The San Francisco call., 1908-03-29
New Names Vie With Old Fayorites at
Annual Spring Art Exhibition
BY Lucy B. jerome

= notable exhibition now going on is
the annual spring exhibition of the San
francisco art association at their
building, the San Francisco institute Of
art on Mason and California streets.
IN speaking Of this exhibition one must
admit that its promoters have sur
passed themselves. The work shown is
e - SSftsd and excellent a character
that one realizes instinctiveIy the high
standard which IL has sought to reach
number of local artists are repre-
seHted, and side by side with their more
or less familiar work hang a number
of pictures by artists whose names are
not on the catalogues of preceding ex-
hibitions.
But so many familiar names are
there that they challenge ones atten-
ton There is Oscar Kunath and Theo-
dore Wcres; Maurice del Niue. who, by
the way, is strong coming man; Eda
1T John Smittens who has improved so
4. tremendously in her later work that
II is scarcely recognizable as compared
with her former: Keith, the veteran
IN art, who stands out among the
younger men like a veritable giant of
execution; Eugen Neuhaus and c.
Chapel Judson. who has some charming
conceptions; Mary Mention. Ada Romer
Shawhan and Latimer, who has recent
~ returned to San Francisco, and a
dozen others Among the new names
are those OF Van Sloun. Goddard Gale
and Florence Manor; and IL is Of this
: last that am going to speak first
The plaster frieze entitled flight of
April Is" the work Of Florence Manor,
which represents the never to be for
gotten huddle OF figures which moved
on that fateful day in slow, dragging
line toward the hills, is q remarkab BILE
conception. No one has as yet at
tempted 70 depict in any form the con-
slomerate lines OF fight, which com
prised DID, young, men and women and
al alike This young student of sculp-
ture has portrayed the emotions of fear,
despair and terror in the attitude of
her figures. The straining forward.
shown in outstretched neck and press
ing feet; the desperate. pallid look.
which betrayed the awful uncertainty
which lay in the future; the child en-
deavoring TO pull q baby carriage for
ward with her figure twisted heavily
to one side and arm outstretched. as if
for support; the boy dropped in a
huddle where he stood, with the dog
peering humanity and anxiously into
his. face; the old grandame hobbling
fee1ly along, upheld by the brawny arm
of younger woman; the pack slung
over the shoulder; the cradle piled high
with household goods; the babe in
arms, cooling at the red flame; the med
ley Of forms draped in any and all
ciothes-but all pressing, pressing.
straining forward out of the terror that
lay behind tit is a conception worthy
the skill and effort of Rodin or &
Lopez
But the girl artist has done we'll
She has made the suggestion. Whether
she can carry il out remains TO be
seen- AS Yet her figure work has not
the instructive lightness or impression
Of movement; the straining line hardly
conveys the idea of forward haste.
There Is q certain formality, a stiff
ness. a conventionality in the figures
which seem TO lack the freedom and
power and surety of touch that are
needed 10 give the impression of abso-
ute flight. On the whole it is cred
tsbly handled and promises much for
the future.
In the same room is a design for
marble seat by the same artist. 1t
shows a graceful sweep Of line in the
formation Of the seat, whose lines are
pure and almost wholly classic. The
group Of figures at either end is well
conceived and striking in execution.
while her memorial panel, her minia-
lures IN marble and the medallion por-
trait OF a child. all show coming power
and strength and mark an epoch in
the student work Of sculpture in San
Francisco.
Taking the pictures in order, A. W.
Best is represented by a tangle of
crushed yellow grasses. intermingled
with the fresh greens Of springtime and
color dashes Of red and white blossoms
Hills are IN the dim distance and the
picture is well worked out and ef-
fective.
Rose" a portrait by Caroline Rix-
ford johnson. is a large painting Of a
little girl holding a doll. The stiff
ness and angularity of the doll is ad-
niirably portrayed. and the child charm
ing in her youthful pose against a
background of a table and a few.
books. The youthful meagerness of
figure is well displayed and the en-
semble produces q very pleasing effect.
Hammarstrom is represented by a
strong marine scene. showing 4 soii-
tary sail in the distance merging into
background Of sullen sky. The high
lights in this picture are admirably
conceived and the sense Of impend-
ing storm strongly brought home.
Kunath has several pictures, the two
most notable of which perhaps are The
Rising Moon. Fruitvale." and "Kaffee
Klatsch." The last is a genre picture
Of three old ladies in a Capitalization
over the coffee cups. The expression
on the faces of three different types
is remarkable in its clearness and
power Of differentiation The interior
81 the room is harmonious and subor-
dinsted TO the figures pleasingly.
The Rising Moon" shows a big. yell
low moon coming Up slowly from the
east over the hills of Fruitvale. with
curve Of road on which are visible
the lights Of an auto. The disk Of the
yellow globe peering over the clump
Of eucalypti a little to one side is the
only light in the picture, the main ef-
feet being that of low tones relieved
only by the slight effulgence Of the
orb.
The Oaks" by Anne Bremen, is a
well balanced and well executed
study, and "A Gray Day" by Hammar-
strom has almost the effect of a
monotype. being conceived in varying
shades OF blue. which are singularly
pleasing and harmonious. "A Home by
the Sea- by Del Niue, is one of this
artists strongest conceptions. It Is a
beautiful scene full Of calmness and
royal peace. Simple in composition, as
are all Of Del Mue's works. "A Home