Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-10
A R T N 0 T E s.

The competitive plans for the George
Washington University. made by five we'll
known out-of-town architects have been
placed recently on exhibition in the SOUTH
west gallery of the Library OF Congress.
They show ground plans for the disposition
and arrangement of buildings In Van Ness
Park and on the adjoining land to the south
and west for the purchase of which the
university holds an option, as we'll as ele-
vations of the several buildings Immediate
iy contemplated in construction. OF the
five sets there is little doubt that those pre-
sented by the winning firm, George B. Post
& Sons of New York, are decidedly the
best, but that even they are eminently
satisfactory is gravely to be questioned.
; They possess obviously the virtue of SIM
plicity, they are inoffensive and feasible, and
they can, moreover, boast an orderly ar
rangement, but they manifest little individ-
uality and show no distinguishing merit.
This is, indeed, the shortcoming of the en-
tire group for while each competitor sets
forth in his plans some special virtues all
five have treated the theme with surprising
similarity. The designs for the memorial
hall, for instance, have apparently, in
every case, been inspired by the design
of the library of Columbia University and
tail, are without exception of a stereotyped,
conventional order. 1t is true that the
competition called for buildings of the
classicaY style to accord with the archi-
lecture of the White House and our other
public buildings, but even with this ham
dicap it would seem that in the hands of
such able men as Hale & Morse, Delano Il
Aldrich, George b. Post & Sons, Parker &
Thomas and William A. Boring. the theme
should have found more individual and
noteworthy treatment. In the past decade
America has made greater advance in
architecture than in any other branch of
art, ana in no line has this progress been
more marked than in the field of college
building. Our American architects have
realized the fact that a building should be
the outward expression of the purpose for
which 1t was projected, and in many in
stances with this in mind have produced
works of distinguished as well as distinctive
merit. Washington, the capital of the ma
ton, has, it is conceded, a great future be-
fore her, and in that future the George
Washington University should play prom
inent part 1t seems, therefore. unfortu-
nate that the accepted plans for its build
ings should not possess more than ordinary
virtue-that they should not measure up to
the best modern productions, and be in real
itv all that the art and knowledge of the
present time could make them.
+
At Veerhoff's there is now on exhibition a
portrait which Mr. Spencer Nichols has just
painted of Miss Sharp, the daughter of Mr..
James Sharp of Cleveland Park 1t Is a
three-quarter length, and pictures the SUBJ
ject-a young girl of sixteen or seventeen
seated upright in a mission chair with her
hands in her lap and her dog, collie, be-
side her. She wears a simple, high-neck
gown of white muslin and looks. in a some
what preoccupied manner, toward the OBJ
server. 1t is said to be an excellent like
ness. and it shows both clever handling and
good brush work. but as a picture it is not
altogether pleasing. The dog does not seem
to be a part of the composition, and has
not sufficient space; the white of the gown
is little cold and lacks quality, and the
pose is rather set and stiff. In these re-
spects it is not up to the standard of Mr..
Nichols best work, but in spite of them 1t
is strong and noteworthy
*
With the coming of the summer days Mr..
Carl Gutherz and his family have deserted
their city home for their picturesque little
log cabin near Rockville. but as long as
the weather will permit he will spend a
portion of every day in his Church street
studio Mr.. Gutherz has on hand some i'm
portant mural decorations for western
church. and he has lately executed a num-
Der of notable portraits. One OF the most
charming of these was a likeness of Mrs
Otto Luebkert of this city, which was
painted entirely from life, and which.
through its exquisitely dainty color har-
mony, was found reminiscent of the work
of the famous French portraitists. 1t was
a small canvas, showing little more than
the head and shoulders; the background
was atmospheric blue-gray; the gown a !
white, lowered organdy trimmed with pink
ribbon. 1t was an excellent likeness, and so |
subtly and sympathetically rendered that
the gentle personality of the sitter pervaded |
the entire canvas. 1t was in the truest |
al a nm nf obs
as presentation of facts-a charming pic |
ture and an admra Bile painting.
OF special interest to local students is the |
of the opening of the Vir-
ytnia Summer School of Arts second session ]
This school was organized at the University |
Of Virginia for the purpose of offering to |
southern students, at a minimum expense, |
the advantages to be had In the best north |
ern institutions, and 1t was found to fill a |
long felt need. The people of the south |
are peculiarly artistic in temperament the |
scenery of the south specially picturesque.
ana yet there has been up to the present |
time amazing Ia ok of facilities for the |
study of art in the southern states. 1t is |
not remarkable. therefore, that the first !
season OF the Virginia summer school was |
a pronounced success. The second session |
opens on the 18th of June and continues |
up to the 9th of September. The instruct |
PRS are Messrs. Bredin and Cootes of New |
York. trained teachers, and successful |
painters and illustrators. A model in cos |
tune will pose every morning in the draft |
Ing room of the mechanical laboratory, |
which makes an excellent studio and the |
afternoons will be devoted to outdoor land |
scape work. A scholarship for the season |
Of 05-'06 is offered by the New York School |
Of Art (Chase's) to the student doing the |
best al-round work during the summer. |
and a prize Will be awarded for the best |
drawing made during the term.
X
Mr.. f. Carl-Smith has had busy spring |
md has still a number of uncompleted |
on hand. He has just finished |
an admirable portrait of Mrs j. Henry Ma |
gonigle and a most satisfactory likeness of |
Mr. Fugit, and he is now at work upon a |
full-length presentation of Mr.. John Com |
mack's young Mrs. Carl-Smith has !
also not been idle, but has rendered dur |
Ing the past few weeks, in her usual pleas |
ing manner, an attractive miniature of Mrs |
Bates Warren. Mrs. Smith goes next week |
TO visit her sister in Endeavor Pa, where |
Mr. Smith will later join her. their purpose |
being to spend the latter part of the sum- |