Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-20
A R T N O T ES.

wonderfully interesting exhibit of art
work done In the kindergartens of this city
has been prepared as part of a large ex-
hibition, which is to be held in the Museum
of Natural History, New York, from April
80 to May 3, under the auspices of the
International kindergarten Union. There
are forty-two charts in all. showing various
types of work, half of which have come
from the public kindergartens alone. Chill
dren are essentially "impression!sts, but
it is remarkable how accurate sometimes
are their impressions. There Is a trace of
the primitive in their conceptions, but while
the best results are admittedly Outlines ac-
cidental they uniformly manifest innate
artistic instinct. 1t is Scarcely necessary
to say that art is not taught In the kinder
gartens art, but rather a graphic
form of expression, and that the production
of the art work is as natural as a physical
exercise, but for this reason 1t is much the
more valuable. Flowers are painted in
simple colors from a living example, and
the exhibition charts show unmistakable
representations of jonQuilS, tulips, butter
cups and pussy willows. Landscapes are
produced, and the best parts of these, neat
ly framed in paper, are to be seen carefully
grouped and arranged. Not complicated
compositions, but broad suggestions which
have meant something to the producers,
and have at least the charm of color. Then
there is silhouette work done with the scfs-
SOTS ana paste pot, caTeIul copies ana
memory pictures. the toys which Santa
Claus brought" and the little bear in the
story book" Some are Egyptian in char
acter, and others are more or less droll
but the ma jority are expressive, and not a
few have excellent action. Curiously inter-
esting, indeed, is the collection. not alone
through its intrinsic worth, but because
of its significance. If, indeed such show
ing can be made continually, and the work
be uninterrupted, in two or three more
generations the artists Of America may be
assured an appreciat.ve public
The ninth annual convention of the Archi-
tectural League of America is TO be held
In this city Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday of the coming week. The
home office of this organization Is in Chi
cago, and it's constituency the architectural
clubs of various cities. New York, Phila-
delphia, Chicago st. Louis, Toronto, Pits
burg Milwaukee and Washington will all
be represented by delegates, as well as
score of other municipalities. The object
of the league is TO elevate the standard of
architectural practice in the United States
and to educate the public into better ap-
probation of the dignity of the profession
and of the value of an intelligent and ar
tistic handling of architectural problems. 1t
will hold a business SESSION every morning,
beginning at $50 O'Clock, when papers will
be read and reports of special committees
given. On Monday afternoon an excursion
to Mount ' erDOn VIII De given lHe NlSltilS
delegates by the Washington Architectural
Club which Will act as host, and on Tues
day and Wednesday afternoon automobile
trips will be taken through the business and
residential sections of the city. On
Wednesday also, a reception will be given
by the local chapter Of the American lnst!-
tute Of Architects, at the Octagon, at $50
oclock, and In the evening the concluding
banquet will be held. Such conventions are
not only momentarily interesting, but of
permanent value, stimulating local workers
and enlisting the intelligent cooperation Of
those who are most capable In the artistic
development of this one national city.
-
The attendance at the lectures on art
given under the auspices Of the National
Society of the Fine Arts at the public
library has been most gratifying. The lee
ture hall has each time been fairly well
filled and occasionally crowded. The fifth
lecture in the course was given by Mr.. e.
c. Messer last Tuesday evening and was
on Portrait Painting" an art which,
he contended, though otter misused, proved
conclusively the greatness Of a painter.
Illustrations of the work of the worlds
famous artists, from the time of Van
Dyke to that of Sargent and the painters
of the present day, were shown at the con-
clusion OF the address, which, in a measure,
had prepared the audience for the eX-
hibit The next lecture in the course will
April 80, and will be upon Great Styles in
Furniture
The Society of Washington Artists held
its annual meeting in Mr.. Richard N.
Brooke's studio last Monday evening, re-
electing all Of its officers for shortened
term, and appointed a committee on re-
organization. The latter action was made
necessary by the absorption OF contributing
members of the NATIONAL Society Of Fine
Arts and by the assumption by the Cor
coran Gallery of the direction of the an
nual exhibitions previously held under its
auspices. Not In either case conflict of
rights. but shifting of responsibility and
division of labor brought about and neces-.
sifated by growth At this meeting IL was
determined to make the society an active
artists organization, to increase the mem