The San Francisco call., 1908-07-05
Miss Florence LundbOrg's Mural Paintings
Catch Spirit of Ross Valley Scenes
Woman Shows Unusual Power in Branch Of Art in
Which Breadth and Strength Are Requisites
By Lucy B. Jerome

breath and promise OF rebirth. II is
an exquisite conception, ably carried
out Several sketches in grayS show
promise of something good. CadenassO
intends giving two exhibitions this
year. one in Oakland and the other In
his studio on Russian hill
Elmer WachteI and his talented wife
formerly Marion Cavanaugh. have sew
eral good pictures on exhibition at
Schussler's. Wachtei IS said 10 be the
hrst artist who began 70 paint the
poppy fields in their natural brilliant
colors. though otlrcrs have since fol-
lowed in hfs footsteps. The principal
canvas on view at thc present time
shows poppy field at Altadena. with
mountains in the background. break
ing clouds above and CLEANS of sky.
The perspective is indCsCribable-the
clusters ct poppies in the field seem to
vanish by degrees. becoming smaller
and less and less brilliant as the eve
follows them to the base OF the noun
tains. where they seem to merge into
lndisttnCtness. The mountain has "A
wonderful effect OF light in the can
ycn. which renders the rocky edges
with sharp and penetrating Vivilness,
WachteIs work shows immense power
and the water colors of his wife are
widely known. Tranquil Evening
and AT Sunset. Mount san Antonio
two pieces on view at SchusSler's, show
security. good technique and undoubted
power. Mrs. Wachtel is said To have
few superiors in pure water color.
Esther Hunt. a former san Fran
ciscan and a member OF the artist
colony in Paris. has had one OF her
pictures accepted by the salon. she
has been there number OF years, hav
ing come to san Francisco from Los
Angeles. remaining hers for some time
and then finding her way TO Paris.
Willis Davis. who is at work I'm Santa
Barbara. has a recent landscape on eN-
hibition here. IL is pure Santa Bar
bara scene--a bay curve and a stretch
of dark blue water, so dark as 10 seem
almost ultramarine. with point Of trCe
dotted land jutting out into the water
space and the hills of the rich southern
cOloring. above which float great
masses of creamy clouds. Near this
c. d. Robinson has an unusually strong
piece of work. picturing the Monterey
rocks. which Impress one with their
sOlidity and resistance to the whirling
spray which bOmbards them from all
sides. The rock part is a powerful
Characterization and the colOring OF the
wind swept waves is true and clean. The
wind is blowing a gale. and you know
it by feeling the pull and resistance Of
the inanimate rocks and the stunted
trees bending before its blast.
Frank McComas has returned from
London. the scene Of his latest sue
cesSes. and is greeting his old friends
at the Bohemian club A HuHber of his
sketches made at Corfu Greece we're
at one time on exhibition at Vickery's.
and it is TO be hoped that similar eN-
hibition Of his more recent work may
be held
The Del Monte jury went again to
the gallery last week and accepted a
number of new pictures. among which
were five landscapes by VIII Sparks.
five by Calthea Vivian of san Jose and
five by William Carrigan-Onc OF
Tamalpais, three charming landscapes
and an exquisite study of trees on a
curving shore These landscapes were
most highly commended by the jury,
consisting of Julia Heynemann. Flor
ence Lundborg win Sparks and C. S.
Aitken-
\ correspondent of the Chicago Rec
ord Herald. writing from Paris. says;
When the salon awards are made.
June Is. Henry y. Tanner. the Afro
American painter. born in Pittsburg
and educated in art at the PenuSyl-
vania Academy OF Fine Arts in Phila-
delphia. and, later. here in Paris. II is
rumored is to have the medal Of honor
for his Wise and Foolish Virgins.
1t is a mere rUmOr, but persistent.
The extraordinary picture is hung I'm
the Hall of Honor on the line in the
best light. 1t has had vast attention
from critics and public out OF all pro-
portion to that of the paintings sur
rounding IT, Some think IL one of
those works that mark epOchs. but the
medal of honor-never yet bestowed
upon foreigners 20 reward a life
time. not single PARTING.
"On the other hand this colored man
must have the superlative medal or
nothing, being 'hOrs concOurS by pre-
vious prize winnings. Get il OF not get
IT. therefore. here is man-handicappe'l
by race-who comes unknown. wins
prizes and fame and sells his paintings
at a high price in direct competition
with equally well known Frenchmen."
Tanner has at present a painting on
exhibition in the salon at PittsbuTs
and others in New York. For a time
7 he was a member OF a sort of equal
rights colony started by philsnthFo-
pist just outside of New York. but.
/ hnding social and professional recOgni-
tion denied him on account of his race.
he took his wife--a California white
woman. whom he had married in this
! city-and went over to Paris to make
I his home there.
That he is a genius there seems n0
reason TO doubt. His works and repu-
tatiOn prove it; but while his pictures
are gladly received and hung in places
of honor in the United States. II is only
in Paris. where among the followers OF
art neither race nor color counts. that
the artist can make his home
&
HAY CROP BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
HAYWARD. July G-Local farmers
are busily engaged In baling their hay
crop. which is reported to be mucR