The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-27

/ the pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
az Philadelphia. which opened 10 the
/ public On January q, and will con-
tinue until February a. From a stand
. point OF statistics the exhibition makes
I a poorer showing This year than MANY
OF the exhibitions Of this renowned art
institution. From a standpoint OF quail
i ity. II Is an open question whether
higher standard has been reached.
In harmonious arrangement and wise
selection OF the works exhibited. this
exhibition seems 10 present a more
/ agreeable assemblage than many which
Z nave preceded H. In eiving 10 exhibit
/ ors places Of prominence determined by
/ the merit Of their respective exhibits.
/ one has much 20 consider IN the present
/ exhibition. Ia this we learn that some
/ who were prime favorites in former
years have given. way 10 some whose
I advancement comes as a reward 10
marked Improvement.
/ Prominent in this exhibition Is the
grouping in one room OF the work of
painters Of the school Of impressIonisfa.
Here one finds that all OF the colors oe
the rainbow are cOntaited In the PAL
/ 'ettes Of the artists, and the vividuess. OF
/ color, the breadth OF treatment a.
| shown By the canvases OF Hassam
/ Iwechtuian, Recheld Weir. Afetcalf
tyson and Hopkirson, gives the visitor
I an opportunity 10 consider In one group
+ ing the most noted examples Of The
school OF impressionlsmi presented By its
most earnest partisans.
Another feature OF this exhibition is
/ the setting apart of au entire room 10
/ the work OF Carl Melchers. This room.
I Gallery II, contains many interesting
/ examples OF the work OF this artist
Nineteen frames are included in this ex-
hlbit- OF these the least interesting is
I me largest canvas. THE Last Supper"
an interesting problem in arrangement
anc "a tonal qualities, but somewhat dis
appointing in The Characterization of
{ The Christ and his disciples.
Sculpture is strongly represeuted In
t1is exhibition, both numerically ana in
[ high artistic excellence. Iu this deDart-
.ment are found the names OF such we'll
known scIiptors as Roth. Bitter. Grafy.
IonetI, Noc4leL Kouu Partridge
O'conu0r ana ST. Gaudens. II is ex-
uemely doubtful II iu any exhibition OF
this year. unless q special salon de-
voted 10 sculpture ls organized during
. Z
"A representatlye collection of the art
OF the sculptor as has been collected
here. While this Institution has always
presented az jos annual exhibitions "a
s"odiy humber of the best examples OF
this art the present exhibition seems
unusually strong Boz this direction.
II seems somewhat strange 10 find
iu the arrangement Of the pictures such
Z n
William NJ Chase dropping behind and
their places taken bv those less widely
. known Chase sends a stIu life subject
So far below iH interest his picture. An
American Cod, owned by the Corcoran
Gallery. that one feels that exhibition
honors mean less 10 him with his adj
vancIng yfars. The portraits exhibited
by the artists are OF Indifferent interest
when one remembers the portrait work
Of other years Even Sargent IS not
so well represented In his uortraft OF
me Rev. Endic0tt Peabody as me has
been In former exhibitions. while Frank
W. Benson, AdeIiide Cole Chase Julian
story John ". Alexander. have well
maintained their former standing. and
Benson and Adelaide Cole Chase have
given a much stronger tone Ia their
work than has been. noticed in former
years.
II seems somewhat strange TO find in
Gallery L. which seems TO be the
'morgue" OF this exhibition, such we'll
known exhibitors a. Irving WiIes. Alex
ander Harrison. Blrge Harrison. Charles
II. Davis ". l. Lathrop. Carlton Wig
gins and Charles Morris Young. but
fashions change and the degree Of popu-
larity wanes, and artists 90 not always |
paint masterpieces, but Gallery Z con-
tains many charming pictures. even if IL /
suffers from the distinction Of the
-morgue."
As a whole the landscape feature OF 1
the exhibition seems weak as compared /
with former years. In making a careful 4
view OF the exhibition as a whole the 4
exhibition seems deficient in the num- /
Der Of pictures of q salable quality.
Portraits, OF which there are abundant 1
examples. and OF a high quality, are not /
Of a salable nature. The exhibition
comprises many works which would an
peal 10 the owner OF a private gallery.
but Of pictures which the masses would I
desire 10 use I'm the decoration OF the
home the number is extremely few. and
the question may be asked whether the
mass of artists, those who are not ELI
gible TO the prize list will find in this
exhibition an opportunity for selling
their work and despite the cry Of art
for arts sake" the artist must live,
and 10 live he must sell his work.
The works Of Whistler in this exhi-
bition are not as interesting as the
visitor might expect. Two full-length
canvases are given prominent place;
unfortunately. the light seems 10 be OF
that quality that prevents their inspec-
ton and study. one artist has well said
that they seem 10 be "envelOped." II is
unfortunate that this is so. as the art
lovers are interested in such work and
are anxious TO carry away with them
decided impressions of the plont of view
and technique of this renowned artist.
In a smaller painting by Whistler. blue
and Coral: The Little Blue Bonnet"
a work OF much popular charm, a picture
of a sweet-faccd child. that has in it /
SO much of the tender human interest |
sometimes manifested in the work OF !
this eccentric artist, that it becomes /
far mere pleasing, if less distinguished, |
1.werar aar4rraa.a Of a.