Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-05
Art Notes
nv EIIzApETu WAGGoNER

responding to the call of canyon or
mountain, desert or sea, according to
their varying moods, the portrait pain
ters have been hard at work in their
studios, and the exhibitions Of the COM
ing year viii perhaps have larger
showing of portraits and figure STUDIES
than heretofore. The work of Mrs.
Helma Heynson Jahn is always
watched for with interest, from her
pre- -eminence in her chosen field of
portraiture. She has devoted the en-
tire summer to the execution of sew
eral important commissions. Conspic-
uous among these are the portraits OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Fishburn, whose two
charming children Mrs. jain has re-
Gently portrayed. Portraits of Mrs.
Horlocker and of Mrs. Severance are
also under way In the studio, and all
show the individuality peculiar to this
artisan idealist who reproduces the
exact character OF her sitters. 1t is
hoped that some of these exceptional
portraits will be shown at the coming
exhibitions.
The Art Students league has been
showing during the past week an ex-
hibtion of the work done i'll the sum-
mel. classes of the school. From the
work on the walls of the studio it is
evident that a comprehensive course Of
art study is offered and under the guld-
ance of an instructor trained in the
most advanced methods of the present
day In the handling of the various
mediums the pupils show free, i'm
pressionistic method, with sound
knowledge of construction and technic.
Mr.. Earl Freeman tho winner of the
10, at 40 Art
league of New York, shows a line of
excellent ings-several studies
from the nude, strong and vigorous
in handling, and a number of draw
ings for illustration, full of character
and action. Some very good charcoal
sketches of the costumed model and
a delicately modelled nude by Miss Y.
Dillon deserve especial mention. one
of the striking features of the eXhi-
bition is a group of oils by Edith Os-
mond, d portrait study of young
man, excellent in modelling, a cos
tune study rich in color and direct in
treatment, and the head of an old man,
painted with knowledge and artistic
feeling Miss Osmond was winner of
a former scholarship, but elected to re-
main in Los Angeles, continuing her
work under Mr.. Hedges and opening
studio of her own, where she is doing
some very creditable work.
A project is under consideration for
series of art exhibitions to be held at
Throop Polytechnic institute in Pasa-
dena during the coming year.. When
the beautiful Stiekney memorial build
ing was presented to this institution for
the use of its art department it was
with the Intention of making it an art
center for Pasadena and the holdings of
II. rt.sl IL NKriI a.
table step toward that end. 1t is
planned to have a number of one-man
exhibitions by the representative pain
ters Of Southern California. The work
of the artists can in this way be shown
to the very best advantage and a rare
opportunity afforded not only to the
students but to the people of Pasa-
dena in having these exhibitions near
at and.
At Long Beach a well-defned move-
ment is under way toward the main
tenance of a permanent art exhibition
at the new public library in that city.
During the past year the Ebell club
at Long Beach has been very active In
arousing interest in art, and Mrs. b. h.
Jackson, who served as chairman of
that section of the club work, Is much
interested in the present movement.
Miss Whitman, the supervisor of draw
ing in the public schools, was an in
valuable aid in the arrangement of the
exhibition held at the opening of the
library early in the summer, and with
her splendid equipment of several
years training in the best art schools
of this country and of Europe, she is
in a position to do much toward the
advancement of art in the beach city.
Art lovers and collectors throughout
the country have been watching with
interest the action of congress in franz
ing the new tariff law to provide for
the admission without duty of paintings
and sculptures over twenty years old.
The American Association of Mu-
seums has worked indetatlgab5y
through it's officers and committees In
the interest of free art. and this pro-
vision is a decided step in that direc-
ton. The outlook for July in dis
cussing this question says: There is
no aspect of the tariff which has been
more repugnant to intelligent Ameri-
cans or has brought more reproach
upon us by intelligent foreigners than
the tax on products of art. Artists
have again and again expressed the
strongest repugnance to this limitation
of the importation of art works. They
need no protection. Schools, colleges,
libraries, colleges, galleries, Americans
who love art, have protested again and
again without effect. The duty at
present levied on works of art is based
on the assumption that these works
are luxuries and ought to be taxed
as such, and a specious case has been
made out of discrimination against the
poor in favor of the rich; all TINS on
the theory that art is a luxury, an
ornament, a decoration. Nothing could
be more misleading and untrue. This
view of art is a survival of the ig-
norance OF it's functions and services
which formerly prevailed in thls coun-
try, but which we have been rapidly
outgrowing. The introduction of All
education in the public schools, the
opening of a great number of galleries
the marked growth of late in architec-
ture, and especially in public build
ings. the growing desire to make cities
beautiful, the enrichment of such
buildings with mural decorations, the
growing wealth of good sculpture and
painting, indicate the rapidity with
which. education in arc is going on in
this country. Every effort ought to be
made to bring beautiful things TO tins
new world. We stand in sore need ci
them We ought to welcome every ad
dition. Instead of shutting tine gate III
tEe IuCe OF lIG AliiNl AIeill NAiN eAA'-7
bring masterpieces, either ancient ol
modern, to this country. we ought &c
hold the gates wide open and welcome
him as a public henefactor The reVe-
nue. from duties on works of art is moi
worth considering as a matter ol
money-it has never amounted to more
than a few hundred thousand dollars
but it has been a barrier to the higher
education of America and a survival
of an ancient ignorance which has