Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
ART NOTES

fngton, primarily employed in painting the
official portrait of the President, was pri-
vately shown in the " G. Fischer gallery
this week, and the portrait which he paint
ed of General Leonard Wood at the same
time has just been placed on exhibition In
the loan collection of the Corcoran Gal
lery. These portraits, while smaller than
that OF the President. are equally as char
acteristic, and as masterfully rendered.
There is an imperious seif-confidence in
MIR. Sargents technical manner which in a
measure challenges criticism and forbids
comparisons brutal virility which is as
attractive as it is overpowering. 1t is this
which distinguishes his work, which places
him on an eminence alone. Other men have
made as good likenesses and have painted
as good, or better, pictures but none has
done it in this way. Feats of strength are
always more or less inspiring, and in the
manipulation of his tools Sargent is giant
Compare his portraits with those of the old
masters, take their measure and note their
shortcomings-cal it craft if you willard
yet that element which makes them great
remains. To students and his fellow-artists
these portraits, with their simple construc-
uon and free handling. are more than ordi-
narily instructive and inspiring. In color
they are remarkably true. and each is in
whom 1t portrays.
VI the three portraits painted in Wash
lngton the one of the Secretary of State is
most complete and satisfactory. There
painters skill has wavered or his brush
slurred. The rendering of the sitters hand
IS specially notable, expressing only less
t character and individuality than the face
Inc portrait of General Wood is more con-
ventional and less striking The pose is
commonplace and the color not so strong
wonderful skill is displayed in the painting
OF the fuil-dress uniform. which has been
mace entirely unobtruSve In bold clear
outlines the head in which all the interaSt
IS centered, stands away from the back
ground, yet keeps well within the frame At
snort snort range the medium is strongly in evil
uence, but at distance it is comnIeteIv
obl1terated by the result
AS d work of art one may justly esteem
more mighty Rembrandt, a Romney or q
n aasoufn, put as demonstration of the
po,a ~ VI PANT 10 interpret character, none
can uehy the tremendous impressiveness of
Sargent portrait
An interesting collection of "copley
linus IS on exhibition at Veerhoffs Re-
PRODUCTIONS OF many of the best known
modern works are shown, some of which
WIN NC seen LOT the first time in this city
Among these are the recently completed
viz LILLY ITdll series Dv e. A
ABBEY and Safgents Dogma of the Re-
demption' for the Boston Public library
Ihere are also copies of John w. AIexan-
oer Famous mural decorations, of Vedder's
work. OF the painting by Israel which was
lately acquired by the Corcoran Gallery
Oh irving W1les' portrait of Julia MarIoyye
ana Mrs. Coxs Little Miss Churchill "
Whlch evoked much admiration in the last
a a.s ,' exhibition. besides host of 9TH
"a
Next week there will in addition. be on
eAhloltlon IN the same gallery a collec-
tlon OF miniatures by Mr. Hugh Nicholson
OF Baltimore. who Is a member of the
LONDON Society of Miniature Painters.
A rarely good opportunity to compare the
Dutch and Italian methods of genre paint
ing Is now offered by collection of can
vases on exhibition in the Morrey gallery
on q street where the broad. freely rem
dered domestic scenes of de Hoog, Kever
and Ter Meulen are hung side by side with
the detailed. superficial and more generally
preferred pictures Of Firenzo Andreotta
and PetrOcelli.
There Is also on exhibition at the same
place a collection Of nine, tiny oil sketches
by Everett Warner. They are only five by
eight inches In dimensions, and are framed
in narrow walnut molding, without mat or
glass. One is a bit of city seen on a
misty day. with church spire looming I'D
against murky sky; one is a snowy road;
another shows group of lighthouses and
their reflections in the water whereas a
fourth gives glimpse Of rolling country
lover the hills and far away" None is
complex or more than it pretends to be-a
quick sketch-but each Is infused with ar
tistic feeling and shows the touch of one
who understands.
X *
Some months ago, in running over the ac-
cumulated work of the pupils of his water
color class at the Corcoran Art School, Mr..
Moser selected a number Of studies for
which he offered to exchange sketches OF
his own. Such exchanges are not uncommon
between artists. but between teacher and
pupil they are more rare. and the offer car
ried with it a very substantial compliment.
On Wednesday, therefore, when Mr. Moser
appeared in the class room with his port
folio of promised sketches there was pleas
ant flutter of excitement and anticipation.
For those who had given a number of
studies there were two in return, and for
the rest one apiece The sketches were
small, but good and characteristic, and col
lectively represented considerable outlay
of time and labor. Each had been care
fully mounted and thoughtfuly selected
with reference to the recipients taste ana
preference. Such fellowship between in
structor and students is not only laudable
and delightful, but bound to be productive
of good results.
x x
One of Mr.. Moser's pictures-a familiar
scene on the canal-which was exhibited and
sold in Washington last year, has for the
past six months been the cause of no little
vexation to a New York art dealer in
whose hands it had been placed by its
owner, Mr.. Collin Armstrong, for framing.
It happened that just about that time the
dealer moved his establishment to 5th ave-
nue., and in SO doing the water color was
lost. The theory seems to be that 1t was
stolen, so after fruitless search leafiet
showing a half-tone Of the straying work
and an offer by the owner to repurchase at
whatever price might have been paid for
1t was printed and circulated among all
the dealers and pawnbrokers in New York.
In way this was both curious and in
teresting document. The half-tone, taken
from a photograph in Mr.. Mosers posses
sion, was excellent, and the worded state
ment was clear and concise. 1t was, how
ever, unsuccessful, and the search being
finally given up as vain, the dealer now
stands ready to replace the picture either
by a replica or a painting of equivalent