The San Francisco call., 1907-03-25
Mary Curtis Richardson Talks
of Art for Arts Sake
Nv Hanna Astrup Larsen

hut lust a natural young woman su.
premely happy in her motherhood.
Among the pictures of older children
is one of a little girl of the Stuart
type which is very charming. DO Is
the child of an Eastern family where
Mrs. Richardson executed a commits
sion. The little girl appealed to her
artist sense, and she asked permission
TO paint her picture in little ol5-
fashioned gown found among the sam-
ilv heirlOoms. 1t was a work of love
and il is one of the most successfp1
of the artists portraits of children
The picture of the beautiful wife ~
CAPTAIN Haan was painted as a recoc-
milton of help lent after the fire when
Mrs Haan stored in her own limited
quarters the pictures that We're taken
from Mrs Richardson's studio, as weu
as some of Keith's and some from
Mark Hopkins. Among the latter which
were saved was one by Mrs. Richard
son Of Professor Paget. 1t was res
cued. though somewhat injured. and
has now been restored by VIII Sparks.
Almost completed is full length
portrait of the late Mrs. Prather. The
artist has been rema rkabIy successful
in reproducing the magnificent pose OF
the ori ginaL Another hne portrait is
one of Mrs. Richardson's niece, Miss
Lucia Chamberlain. a young San Fran
cisco writer who is acquiring a name
fon herself in the East. The picture
is remarkable for its strongly marked
individuality and for the viyidness OF
the expression in the bright face. An
other picture OF Miss Chamberlain Is
merely a sketch. but has great deli
cacy and charm. 1t sMows her in pro-
file, dressed in a white gown and stand
ing in a bower of green,
Mrs. Rosa Hooper Plottner has late
ly established herself in a studio in
the building at 1925 California street.
which is fast becoming the home Of
artists She had her first exhibition
last Wednesday in the rooms of the
Sequoia Club 1t was unfortunate that
the exhibition lasted only one after
noon, which happened to be very
rainy one. and that il was not very
well known. Yet there were a number
of ladies who braved the weather in
order to be present. and the occasion
took on something Of the nature OF a
society function.
Among the beautiful miniatures in
Mrs. Plottner's exhibition were por-
traits of some of the best-known wom-
en- in San Francisco society, among
others one Of Mrs. Eleanor Martin, of
Mrs. Z. c. Smith and of the two beau
IlIul sisters, MrS. SelDy I1dnnd anu
Mrs. Huse. The latter is one Of the
more elaborate of the portraits. 1t
shows Mrs. Huse in a charmingly nat
urd1 pose with a listening expression
on her face. The background, cloudy
maze of flowers, is treated with won
derful skill. so as to keep the character
of the flowers without allowing them
TO obtrude into the foreground.
A portrait of the artists grand
T. - g. a. I
silk dress Is very interesting. Other
pictures in the collection are a portrait
of the Empress Eugene and an ideal
picture of a young girl also dressed
in the costume of the second empire.
Jules Pages. after completing his
successful exhibition at Vickery's.
leaves this week for Los Angeles.
where he will stay for some time and
probably have an exhibition. He will
return here. however. before leaving
for Paris.