Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
The Democratic Party.
ART NOTES.

1t is not often that a one-man show is as
interesting or as worthy of note as is the
little exhibition of Mr.. H. Hobart Nichols
paintings which is on view in the
Veerhoff gallery. Mr.. Nichols has appar-
entity double gift-he knows how to please
both the painters and the public; he paints
well and he chooses his subjects with rare
wisdom His works are solidy put to-
gether and seriously wrought, and yet pos
sess in large measure that subtle, positive
virtue known as charm. They are
straightforward and simple, ineligible to
all and yet their best qualities are not on
the surface, but rather held in reserve for
those who lnger. Eight or ten oil paint
ings and about twice as many water colors
constitute the collection. The majority are
recent works, and many are shown now
for the first time. They We're painted
largely during summer vacations spent at
Haven on the coast of Maine, but some
are local subjects. In the matter of me-
dunn little distinction can be made; the
oils are as fresh and spontaneous as water
colors. the water colors as serious and Wig
orous as oils. There seems TO have been
no governing thought or manner; each sub
sect has been viewed from an lndlVldual
standpoint and treated in accordance with
its peculiar requirements. And yet the per
sonality of the painter is felt through all
his work. 'Eggamoggin Reach shows
stretch of rocks and a sapphire sea in the
steady, dazzling light of a cloudless sum
mer day, while River Marshes" gives no
less literal transcription of sea of grass
seen in the fitful shadow of scudding
clouds. A large canvas deals with the
broad, sandy waste left by the ebbing tide,
and little water color, crisply executed,
shows the inland prospect from Swans
Island The greater number of the paint
ings, however, deal more largely with sub
tletes than these. giving definite express
sion to half lights and vaporous air One
peculiarly charming canvas occupies the
center of the left wall, and shows two
schooners and little dory looming out of
a mist which all but obscures nearby
wharves and warehouses. The boats are
admirably drawn and pleasing in color, the
water h 5 that CLASSY appearance SO often
observed on still, foggy mornings, and the
air is positively heavy with moisture, but
the real charm of the picture lies in its
restful suggestion and in it's brilliant
same sentiment, with similar skill and
more force, is to be found in the water
color entitled "A Cold, Gray Day." which
hangs, Immediately to the right This in
theme is extremely simple but through
treatment and Interpretation it has become
both significant and appealing, and it is
in this painting that Mr.. Nichols has prob
ably struck his highest note. The Maine
Lighthouse" which received in the last ex-
hibitiOn of the Washington Water Color
Club the Parsons prize, is here, and with
Show moonlight" dow tide) adds consid-
erably to the interest of the collection
These two paintings show more plainly
than any others the decorative motive. and
in their composition and coloring objects
and planes have been reduced to almost
posterlike simplicity.
Mr.. Nichols has up to this time spent
most of his life in Washington and gained
In this city both his education and reputa-
ton in art. He has for several years been
connected with the Illustration division of
the geological survey, and his painting has
been done IN his holiday and recreation
intention
to give his entire attention to it. and in
April he and his family are going to Eng
land and Holland for a year or more that
he may increase his knowledge and widen
the field OF his activities.
The Corcoran Gallery has made quite &C.
Gently a number of valuable acquisitions
to its permanent collection. Wien Mr.
Mcclure. the director. and Mr.. Glover were
in New York al the time of the Waggaman
sale they purchased canvas by Blake |
lock, a large painting by De Melville, |
little water color by Steelink and two
bronzes by Remington. All of these works |
have now been received and placed on OK
hibition. The Blakelock is to be found
in the northeast gallery, opposite the stair |
way. 1t is called ION the Colorado Plains'
and pictures a low stretch of level land
under glowing, sunset sky Three trees
break the horizon line, and in connection |
ible in the foreground, suggest grim spec
ters In color it is rich and warm and III
feeling it is decidedly decorative. OF the
American landscape painters none was
more versatile or, during his day, less I'M
derstood than Blakelock. His work was
far removed from that of the Hudson river
school, and equally unlike that of Inn ,ss
and his followers. 1t seemed to belong
to another era-to another country His
prescriptions are rarely realistic, and Yet
they are both attractive and appealing
He apparently saw his landscapes as deco
rations, and was keenly alive to pictorial
effect Some OF his canvases, notably one
in Mr.. Catholina Lambert's collection sue-
gest rich tapestries, while others have the
depth of color and wealth of tone of Mon
ticellps brilliant paintings. That the Cor
coran Gallery should possess an example
or his work seems in every way most Mt
ting.
The two water colors have been given
places in the southeast gallery, where the