Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-11
ART N CITES.

frTf
There is now on exhibition in the V. u.
Fischer art galleries recollection of four
teen oil paintings by Marcus Simons,
whose wo:k during the past few years has
come into great prominence both in this
country and abroad. Fight of these can
vases constitute the Parsifal series, which
was shown here last season and are now
re-exhibited by special request, but the re-
naming six are entirely new productions.
They are all imaginative compositions
visions of a poet-painter set forth on can
vas---and their purpose. is to charm and to
teach. They are brilliantly colorful. daz-
zlingly luminous, ethereal, yet real. 1t 1s
impossible to compare them to the works
of any other master, because they are abb
solutely unique and it is difficult to ana
lyze them, inasmuch as they follow no COM
mon rule. The painter, Marcus Simons,
has had an unusual career. Endowed with
a keen color sense and vivid Imagination, he
began his art life when but a lad in New
York. the city of his birth. He painted at
first as other men painted, common genres
which appealed to the general pubic, put
even then he had his visions, in the pursu-
ance OF which he spared neither time nor
pains. In order to properly erect, IN paint
his palaces and dream castles he assidu-
ously studied architecture, and that he
might correctly construct spiritualized hui
lnan beings he gave his attention to scien-
tific anatomy, until chided by the great
painter Gerome, to whose studio he was
given free access. To Vibert. Detaille and
other noted Frenchmen of that day and
school Mr.. Simons acknowledges indebted
ness, but at no time was their way MS
way. A painting of '.St. Elizabeth de Hon.
gerie" made on glass and shown in the sec
end exhibition of the Rose Croix in Paris
first brought him recognition. and 1t was
in the home of NJ Camille Groutt who pur-
chased this work, that Marcus SimonS first
saw Turner's wonderful creations. Many
persons attribute to Mr.. Simon's paintings
Turneresque proclivities, but seen side by
side the works of the two will be found in
almost every respect dissimilar. Their aims,
to begin with, are at variance Turner was
picture maker; Mr.. Simons an inter-
prefer. Art he views from the pinnacle
where music, poetry and painting meet. and
In pigments he describes a medium for up
lifting expression Colors he looks upon
as the notes in an ever changing scale from
which, as in music, be obtained the
most exquisite and subtle harmonies. With
this in mind one may turn Understandings
to the paintings. The Parsifal series was
painted in Beyreuth, under the suggestion
of the great composers widow, and will be
found both illustrative and interpretatiVe.
The first and the fourth-"the ErZahlung
and THE Flower Madchen'-have been re-
painted since the series was last exhibited
here, and are now more in harmony with
the remaining six. Each is a scene from the
great musical drama and collectively they
give the essence of the old German legend.
They differ very widely from the scenic
productions of the opera house and are
much more in accord with the musical
score. THE Entertainment" and The Holy
Spear are upright panels, calmly painted,
dramatic in feeling while decorative in eff
feet. THE Flower Maiden has more of
the swing of the music and will be found
to contrast Interestingly in suggestion to
the lovely and spirituel landscape seen
under the Good Friday SPELL In the last
picture of the series Mr.. Simons threw his
whole strength, and herein is most reason
ably represented the heavenly hosts-angels
and cherubs-which are both real and ether
cal. tG - ~.
OF the more recent paintings one is
rendering of Longfeliows Excelsior" an
other interpretS afresh THE Light of the
World" third points out the evil of ma
terialism, the inadequaey of science to sat.
isfy the soul and fourth sets forth, pic
torially, the prelude of Lohengrin.' Each
is deeply thoughtful and carefully wrought.
They are not pictures which stand duplica-
ton, and to be seen to the best advantage
they must be viewed singly. OF their last
ing merit they are still too new to judge,
but for their present virtues they can be
highly recommended. The painter who finds
for himself a new way, and good way,
and works 1t out with thoughttul care, adds
something to the world, and he who looks
upon art as a medium for the transmission
of beautiful and lofty ideas cannot go far
astray Furthermore, 1t may with honesty
be said that Mr.. Simons' last works are
his best works, and this promises much for
tho future.
*
A remarkably interesting exhibition of
mezzotint portraits of famous men, women
and children of the sixteenth, seventeenth,
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, select
ed from the Gardiner Hubbard and T. Har-
r.son Garrett collections. has recently been
placed on view in the southwest gallery of
the Library of Congress. 1t has been ar
ranged by the print division, and, like such
similar exhibits, will be found attractive
by both the student and the casual visitor
< ::
The print division of the Library of Con-
gress has outgrown its old quarters and the
art reading room. which was formerly at
the rear of the south gallery, has recently
been moved to the southwest pavilion. This
leaves the south gallery free, and there
now a series of stacks for the special &C
o. prints is being installed This
will not only expedite the work of the print
division, but will make the valuable collec-
lions in the keeping of the division more
accessible to the student. Already the work
of this department of the library has been
found beneficent, and its future outlook is
che of the encouraging signs of the times.
Much interest has been manifested In a
recent acquisition made by the Corcoran
Gallery of Aria painting of an English
Goldfish by William NJ. Chase. 1t was first
exhibited in the comparative exhibition of
American and foreign art, held last fall in
New York. and it is now to be seen in the
Sra1 al
show. 1t is an odd subject but an exceed
ngly pleasing composition. A mastery
painting and essentially a gallery picture.
1t is rich in color, beautiful in tone, and
has been rendered with consummate skill.
Under date of February Mr.. Chase wrote
the director of the Corcoran Gallery an
of the purchase and said:
IN my opinion you have one of the best
things I nave done In the face of this
it was reported on the 18th that Mr.. Chase
had remarked to his class that the work
was of little consequence, a mornings
sketch tossed off with little difficulty and
as gossip of this sort travels rapidly it was