing by a twilight. or rather pale moon
light effect, a roadway through a dense
forest. Both are fine in quality and subject.
and will be counted as desirable accessions
to the gallery's collection Of works by lead
ing American ARTISTS
= X ~
For the proposed water color room in the
gallery fine example BY winslow Homer
was secured. It represents a couple of lum-
oermen engaged dn logging in a turbulent
mountain stream, and at first sight It Is
pretty certain to be regarded by most OBJ
servers as hard and almost brutal in its
portrayal of figures, landscape and accesso-
ries; but 1t Will improve with acquaintance.
and Is likely to become a favorite in the
end.
The Japanese artists who have been hold
Ing an exhibition in the hemicycle have
from commercial standpoint, scored an
other success-over q third Of their entire
collection being sold by Thursday, the
closing day. Through an imperfect knowl-
edge either Of English or Japanese on the
part OF the artist or writer 1t was incor-
rectly stated in this column last week that
these artists were two of the six who had
previously exhibited here, whereas, in fact
they are the students lately arrived In this
country from Japan on their way to the
art schools of Paris. where they purpose
spending five or six years in study. 3
*
Inc next attraction in the hemicycle will
be the annual exhibition Of the Society Of
Washington Artists, which will open on
February 8. Yesterday and today were
designated for the reception of exhibits
and those In authority are feeling more
than confident that the show will be we'll
up 10 the standard. The responses from
out or town have been general and encour-
aging, and at least twenty-five Of the fore
most American painters will be represented
as well as our own local artists.
X *
AT the same time that out-of-town artists
are sending their pictures here for exhibit.
ton, the local painters are contributing to
notable out-of-town ANNALS. In the Penn
sylvania Academy. now in progress In the
Fine Arts building in Philadelphia which Is
reckoned the biggest art event4ef the year,
Mr.. Helmick, Mr.. Moser. Mr.. Child, Mr.
Max Weyl. Mrs. Kirkham and Miss Frances
L. Thomson Cto say nothing of George
Gibbs and Mrs. Alice Archer Sewall James,,
ara all credifahlxc renresanted Tho La Ut