Evening star., 1907-11-16
A R T N O T ES.

Between two and three hundred sketches
in Oil colors, made by members of the
class which Mr.. Richard N. Brooke con-
Quoted at Millfeld, near Warrenton, Va,
last June. were displayed in the hemi-
cycle of the Corcoran Gallery this week.
Uniform both In size and mounting, the
first impression these little paintings pro-
duced upon the mind of the observer was
that of a mosaic of color serving a dec
orative purpose, and from first to last
the consciousness of sparkling color was
never lost but upon brief inspection the
exhibit resolved itself into groups Of pic
lures, each of which in turn merited at
tention. II the testimony of such a null
titude Of witnesses g to be accepted, then
certainly the country wherein .hese works
were produced is most picturesque and
paintable. Apparently on every side these
art students found something worth re-
cording. There were open fields. woods,
country roads and ranges of rolling hills
transcribed with much truth and genuine
feeling. Some of the work undoubtedly
reached a professional standard, and all
of it was a high plane. 1t would be
idle to attempt to single out specific ex-
amples, though passing around the gal
lery one and another may have been Spa-
cially remarked but 1t is we'll to note the
gave of real ability and high aspiration.
The work quite generally was executed
with pleasing Spontaneity, and was in
terpretative in character The medium
was broadly handled, the treatment fresh
and unaffected and the results frank and
at the same time significant The sky
effects, whether sunsets or midday blue.
were notably good, and the spacious sug
gestion found In many of the transcript
tions Of open country is a thing not
looked for in student work. For itself
this exhibition was Independently at
tractive. but as the record of a single
class and the result of a single months
work it was distinctly remarkable.
A collection Of water coors by Mr.. De
Lancy Gill of this city is now exhibit
ton at Morrey's gallery. 1t consists Of
thirty or more landscapes painted in this
country and abroad Some one has declar
ed recently that water colors today
misnomers, being chiefly done In gouache
and presenting the appearance of works
in oils. At least this charge cannot be
brought against these paintings. They
are pure aquarelles, adhering closely to
the tenets of the medium. They are not
great works. but simple sketches which
make no pretensions and yet possess un-
questioned charm. Those done in the
vicinity of Washington, or in nearby
places are. without prejudice,\ more
scenes abroad, and they are, it must
also be confessed, equally pictorial. There
is nice sentiment as well as clever tech
nique displayed in Near Chesterton
Nd and much likewise which may De
| commended in 'Environs of Washington"
a characteristic local scene in which
probably none but a painter would have
detected beauty. Mr.. Gill has rendered
valuable service to art as a member of
the illustrative division of one of the
scientific bureaus of the government but
he has not exhibited any of las work for
a number of years.
Last Saturday evening Miss Mckee held
an informal exhibition of her summer
sketches at her home on Maryland ave-
nue. northeast. Much that was of inter-
est was displayed-work In oils, water
colors and monotint pictures of boats,
wharveS and quiet country lanes. Miss
Mckee spent the greater part of July and
August at Gloucester, and most of these
pictures were painted there. In theme
they are not new, but, Mr.. Kenyon
Cox has said. 1t is not what one paints,
but how one paints it, which in the con-
sderation of art is of most conseque nee.
The many painters of Venice have seen 1t
with different eyes and so the many
artists who visit Gloucester bring back
diSsimilar versions of the same story, The
wharves and fishing boats of Gloucester
have a perennial interest but Miss Nc
kee found much that was attractive and
pictorial in some of Gloucester'S unfre-
quented byways. With good effect she
sketched some of the roads over the
moors and with excellent feeling painted
somber aspects of the great harbor itself.
One tiny little study of yacht at anchor
in gray weather is especially notable
for Its tone and power of suggestion, and
two monotypeS of inland scenes likewise
manifested in their handling keen artistic
perception. Miss Mckee was a student
of the Corcoran School of Art and has
always in her work evinced unusual abii-
ity.
Miss Berta NJ Hanson has reopened her
studio in the Lehman building, and is
now at work upon portrait of Judge
Goode. 1t is a half-length and repre-
sents the Judge seated in characteristic
attitude. During the summer Miss Han
son finished a portrait of Mrs. Condor
which is an exceptionally clever piece of
work. and painted. while she was in Con-
necticut, a delightful little landscape and
an interesting group of dogs The land
scape shows rough hill road descending
from the open through a veritable tangle
of underbrush and trees. 1t was painted
entirely out of doors. and undoubtedly on
one of those dazzling days which are
found in the hill country even in midsum-
mer. The sky is brilliant blue intensi-
fed by few floating clouds, the foliage
green and knotty as it grows In wild. ex-
posed places. and the roadbed is shown as
merely a fresh-cut clearing The color,
while bright. Is not garish. however. nor
Is the broad handling careless or loose.
And yet this was. after all. only play
work-an experiment. an adventure-for
son put most study and gave most at
tention. Four are shown in a Well-ar.