Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-07

given every assistance and encourage
ment. and art itself assumed a dignity
which is truly inspiring. Mr.. Brooke told
Of his own impressions upon first visiting
the country and of some of his adven-
lures when in quest of themes. He learn
ed. he said, as soon as possible two very
important sentences: May I paint?" and
Il will pay" and these proved an open
sesame whenever spoken. The peasants
were not only willing to be painted, he
found, but would pose intelligently and
group their children with excellent judg-
ment-art to them was no remote thing
regarded. as it is in this country, as
either an excuse for idleness or a dark
mystery. The viewpoint of the Dutch
artists differed very much from that of
the French, Mr.. Brooke declared. While
somewhat clumsy brushmen the Holland
painters transcribed what moved them
without regard to it's effect upon others,
and for this reason while their works
We're less clever, less finished and less
colorful than their Partisan neighbors'
they make direct appeal. Stolid in dis
position. the Dutch artist. he insisted. was
not passive toward his art, but put into
his work profound emotion. Nor was he
lacking in pains or study. Mauve, Mr.
Brooke related, was in the habit of carry
ing his canvas out on his back to the
place in which he had painted it. and
after setting 1t up quietly study it for
two hours while he smoked his pipe, and
.
that he had discovered what was wrong
with a certain value. And both Israels
and Neuhuys often painted and reprinted
an insignificant spot in their canvaseS be-
cause it was out of harmony with the
rest of the picture. The French painters
Mr.. Brooke said. used shadow to heighten
the effect of light. whereas the Dutch
painters employed light to emphasize the
charm of shadow. Another secret of the
Dutch painters is. the lecturer told his
hat hax 1.-Two for thnir
art, but with it-their subjects are all
close at hand and they content themselves
with a knowledge of certain phases of ma
ture. Jacob Maris painted the sea and
the sky again and again until he knew
them by heart, 1sraels and NeuhuyS pic
.tured the peasant folk in their homes
until every detail became familiar. and
Mauve kept to his sand dunes until no
secret they possessed was undiscovered!
Speake of Mauve, Mr.. Brooke told briefly
not only of his life, but of his death. and
gave certain facts with which the major
ity of his hearers were not acquainted.
Mauve was in the habit of charging
very small sums for his paintings when
he took two canvases to Paris and en-
tered them at the Salon. 1t was his in
tention to value them at $75 and $50. re-
spectively. but Mr.. Howe, the American
cattle painter, realizing their worth. urged
him to make the prices $3.50 and 5000.
Mauve was then thirty-five years old. and
lived from hand to mouth, meagerly.
though not always meanly. His pic
lures were purchased, but were in no
great demand. Six hundred dollars
seemed a great sum. and when an Ameri-
can dealer purchased both the pictures in
the Salon it seemed too good to be true.
Then medal of honor was awarded. and
then Dutch dealers began clamoring for
his work Mad with JOY the painter
rushed to his home. burst in upon his
E "a no hal H iroo
were over, the children could have
schooling, his wife new gowns. prosperity
was at hand. but the revulsion of feeling
was too great; with the words on his lips
he died. The two pictures which were in
; the Salon both came to America. Mr..
Waggaman bought one for $500, and
when his collection was dispersed it
brought $4,000. Mr.. Brooke told. also.
most entertainingly of his acquaintance
with some of the living painters; of their
methods of work and their attitude to-
ward art. With especial emphasis he
spoke of the Dutch manner of handling
color-the preservation of perfect values
and the sparing use of strong tints. From
an exhibition of Dutch paintings one
| turned away, he said. refreshed and in
vigorated. charmed with the simplicity Of
truth and convinced of latent ability, and
there is no doubt that his 4ecture gave
his audience an appreciation of this feel
ing. Though avoWeo,y impromptu this
given this year.
twenty-five paintings in oil by Mr.. w.
r. c. Wood of Baltimore are now on eX-
hibition in Morrey's gallery.\ Chiefly
landscapes they present variety of
themes and confine themselves to no spe-
cial mode of rendering. Mr. Wood was
born in Washington in 1915. but has stud
led in Baltimore under Mr. Whiteman,
and is member of the Baltimore Char
coal Club. His work shows artistic per-
ceptfun and intelligent handling of ma
| terial. His canvases have pictorial inter-
est. and in some instances nice feeling.
but they lack continuity and concentra-
ton of force. He has apparently tram
scribed nature literally, and his compost
tons are sometimes poorly balanced
There is a suggestion of other painters
styles in several Of the canvases, and
the impression that is made is that the
artist has not yet found himself In some
instances the work is exceptionally good
while in others it falls below the average