Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-25

who has thrown himself back against her
shoulder and on whose cheek his little
sister is lovingly pressing a kiss 1t Is
very childish and natural-human and
engaging And while the color is frosty
rather than mellow-the poses natural
rather than studied. the sincerity with
which it is set forth captvates the be-
holder. Bouguereau, it is said. came
much nearer the popular ideal OF what
babies should be than Miss Cassatt. who
literally paints them as they are, insist
ing. regardless of protests, to picture
"stubby toes and PIGGY noses rather
than the idealzed varieties to 1.-THE de-
light of the few and the bewilderment
of the many" And after all this frank
statement. devoid as it may be OF the
amenities Of grace. has true ring which
is wanting in certain more finished utter
ances and is by no means negligible.
Primarily decorative and ldealistic.
though far from superficial. are the two
pictures by Hugo Balone-"The Bath'-in
gallery "a" the other-"Under the Per-
gola'-in gallery &c" Both picture the
same fair young mother and delicately
beautiful baby boy, but in addition, in
the first instance. is noted an Ethiopian
serving woman, a brass vessel of water
to serve as the tub. and an elaborate
landscape ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, in the
second, curtains of foliage and sprin-
king of sunshine are the sole adjuncts in
the composition. Both are rendered with
attractive and full Of refined feeling, but
they do not move the observer profoundly
or exert a potent influence. They are
lovely. and pure and delightful, but not
strong nor stirring. So agreeable are
their virtues, however. that one feels no
inclination to quarrel with them for what
they are not.
Alexander's "The Mother"
In gallery ID" on the east wal, will be
found a painting by John w. Alexander.
who for the past two years has been Civ
ing almost all his time to the execution
Of mural paintings for the Carnegie In
stitute of Pittsburg. This is a large but
not conspicuous canvas and was prob
ably painted some time ago. 1t Is called
1.-The Mother" and pictures a young wom-
an in a dusky room bending over her
baby, who Is lying on an old-fashioned
sofa and has apparently just Weakened
from sleep. One little arm is thrown back
and the other stretched up in very
babyish way while the mother leans for
ward in an attitude of gentle solicitude.
Technically the work is oddly accom-
nlished a coarse canvas being used and
the pigment applied In thin washes mixed
not with OIL but benZine as Is this paint
er's wont. A dull, dry effect is the resu t,
which at a distance carries well. but close
at hand is meaningless. But this is one
Of the pictures which improves infinitely
upon acquaintance, it's atmospheric quail
ity and pervasive sentiment manifesting
their charm more and more as the OBJ
server fingers. Here is indeed another
very lovely conception Of pure mother
hood.
Turning now from the Madonna type to
the pictures of children, attention will nat
urally first be drawn to the little MAR
cissa" by Sergt. Kendall. which hangs in
the same gallery as the painting by Mr..
Alexander, and has recently been ac-
quired by the Corcoran Gallery for its per-
marent collection. This Is in truth a be-
witching piece of brushwork-so cleverly
wrought, SO finished and exquisite that II
there are incongruities Or errors In aught
besides they are overlooked and forgotten.
Rarely Is fresher piece of coloring found