Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
ART NOTES

There is surprising amount of good
work in the Corcoran School exhibition,
which opened in the gallery on Thursday
afternoon. Student work, to be sure, but
of a sturdy. meritorious character, which
claims attention and calls forth apprecia-
ton wherever it is shown, displaying to
the trained eye, correct aims, hard work.
and. at the bottom. real ability. The ex-
hibit is large and comprehensive, including
not only the best, but fair representation
of all the work which has been done in the
school during the past year. Its arrange
ment is somewhat varied from that of
former seasons, the hemicycle hall contain
ing exclusively the work in color,-aquarelles
and Oil paintings, the life, antique and
other monotint drawings being placed in
the upper atrium.
Facing the stairs hung the sixteen
groups of drawings entered in competition
for the gold and bronze medals. to which,
naturally, the chief interest is attached.
Each of these consists of three drawings
from life and three from casts, and all
are lettered rather than signed. Rarely
has competition been more sharply con-
tested or honors more evenly divided. The
groups marked HI" II" * and Il"
are ny VINO nave won honorable
mention in previous competitions and each
possesses decided merits. The group mark
ed m is notably fine. showing excellent
construction, unusual feeling for form, and
good technique: and those bearing the let
tiers "B," &c" and &c" likewise show
strong characteristics. Passing from group
TO group one is impressed with the intelli-
gent understanding generally displayed,
but, at the same time, with the unevenness
of each students work. There are mani
feStationS in ALL however. of long careful
study, with evidence that each has been
allowed liberty of expression and encour-
aged in the development of personality.
On Thursday afternoon the awards were
announced as follows:
The gold medal to Miss Meta Craig for
the group of drawings marked M, the
bronze medal to Mr.. Martin C. Hoff for the
group marked K. honorable mention to
James II. Daugherty and John N Perkins
for the respective exhibits P and G, and
commentator for the work of Miss Rachel
Thompson, L, and Miss Sarah B. Hen
bricks. Fl, who having been previous honor
winners. were not eligible for mention Miss
Helen Castle was awarded the water color
prize of $50 in gold and Miss E. Haney,
Miss Clara Saunders and Miss Francis
Whiting, honorably mentioned.
The jury of award was composed of
Messrs George w MAYNARD and c. Y.
Turner of New York, both National Acad-
emicians. and e. F. Andrews of this city,
former director of the school.
To become a competitor for these medals
1t is necessary for a student to have been
enrolled upon the class books of the school
for two consecutive years. There is. there
fore, quite large collection of non-com-
peting drawings. Conspicuous among these
are those by Miss Ruth Heilprin, former
pupil of the local Art League, which won
for her recently the second scholarship In
the New York Art Students Leagues an
nual open competition, and that they well
merited the honor they themselves best
testify.
The work of the antique class which has
been under the direction of Miss Mueden,
occupies the north wall of the atrium, and
is simple, strong, and progressive; while
that of the portrait, draped-iife, and COM
position classes (under the direction of Mr..
Messer and Mr.. Brooke which is to be
found on the east and west walls is
thoughtful and gives an earnest of faithful
study.
With these, though done outside of the
school, is a series of pencil sketches by
Miss Constance c. White, of a lion and
lioness, which go far beyond the range of
ordinary student efforts. In artistic feeling
and nicely of line they are exceedingly at
tractive and scientifically they are extra
ordinarily correct.
To the casual visitor, however, the hemi
cycle with its dainty water-colors and pic
turesque canvases will be of greater inter
est Upon entering, the first impression,
arising from the number and character of
the exhibits, is of confused mass of color,
but later this is lost in consciousness of
tasteful arrangement and harmonious
grouping. On the semi-circular wall are
hung in three rows, without frames, thirty
five still-life, and but few less portrait
studies in oil, which have been done during
the past winter in the classes conducted by
Mr.. Brooke and Mr.. MeSser, respectively.
The first class is comparatively a recent
institution in the school; and shows surpris-
ing results. The compositions are in them
selves uncommonly interesting, and in the
majority of cases they have been rendered
with exceeding skill. Miss Heilprin Miss
Ida Crawley, and Miss Lightfoot each show
a number of excellent studies of vegetables
and still-life objects, which are both broad
ly and thoughtfully painted and are atmos-
pherfc and artistic in effect. All the work
shown is good and worthy of commenda-
ten, but that by NJ. C. Appler A. L. Sew
ell, Alta West, Sarah Wright and B. b.
Weaver is specially notable.
The portrait studies are generally less in
teresting. In these the students had a
harder problem to solve. but some have
done it well. The work is academic strong
and promising, and the class as a whole is
well represented both here and in the black
and white section.
The exhibit of the water-coIor class
which for several years has been under the
direction of Mr.. James Henry Moser, oc-
cupies the fiat wall, and surpasses in guam
tity and quality all It's former displays
About two hundred studies of flowers and
still life have been got together and hung
without mats or frames, on the dark red