Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-12
A R N o. E s.

The last of this seasons art talks" given
on the first Monday In each month at the
Corcoran School. was delivered this week by
Mr.. Richard y. Brooke, who chose his
subject the comprehensive phrase From
Palette to Canvas" These talks are in
tended primarily for the benefit of the stu
dents. though others are made welcome. and
this one was specially full OF helpful ad-
vice and suggestion. 1t had to do chiefly
with the mechanics of art--the tools where
with the artist labors-the medium through
which he finds expression. Keep a clean
and orderly palette" Mr.. Brooke said. mot
inical one. Don't be afraid of your paints.
but keep them In orderly disorder. Then.
too" he continued. don't use too many.
Work as much as you can with the primary
colors, but do not stint yourself; small
extra outlay In money will oftentimes bring
IN very valuable returns" Passing to
consideration of the brushes, Mr.. Brooke
pointed out the necessity of keeping them
In good condition, and told how infrequently
students observed the Importance of SO do
ing. Even q master" he said, could not
produce a good picture with mutllated
brush and dry. mussy paint" The stu
dent more than the master, the speaker ex-
planned, should give attention to his equip
ment in order that he might have as few
stumbling blocks as possible to contend
Will cunning 10 COnSiGeTdIlOn Oh the
canvas, Mr.. Brooke gave some advice con-
corning Its selection, and then turned to the
picture which was to be painted upon it
and spoke for few minutes earnestly upon
the choice OF subject. Young painters. as
a rule, he said, ARE apt to attempt too
elaborate themes, whereas older ones real
ize the value of simplicity" Every paint
ing. like each piece OF glassware, he told
his hearers, shows where the workman left
off--the point at which his strength was ex-
hauStpd They that wise therefore he
counseled. are those who see to IL that the
subjects they choose are not beyond their
capacity. and so. without interruption, can
be carried strongly to an end.
X
These busy days at the Corcoran
School. The competition for the gold and
bronze medals takes place on the Goth, and
all competing drawings must be in several
days earlier. There will be four of these
In each group this year, instead of the ira
ditional six-two from the antique and two
from life. A further step. moreover, has
been taken to limit the size and increase the
standard OF the students annual exhibition,
which opens on the 31st with the usual
evening reception and order of exercises.
No student is TO be represented by more
than two works, and these are to be Sc
lected without prejudice by jury of three
local artists-probably Miss Perrie, Mr..
MACDONALD ana MI BTOOhS. MI tAeiAS Oil
Cox of New York and his wife have con-
scented to serve, with third person whom
they will name, as a jury of award, and, ar
irving in the city on the 9th or 2Sth, VIII
probably remain until after the opening OF
the exhibition.
The juries for the Corcoran Gallery's ex-
hibition of contemporary American paint
ings, which is to be held, under the au-
spices of the board of trustees, next Feb
ruary, have been completed this week. and
the prospectus Is now being printed for dis
tribution. The local jury will consist OF
Mr.. Richard N. Brooke, Mr.. Max Weyl and
Mr.. c. II. l.. Macdonald; the New York
jury Of Messrs. Irving K. Wiles, II Bolton
Jones and Louis Loeb; the Philadelphia
jury of AIessrs. Hugh H Breckenridge,
Thomas Anshutz and John Lambert; while
that for Boston of MesSrS. Edmund c. Tar
bell, Thomas Allen and Hermann Dudley
Murphy. Works accepted by these juries
will be shipped and returned to the artists
free Of cost, but will be submitted to final
jury, in this city, composed OF Irving R.
Wiles, Edmund G. Tarbell, Hugh H Brock
enridge, Frank Duyeneck and Richard N.
Brooke, which will constitute at the same
time q jury awards and hanging COM
mittee The awards will be three in num-
Der; a first and third of S1,00O and $3.50 re-
spectively given by Senator W. A. Clark and
Mr.. V. G.. Fischer, as previously announced,
and q second OF $500, which will be the gift
Of Mr. c. c. Glover In addition to these
the Corcoran Gallery hopes to eXpend a
reasonable amount of its accumulated In
come in purchases for it's permanent colec-
ton Works in oil by living American ar
fists only are eligible, and, owing to limit
of space, none covering more than thirty
six square feet are solicited. Owing to the
facts that this is the federal city, and that
the exhibition will be conducted upon the
broadcast and fafrest lines, there IS good
reason to believe that it will become an
event of national Importance The prizes
offered are generous enough TO be uncom-
monty tempting, and the juries are sufti-
GENTLY well chosen to engender confidence
among the artists. There is no reason why
1t should not prove a notable affair, and
there is every reason to believe that 1t Will.
Art does not begin and end in picture
gallery. however. 1t includes our private
houses, our city plans, our public monu-
ments and our parks and driveways- a
city is picture painted by many, not with
common pigments, but mundane materials.
The public taste Is more Influenced by ex-
ternal environment than by any one canvas.
no matter how mastery or uplifting.
There is almost no statesman or govern
ment official who would have the temerity
to attempt to paint with pigment upon can
vas a picture for posterity to be exhibited
upon public highway, yet this IS In reality
would require scarcely less unusual quali1-
cations than the painting of that other pic
ture, called a city, In which the least
learned are continually willing to take a
hand Art critics proverbially disagree, but
there is an unalterable standard, things
are good and bad intrinsically rather than
optionally, and there is no reason why a
city-certalnly the federal city-should ever
have anything but the best. To establish a
standard ard insure It's insistence, bill
was introduced into both the House and
Senate recently providing for the creation
and perpetuation OF national advisory
board on civic art to be composed of five
experts to whom national. civic art prob
lens may be referred. The passage of this
bill would. 1t Is thought solve much
vexed problem, and. while binding none,
afford opportunity for wiser action In the
future 1t was submitted by the National
Society of the Fine Arts and is being urged
by the American Institute OF Architects,
but it is a matter which must concern each
individual and which will assuredly have
the enthusiastic support of all.
In the plea for the passage of this bill,
written by Mr.. Glenn Brown, the secretary
So Aroartror, Jpstftrfa of