Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-10-02

ten years OF crowded work II Is fe'
markable that this painter Of Amer
lean beauty has not repeated himself
. the public always recognizes at once
a Harrison Fisher head Chateau
brand never lost the influence OF MS
ia Syphide," and few artists ever
paint femininity from life without
putting into their canvases touch OF
their dream women" Sir Joshua did
it, Romney especially, and SO did the
long line of distinguished and amiaDie
painters Of women.
There Is often virtue in 6 compari-
son and the painter OF "Bewitchlns
Eyes" who deals with his sitters d.
rectly through the medium OF paint
without any preliminary blocking
out" or the use of crayon and COM
passes, has been compared to the pril.
liant and fascinating Gainsborougn. IL
is a fact that the modern has at least
a tincture of the lightness OF manner
the unity of effect, the quick, inevN'
able touch and the notable capacity
for preferring essentials which are
present in the hayward painter OIL
, the eighteenth century.
But the comparison Of modern II
illustrator who is still growing TO d
deed artist of large achievement Is
misleading II carried too far. Never
theless. in the charm of color-at us
worst attractive If thin-there IS some
degree of kinship between them. Al
, present the critic can find SEEDS OF
indebtedness in the living man )
work which will have TO be dug ous
BEFORE his accomplishment becomes
ronsvmmate. At present his output Is
too frequently experimental ana ca
pricious-one feels that MS ART Is
not yet fully representative OF his
,, admirable gift.
That this Is 80 Is not surprising
when one learns how Harrison F1sner
hogan to paint. Born in New York in
1875 and early taken to San Francis
90. he had but a seasons experiences
in an immature art academy there De-
fore a picture he had made OF nre
attracted the art (sic) editor OF one
newspaper, and he sent for the o'y
artist to work. From there he went
to another publication. doing hasty. Ill
consideded work until. having saved
I'm the price Of a ride across ina
Continent. he returned to his native
East. where there were at least gar
leries to visit.
He visited them to some purpose;
developing his instinct for form ana
color while continuing the bread anu
butter buying newspaper toll. stu saw
inb up. and finally reaching LONDON
and Paris. A series Of illustrations
made in the former city for Haroia
Frederfc's Market Place" supplied
him with funds to .aXe him to tne
galleries of Europe. A sketch mace
here and there kept his hanl IN, Out
, his art education came mainly
through the eye.
Training like this. helps ar si,ist
, to nreserve his origin liity-n IS oul'e
suficient when the native gift is i"rse'
as in the case Of Mr.. Fisher. anu
the artist has invention. ingenuity:
even imagination, besides facility OF
hand. hut it leaves something to be
desired The painters. Of whom there
arc = score in New York. whose
, names and illustrations are hoaseno.a
words finds this equipment quite SUI
! ficient for success. There IS hA.
. ture of sincerity and grace IN .he
work of the artist Of "Bewitcnins
Eyes that is more than winnlng-i'
leads those who like his work TO nope
that the day will arrive WREN ms per
Torrance will equal his possit1hties.
This artists return from abroad was
timely. He came at the break De.
tween old and new. when the old was
not vet discredited and the new was
stiu inoffensive. at a time when PEG
Mic had begun to question the supf~,
macy of the middle aged Illustrators
ora Great men-men who could put
feeling for colr in their black anu
white and who were signing pages IN
tHarner's ard Scribners- The young
student of the Louvre and the Nationl
Gallery showed his good sense oy
Identifying himself with what Wa
known. and not with tnat wn"'
though big with many kfnds on PoJ
sfbilities, was as yet in periect 'ole"
with nothing actively alive he s.uu
ied the work Of the artists OF W
pend" It is true, but he didn't a..
tenpt to emulate them. He had seen
eooJ drawing and he 'abored to max
his craftsmanship good. He nae
seen Gainsborough and Vatican, anu
he s:rove for clio. that would be ootn
clear and rich. The result OF his e.,
Forts was soon apparent. Pictures ~
color began to be remarked as tney
came from his studio, and while 'ne
pubIjc admired his pretty women tne
critics admitted that this newcomeI
had a very real feeling for pant. an'
that his brush work, inteiiisent. s,eo..
Gus. expressive. was thar OF mS
on cbo,rp and forceful temperament
He started out with the purpose Va
naipt VIA, he knew and only that
80 his graduation from the newspaper
scbool came as a matter OF course.
HE had not ben working long, St-
! fore his natural attributes cs grace
facility and invention received the
recognition they mer!ted.
Of The man himself n Is enough W