Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-23
Art N oTEs.

The weather has not been favorable to
outdoor sketching this month, the. recur-
rent showers making long excursions i'm
practical but Mr.. Max Weyi has, In some
way. managed within the past few weeks
to harvest a good deal OF fresh material
which, in a most attractive form, is set
forth on a series of new canvases. He has
not gone far afleld for his themes One
was discovered at the foot of 18th street,
another on the road to Roekvliis, ard a
third In the region of Piney Branch Tney
Are all comparatively simple and yet faG
from commonplace Such scenes as one
sees every day, perhaps. and still finds ever
new A bit OF marshland is transcribed,
for instance laid low beneath oroad ex-
panse of late evening sky. The sun has set
without It's usual parade of spleudor, the
sky is cloudless, the light is almost spent
Already the evening shadows have gathered
on the meadow which is ooZing with mois-
ture, and off against the horizon the Sc
we're outlines Of some cottagers homes are
barely to be seen. 1t is dull. but not dark
The world seems wide and spacious, silent
but sympathetic. There is nothing new IN
the tale and yet so sklilfully has it teen
told that 1t gathers to itself fresh siehifi-
canoe. To a degree 1t is broadly painted
and still it is gently wrought. More crisp
and vigorous. but less subtle, is compost
ton which sets forth against a blue, partly
clouded sky q group of STOUT young trees
And more pictorial though no less pleasing
is another canvas showing vista through
Thick oak woods. There IS variety In MANI
ling as well as in theme. Some are more
finished than others-certain ones treated
with greater or less breadth. All are nov,
perhaps, equally good, but each mas me
ring of truth and manifests in It's brush
work, as well as in its feeling. the power
and the purpose of the painter
X *
A portrait of Washington, painted by
Charles Wilson Peale, which Senator w. A.
Clark found and procured in Paris some
months ago, has been added, this week, TO
the loan collection at the Corcoran Gallery
of Art 1t is Iife-sized but shows ktte
more than the head and shoulders. Pre-
sumaby it was painted about the time OF
the revolution, for it represents the general
in his uniform and not advanced IN years.
1t is not the Washington with nom we
are familiar but younger, more conven-
tional man, and While 1t is interesting @ha
may be correct, 1t does not straish'"ay
carry conviction. The color is strong ana
well preserved the brushwork Is STUDIED
hat at the same time Stiited. 1t is not a
great work of art, but when one considers
the time of it's execution 1t must be declared
mary elously clever. The painter, Charles
Wilson Pea1e, one of the first American
artists, and man of great facility, turn
ing his hand literally to many trades.
He studied first under Copley, in Boston,
and then under West, in London. and was
largely instrumental in the founding of the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In
1916 he went from Annapolis to Philadel-
phia and Joined Washington as captain
OF volunteers. He was present at both the
battles of Trenton and Germantown but
ever in the midst of wars alarms, Mr..
ISkam tells us, ''he continued to practice
his art. and his diary of the time is GU
rcus tumble of marches, casualties and
sttings for miniatures" In later years he
established a museum, conducted an art
school and painted portraits, whenever OPP
portunity aft lrded. He had Hour sons and
named them Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens
and Titan. Two became artists and of
these the second at least outstripped his
ia Their They were all welcome guests at
M. Vernon and 1t is related that at one
time Washington sat for his portraitN to
the three at once. pictorial likeness of
the general on his horse, painted by Rem
brandt Peale loaned by the regents of the
Mt Vernon Associa ton, is also on exhibit
ton at present in the Gorcoran Gallery.
Since the closing the Corcoran School
Mr. e. C. Messer, the principal, has been
occupying the life class room as a studio
and filling some long postpo1ed commits
sions. He has painted. among other can
vases, sunset, beyond marshy meadow
which is peculiarly pictorial ana attrac-
tive. 1t resembles somewhat the important
work which represents him in the Corcoran
Gallery's permanent collection and yet is
gentler and less dramatic. Certain shapely
trees break the line of the horizon which
is neither too distant 100 near, and
help to knit together the dark earth and
the glowing heavens. 1t is n glorious sum
set brilliantly luminous but not spectacu-
lar. The Illusion Is one of light rather
than color. The impression one Of reverent
awe rather than ecstasy. Nor is the result
without reason. The light IS admirably
concentrated the color pleasantly re-echoed.
In tone it is rich. in values We'll balanced.
1t Is forcefui and striking and yet it possess
eS that certain retlcence which insure
continued charm.
Mr.. E. H. Miller has also been uncom-
monty busy during the past few weeks
Like his colleagues. Mr. Messer and Mr.
Weyl he has brought the country TO him
instead of going to 1t, reinterpreting in his
studio his own outdoor sketches. A Maine
hillside IN this way, has been transcribed
well as bits of the Catskill woodlands and
views on the Potomac. In the way of an
experiment. moreover. Mr.. Miller has rein
terpreted under different light the land
scape which represented him so ably in
the Washington Water Color Clubs last
annual exhibition, changing the sky, set
ting forward as it were the hands of the
clock altering the feeling of the hour and
yet preserving the spirit of the original
composition. He has also, most success
fully painted in water color, life sized
portrait of one of his daughters, which,
though purposed as a study, Is in fact an
aypeilent likeness n nj this Is ay-