Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-28
ART : NOTES.

4
hemicycle Of the gafieryslast Thursday. 1t
Is earnest and Intelligent: it shows sound
training and faithful Study. and while pro-
gressivs In spirit, Is definitely conservative
in fact To understand or appreciate such
an exhibition as this 1t must be remember
ed that the work has been done by novices
young men and women who are learning
the b e's of arfGand that geniuses are
few The difference between this and the
usual art exhibition ; is fundamental; the
first consists Of theIwork Of mass of stu
dents who are beginning their journeys the
other is composed of the work of the COM
paratively few who have reached the up
per rounds Of the ladder on which. 1t is
proverbially said, there is always room at
the top. A few. very few, artists have
found outside of the academy a short cut
to this exalted place, but the majority have
rea ched there by the prosaic road Of hard
study and good instruction. With this In
mind, the present exhibition of the Cor
coran school must prove interesting to even
the uninitiated, for 1t gives. as it were,
glimpse behind the scenes in the making Of
artists, and stands, without doubt, for the
most comprehensive methods in use today.
Entering the school with some knowledge
of drawing and evidence of ability, stu
dent usually begins bis studies In the an
tique class, to the work of which the en-
tire space on the north wall of the atrium
Is given. This class Is under the direction
of Miss Mueden, and its members make an
exceedingly good showing. Their work ex-
hibits accurate craftsmanship. an under
standing of FORM and. what Is more, con-
sdera BILE individuality.
Next to these, on the east wall facing the
stairs, are grouped the life and cast draw
ings made in competition for the gold
medal There are twelve of these sets, and
each consists of three life and three cast
drawings. These were made by the adj
vanced students, who. presumably, have
beer in attendance at the school for two
consecutive years, and in them is naturally
conferred the chief interest. The jury to
award the prizes this year was composed of
Messrs. Douglas Volk. Francis G. Jones and
]. A. Oertel artists of considerable reputa-
ton. and the decision, which was publicly
made known Thursday evening, was as fol-
lows:
The gold medal to Miss Ruth Darwin for
the series of drawings marked IL" the
bronze medal to Mr.. Rue1 Pardee Tolman
for tho series of drawings marked "K''
and the first, second and third honorable
mentions to Mr.. Otto Bruch, Miss Isabelle
L. Johnson and Mrs. Gertrude G. Gray for
the series marked respectively &C." "B"
and e.
The competition was this year even closer
than usual, and out of justice to the unsuc-
cessful competitors 1t may be said that the
jury found it's task most difficult. There
are among these competitive drawings some
excellent studies, a few strikingly vigorous
and correct life drawings and a number of
cleVeriy wrought works from the antique;
but the contributions of each competitor
are, to a surprising degree. uneven in merit
There is no single set which is equally
strong throughout, and none which demon
strates special individuality. The elab-
crate subjects selected by some of the COM
petitors for their cast drawings have, per-
haps, been a trife over-ambitious and I'M
profitable, but the careful manner In which
they have been expressed and finished is on
the other hand, worthy Of much commenda-
ton. >.
Occupying the remaining wall space In the
atrium Is miscellaneous collection of
drawings made byistudents who for one
reason or another, were not in the COMPETE
ton, but who, nevertheless, have put forth
some very creditable work. Much of the
work IN this section is unfinished, but, al
most without exception, It is vigorous free
and full of promise
In the hemicycle this year, as last, have
been placed all the paintings, both in oils
ana water colors, and truly wonderful dis
play meets there the visitors eye. The
nat wall is given oyer to the work of the
water color class, whereas the semicircuIar
one harbors the OIL, sulIslife, draped model
ana portralt canVases. There are over three
hundred in all, and collectively they make a
de ZZling array,
The oil-stih1iffe class. Which Il under Mr.
Brooke shows distinct advance this year
over last the compositions being more COM
pick and the work decidedly better in tone.
Some of the studies which are here exhibit
ed would. with little doubt, fayorably com
pare with those shown in professional ex-
mbitions, and all are rendered with the ap-
parent care and knowledge which is the
foundation of every good work The Dor
trait class has a more difficult problem to
zeal with, but in some instances its mem
Ders seem to have mastered it with equal
success, and few of the canvases in this
section are good enough to make one seek
out, with interest, the authors name
The water color class. which for several
cra1 0nr,c hoe E,AAY,
Moser, has this year. both in quantity and
quality, outdone itself Collectively its ex-
hfbit is Ear above student work and In real
fty aim )st all of its contributions would find
a welcome In professional show It Is
true that some of the members have ex-
htbited work In the leading American an
Euals, but that does not at all account for
the even excellence of the collection The
prize of $25 in gold was awarded to Miss
Clara Saunders. but the work of Miss Hal
stead Miss Thorp and Miss Taylor, which
was honorably mentioned, and that by Mrs
Sherman, Miss Haney and Miss Godding is
almost equally worthy of distinction. 1t Is
NOT alone the correctness. the colorful quail
ity or the technique of these paintings that
makes them of such unsual interest but the
genuine artistic feeling with which each one
Is 1mbued TIE flowers these students have
painted Rave the spirit of reality and their
Stlll-1fe compositions reveal the hidden
beauty in common things. Had this collec-
tion Deen made by selecting the best work
be remarkable, but much less SO than now,
when It Is composed of the work of almost
all the .,embe-s of the class To emphasize
this fact group of three straw board mats
has been placed in the center of the ex-
hfbit, on which the class director has ar
ranged thirty little water colors by twenty
two students, all of which have distinguish
ing merit One of the prominent features of
the whole exhibition is in fact its catholic
ity Mr.. Messer has placed on view not only
the finest, but the average work of the pu-
pills, that the public may rightly compre-
bend ana estimate the value of the school.
This is unusual but it is good, and in this
case adds to rather than detracts from the
credit OF the display.
The exhibition will pI obably continue dur
ing the coming week, and it may be seen by
the public in accordance with the usual
regulations of the gallery
The scholastic year Of the school ended
on Tuesday, when farewell luncheon was
given by the members of the life class.
This was an entirely informal affair, got
ten up after the most approved Bohemian
fashion, but for this reason none the less
attractive or enjoyable. 1.-THE platform on
which the model IS usually posed was
placed in the center of the room, built up
In mid hU he nf