Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-18
ART NJ Es.

Heights, last Saturday morning The place
he occupied was unique and none can I'LL
Il. Not perhaps altogether through want
of ability, but lack of opportunity and
sympathetic understanding. Mr.. Kemeys
was In truth q pioneer He hunted the
buffalo under the wolfsxln, in the fashion
of the redman, where cities now stand.
and stalked the deer, as well as the noun
tain lion, where summer travellers now
tamely Idle away unadventurous hours;
but civilization has despoiled the wilder
ness and those days are no more. Where
are the buffalo? Where are the coyote and
the Indian? Even now the animal sculp-
tors and painters must find their subjects
In the geological parks.
But Mr.. Kemeys was more than a pio-
neer. Not only did he seek out the wild
creatures IN their own environment and
intimately study their characteristics ana
habits, but he gave to his interpretations
such form that they merit permanent
preservation. He was a sculptor not only
by training, but intuition. Self-taught.
his conceptions were essentially plastic and
his feeling for form inherent Though the
weird and mystical appealed to him strong
ly and many of his bronzes found their
inception IN legend a poem, the liter
airy interest In his works was always sub
ordinated to the requirements of art. HIS
sculptured forms show definite relation TO
the lump mass, his groups compose well
from ali sides, and each work exhibits
good lines and significant handling Of light
and shade. All have solidity as well as
unity and meaning. And though his work
was thoroughly studied and Is anatomicaily
correct It displays lghtness of touch
which bespeaks the master-not technical
finish, but loving execution. None ever ap-
preached his profession with greater rev.
erence than he, and but few have left a
nobler record. A man of broad vision he
wrought for all time. Some of the larger
and best known OF Mr.. Kemeys' works are
the "stin Hunt" in Central Park. New
Philadelphia; The Prayer for RAIN" In
Champaign City, Ill, and the Lions" in
front of the Art Institute Of Chicago, but
his smaller and less familiar bronzes merit
no less distinction. A small collection OF
these are In the Chicago Art Institute, and
the models Of fifty or more are to be seen
in the National Gallery in this city. These
tinual and grateful remembrance. For
about five years Mr.. Kemeys has made his
home In this city, and though much of the
time he has been incapacitated by Illness.
some of his best work has been executed
here. Up to the last he retained full COM
mand of his mental faculties, directed
work. and gave freely of his comradeshlp
to those who came within his hearthside
circle. His courage was no less than his
genius-his power to endure than his abll-
fly to create. He has lent distinction not
merely to his art, but to our city.
Not great deal of interest is being dis
played in the exhibition of German con-
temporary paintings at the Corcoran Gal
lery of Art. The attendance in the Henri
cycle where these pictures are being ex-
hibited is exceeding poor. but then, of
course, it is late in the season-many per-
sons have left town and others are in the
midst of preparations for leaving. The ex-
hibit. however, is worthy of attention. Not
because 1t is altogether admirable, but on
account of its strength and sincerity. Lack
Ing the subtlety and refinement of our own
art II Is marked by straightforwardness
and virility which demand respect and adj
miration. Nor does it grow less Interesting
as II becomes more familiar; the best of
these pictures wear well and reward study.
Perhaps some are bad, very bad. but it Is
not necessary to linger over these or to re-
gard them except as warnings. The good
are In preponderance and sufficiently meri-
torfous to atone for the others. The exhi-
bition continues until the 9th, and Is free
to the public, by way of the New York
avenue entrance on week days from IN.
to pm, and on Sundays from 1:3O to
4:30 pm.
Quite a number of Washington artists
are represented In the water color exhibit
lions which are now in progress in both
and New York. In the former city
and consists of over 400 paintings in water
pictures made by the American Water
Color Society from its last exhibition.
which, as a small rotary exhibition" made
a circuit of middle west cities this winter
in this exhibition and Mr.. James Henry
Moser five. The New York sshow is held In
the Fine Arts Galleries and Is larger by
more than a hundred exhibits 1t Is the
iortieth annual exhibition of the American
Water Color Society, and, while including
work In black and white. forbids pastels
admission. Again both Mr.. Child AMI Mr..
Moser are represented, but in addition are
found works by Mr.. E. L. Morse. Mr.. Ever
EFT Warner, Mr.. George Senseney and Mr.
Charles l.. Bull. The William T. Evans
prize of $500 offered for the best .-ndscape
painted in this country by an American ar
list included In the catalogue OF this ex-
hibition was awarded to w. H. Drake for
a picture entitled 1.-The Lions Lair"
The weather this spring has not been pro-
pitious for outdoor sketching. but Mr..
James Henry Moser has found opportunity
to make some studies for city pictures
which have proved uncommonly interest
Ing Washington Is essentially pictorial,
and yet not altogether paintab BILE; its beauty
Is OF that subtle kind which requires inter-
probation rather than direct transcription;
It's charm hes not In It's building lines, but
spaciousness not in Its color scheme alone.
but In Its atmosphere. And It is these SUBJ
tier things which Mr.. Moser has been rem
dering. He has painted several views of
the monument. two of which, by the way
have been purchased by a prominent local
collector: several of the city from Anacos-
tia, and one or more as 1t appears from
the Virginia bank OF the river. One of the
views of the monument shows 1t in the
early morning light silhouetted against a
pale clear sky and tinted by the first rays
OF the rising sun. The building occupied
by the bureau of engraving and printing
is seen In shadowy form through the mist,
and In the foreground Is one of the fish
ponds and a group Of small trees. And In
Ike fashion all these city pictures are eff
fects rather than transcriptions of facts
the city at sunset or dawn: in the cool gray
OF a winter twilight or In the freshness of a
springtime midday. They are local and yet
not ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and still works
OF art.
A portrait by Mr.. Gerard Barry of Mrs
Townsend;s father. Mr.. Scott, was exhibited
Informally this week In the v. G. Fischer
gallery. 1t is three-quarter length and
represents Mr.. Scott standing with his hat
In his left hand and wearing a heavy
fur-trlmmed overcoat. The background