The Washington herald., 1906-11-25

opened its eleventh annual exhibition ir
the Hemicycle Of the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art on Saturday when. from 10 O'Clock
until 4, the connoisseurs and patrons OF
art gathered for a private view of what
many authorities consider the best talent
production shown thus far by the society
From a pictorial standpoint the exhibI-
tion is typically American. both in sub
Ject-matter and in treatment. and i'm
partially divided between landscape and
figure work, with an artistic Tightening
Of flower studies, several exceptionally
fne miniatures. and decorative panel de-
signs on wood
contributions from painters whose can
vases Of former years have won prizes
and received honorable mention are vel
comeiy recognized as maintaining high
standard Of excellence. Those from the
pfushes Of less securely-placed artists Of
Ter many surprises in the way of color
treatment and drawing. while several pic
lures by young Enthusiastically women
give rich promise Of future achievement.
Upon the whole, there is little immature
aFt-thousht apparent in the 109 pictures
exhibited There are, however, occasion
al traces Of composition easily recognized
by the sincere critic as studio art, COM
mercial composition, and nature sacrificed
70 color.
In awarding the two Corcoran prizes.
the Jury-which consists Of Edwin White
man, the Baltimore landscape painter;
Percy Ash, of the George Washington
University faculty, and Allen c. Clark.
a noted collector Of this city-perpetrated
something Of a surprise. Not with regard
TO the first prize, OF Sl00, which was
awarded to II. Hobart Nichols study OF 2
Paris street at night Boulevard Mont
parmaSSe, No. % in the Catalogue-but
IN bestowing the second prize Of $50 upon
Sarah SewaH Munroe's sketch, "Glou-
cester Neck" which, at first sight hardly
appears to justify the award. but which
grows IN charm with an appreciation Of
It's simple fidelity to nature and strict
adherence to the legitimate field of trans
parent water-color art
The two prize pictures are Thoroughly
disslmilar. Mr.. Nichols Paris street IS
perfect tone production. Viewed I'm a
reversed position. its color fascination
stands alone. and appeals to the artis-
@
matter or drawing. That the picture tells
a story is not the sole reason of its
merit. Undoubtedly it is d great produc-
tlon' primarily opaque in treatment, and
accomplished with skill that decefves
the amateur. who merely feels and cannot
discern the methods Of painting.
One person, therefore, will mistake It
. FOR a pastel; another declare that II
shows the substantial warmth of oil. and
a third discerns nothing in it OF the IA
miliar methods Of water-color drawing
And, in truth, the experimental and pre-
nmlnaTy study necessary 20 the achieve
ment OF q thoroughly satisfying opaque
water color has developed among Ameri-
can artists success precedented only by
the Dutch school or art.
The first prize picture is about 10 by a
inches in size. The gray atmosphere of
night with its suggestion Of rain. sew
eral figures. a vender's stand, a CLEAN
Of cab lights in the distance. and the
whittier radiance Of a street lamp in the
foreground, impregnates the boulevard
with realism The Paris atmosphere IS
felt; one understands that the artist
knows his subject intimately: that he
paints for the pure love OF portrayal
This is true. We know Mr.. Nichols; we
are proud Of him as a local product: we
delight in the work he sends home for
appraisement, and especially have we en-
jOyed his pictures in oil that were cx-
hibited at VeerhOff s gallery. The 'Boulc-
ward Montparmasse" IS the one foreign
composition that stands out vigorous and
strong from the surrounding and predom-
inant American subject-matter-
q, ,,o-,o-tgf,f. 5Eero-o-.,. l,o4--oo-,
study and a sketch.
The second prize picture, No. . in the
catalogue, IS distinctly Of the latter class.
Miss Munroe has seen Gloucester Neck on
a sunny day; she has painted one particu-
lar corner Of it in a sunny mood; she
charms the beholder with the actual out
Of-dOor breath of New England.
The light, sandy road crossed by dis
tnct shadows Of telegraph poles; the line
OF buildings, with overtopping masts TO
suggest the nearby sea; the fair sky-all
unite TO form a picture that was caught
by joyous chance. not studied. The IA
miliar Massachusetts fishing village and
the hsher-folk are just a little way far
ther along the road. and the road itself
beCkOns one forward.
The sketch is inspiring in its fresh. un-
premeditated, and unpretentious merit. It
IS absolutely atmospheric, unlabored-a
recognized recreation picture
First honorable mention is accorded
Robert Cole Child's The Home Field
catalogue number 2, an exquisite develop !
ment of ground and sky. This picture has
been exhibited at Philadelphia. where it |
created much favorable comment. A re- |
quest for it was also made by the Ameri- |
can Water Color Society.
There is a soIdity of treatment in the
rich browns and greens that depicts with
unusual conviction the earths appearance
at the hour Of early evening The after !
glow of the sun is of that curious quality |
which turns aerial blue 10 palest green. |
It Is not the usual effect Of sunset; neither |
is It the abnormal. 1t is the occasional. |
the artistic. the almost intangible glimpse |
Of Nature revealed to pa!nters-the green
OF the sky being in a class with the purple
Of shadows and discernible only to eyes
initiated into the mysteries of art
1.-The Valley: Morning" No. %, and "SiI-
yer Lake, n. H" No. i, are two other
delightful examples Of Mr.. Child's style.
"a Day Of Clouds" by Merianna Sloan,
No. 13, receives second honorary mention.
It Is the artists one exhibit.
In the estimation of many. and espe-
cially Miss Sloan's fellow-craftsmen. this
picture Is worthy the second prize. It in
vites discussion, it is immensely clever, it |
is weH-wrought art, not an inspiration or
a swift impressionistic production.
Next to the first-prize picture, it is likely
10 be the sensation of the exhibit.
Miss Sloan and her work have attained
Curiosity has f0reTun her contribution
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