Evening star., 1908-01-11

erer Of America. based upon what he had
up to that time read about. him, that
led him to take up the subject.
A RI NO ES.
A special exhibition Of paintings by Mr..
in the Corcoran Gallery Of Art wednes-,
day and will continue until the 10Th Of
January. This exhibition consists of
thirty-one pictures painted during the
past eighteen years. which have been
loaned by public institutions and private
collectors. and is, set forth in the first
room to the right Of the staircase leading
from the sculpture hall to the picture gal.
leries.' Mr.. TarbeIl is ranked among the
foremost American Inquire painters and In
this particular field he has made large
contribution. Born at West Groton.
Mass. in 1862 he early displayed artistic
proclivities. After receiving a common
school education he served an apprentice
ship to company, OF lithographers and
then began the study Of art IN all earnest
at the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts.
Later ne went to Paris and studied under
Boulanger and Lefebre, but for about
twenty years he has been working inde-
pendently In America. Few painters have
met with more continuous, success or re-
ceived at the hands OF their colleague
greater honor. Again and again Mr.. Tar
bell has been awarded medals and prizes
by artist juries. In 1890 he won the
Clark prize In the National Academy Of
Designs annual exhibition; In 1893 the
Shaw prize of the Society Of American
Artists was awarded to him: in 1894 the
a. III R-NN ~ p>A
in 1895 he received not only the Walter
L.ippincott prize. but the Pennsylvania
Academy's Temple gold medal, which Is
only bestowed in recognition Of distin-
guished achievement. The Worcester Art
Museum. the Paris exposition and the
Carnegie Institute have also tangibly
recognized Mr.. Tarbelrs distinction. and
each year It would seem has brought new
honors. He is a member Of the organiza.
tion known as the Ten American Iaint.
ers." an associate Of the National Acad-
emy OF. Design. and a member Of the Cop-
ley Society Of Boston. as we'll as In
structor Of drawing and painting in the
Boston Museum OF Fine Arts. 1t Is not
strange therefore that special interest
should attach itself to an exhibition Of
bling OF SO large a collection Of it should
constitute an event Of note.
In an exhibition composed entirely o.
the work Of q single painter there Is COM
monty an inclination. to sameness. pro-
voked by similarity in manner and theme,
but not so here. So varied In style and
treatment are the paintings In this col
lection that It IL dificult to believe that
tney arc indeed the work Of but one man.
Here are interiors, portraits, and Mgure
paintings made out OF doors. showing lit
tie or no ,kinship save in the matter of
feeling. Some arc broadly handled, strong
In color, rough In finish, others are care
fully executed. ,toneful and subtle. but all
manifest the painters interest in his work
and have obviously been produced with
tits this, Undoubtedly, which has ap-
pealed to the art juries-this mastery
handling Of material and deliberate over.
coming OF difficulties. Mr.. Tarbell has
problem of light and many. of his can
vases set forth phases OF Its solution
The Venetian Blind loaned by the
Worcester Art Museum is one OF these.
as are likewise Girl Reading, the prop
erty OF the Cincinnati Museum Associa-
The outdoor subjects also. partake some.
what of this nature. each and all beinG
studies In sunlight. The largest Of the sc.
I'm the. Orchard" Is. one OF Mr.. Tar
bells earliest works and shows strongly
the influence OF his French training. but
is strong. well rendered and pleasantly
colorful. Quite q series Is, given to pic.
turing his little daughter. from the time
she was q baby in her mothers arms. tc
a day not long past. when grown into
maidenhood. she appeared In wind-tossed
hat and veil on a high rock background
against the, summer sky. No great
change in style has been made apparently
during the intervening years. but In
technique, craftsmanship and personal
conviction steady. advance Is shown
Probably the most distinguished works
in this exhibition are the interiors. enti.
tied Girl Crocheting."' New England In.
terror" and Girl Mending." though ths
portraits Of DR.. Henry Lee Morse and Mr.
Edward Robinson also possess uncom.
mon merit. But 1t is true that Mr. Tar.
bell is a very uneven painter: that while
in these canyases- he has reached an ex.
ceedingly high plane. In others, NOTABLY
the BOY With q Dog" he has arrived
merely at medlocYity. Indeed ofttiines II
a single work careless drattsmarsfips ol
poor manipulation. OF material will bt
which have been, beautifully rendered. I,
Is not that Mr.. TarbeIl does not know
but that he has not cared overcoming q
great diffculty he has .disregarded mino,
ones. and thus failed to carry his Worl
sometimes to an adequate conclusion.
This fault may be found with the Cir
with Dog" the portrait OF Paul Wells
and that Of "a Young Carl but cannot
be brought as a reproach against Pre-
pairing for the Matinee" which has beer
loaned by the st. Louis Art Museum and
of brushwork: or, In fact. against ths
previously mentioned portraits and. inte-
riors. Mr.. Tarbell Is not, It would seem
a picture maker. but a great technician
He has employed landscape merely as 9
setting for figures. and color for the pur-