New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-30
ART EXHIBITIONS.
annual Shoe of the American Water
Color Society.

The American Water Color Society gave private
view last evening. at the American Art Galleries.
Of its ;hirty-seventh annual exhibition. IN past
years the society has made its public appearances
earlier in the season. but the present display, Il
somewhat beated is none the less welcome on that
account on the contrary n collection OF water
colors is peculiarly in harmony with the spring
The medium is more especially adapted to the VI
vacious exploitation Of picturesque bits" TO the
facile notation Of landscape effects and artists
using It do not always need TO be very ambitious
in their aim obtain fairly pleasing results. Thus
the show at the American Art Galleries contains
little that is important among its 345 pictures but #
leaves. in the main. agreeable impression not
particularly inspirting, but not depressing either.
The water colors would have appeared to better ad
vantage if the dark wall coverings had been
moved and some lighter cooler fabric substituted.
The change would have helped appreciaby toward
creating that springlike atmosphere which the So
ciety has, other occasions taught US to expect.
The figure painters yield, usual. in conspicuity.
TO the landscape men, but here and there they give
a fairly good account OF themselves. In the first
gallery Mr.. Francis Day offers in his Lullaby
admirable study Of a mother and her child. Tho
figure Of the mother is well drawn. the treatment
Of the head especially showing delicacy and firm
ness, and there IS excellent tone In this painting.
Mr.. Fry's "Paolo and francesca is a promising
design which suffers from rather nigglng work
manship. and has not enough poetic feeling 10 Jus
tfy the artists choice OF this great romantic
motive. In this gallery We have also noticed
spirited military trlptych by Mr.. Thustrup. one Of
Mr.. Church's familiar designs. and an uncommonly
good rustic scene. "Husking Corn by Mr. Pott-
hast. The figure in the last mentioned picture is
defty introduced, hut the merit OF the work con-
sists largely IN the directness and skill which Mr..
PotthaSt has shown in the handling OF his land
scape. A painting upstairs 10 be praised for much
the same reason is Mr. Horauo Walkers "Shep-
herdess and Sheep IN which there is more suavity.
by the way. than we have observed in his recent
oils Mr.. J. II. Soper's Two Portraits discloses
much aptitude that wish could find
OF the true quality OF water color in his work.
That quality has almost but not quite been secured
by Mr.. Z. a. Hunt IN his Moorish sketch Go. 1880.
an essay less in the vein Of Fortuny. Mr..
Hunt has certain snap. but his color Is thin and
little crude There is beguiling touch in Miss
Sherwood's "Girl with Parrot a water color that
has at once breadth and nghtness OF style. Mr..
Skeichens Girl in Kimono" is a clever whistlerian
note. The Indian subject. Roasting Corn" by Mr..
Couse, has the virtue OF thorough execution, but
the artist is shade too heavy handed. The fault
IS well avoided by Miss Davidson in her capital
italian Study We may mention finally, among
the figure studies Mr.. Weldons Japanese FISHER
man." and Tho Letter" by Mr.. G. W. Edwards
The landscape painters everywhere strengthen
the show. They illustrate many different tempera-
rnents The bright almost staccato. effect. so
charmingly rendered by Mrs r. II. Nichols in her
''orovincetown may be contrasted with the eegiac
sentiment expressed by Mr.. Parton, Mr.. c. w.
Eaton Mr.. Frank Russell Green. The sylvan
studies by Mr.. Shurtleff. the dainty Venetian
scenes by Mr.. F. Hopkinson Smith, the broad
naturalistio pictures by Mr.. Kaula and Mr.. Mo
nhenney and the clever water colors In other keys
by Mr. Moser, Mr.. Hassam Mr. Grippe, Mr.. W.
B. Davis and Mr.. Charles Mente (whose "Old
MiII-dam in Winter has been awarded the Evans
Price all have the technical merit and the SINGER
ity by virtue Of which the workers in this field
DO 30 much TO give vitality 10 local exhibitions
In other words. the sympathetic study from nature
is the thing which the American Water Color
Society relies this in earlier years. The
Imaginative compositions few-there is Mr..
Fry's "Paolo and Francesca" aforementioned.
there IS Mr.. Maynard's Fight with the Gaeys,"
a picturesque piece illustrating the life OF
bygone century-but OF careful representation of
American hills and valleys, woods and streams.
there is a great abundance, and IN its general
freshness It atones for the absence from the show
Of original and brilliant work The exhibition
until Mo-