The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24
m tn e Art w @rB d
By Lucy B. Jerome

always anticipated with keen interest.
as the clubrooms were thrown open to
invited guests and an informal recep-
tlon held. In the main hall and the pri-
vate dining room, both of which have
skyiights, the pictures will be displayed.
The annual spring exhibition Of the
San Francisco art association will be
held at the Institute of Art beginning
March 25 and will continue for four
weeks The exhibit will include oil
paintings, water colors, pastels, black
and white miniatures and sculpture
The chief event in the art circles of
New York during the past two weeks
has been the exhibition of German art
at the Metropolitan museum. Concern
the way for this country-the New
York Sun makes the following decidedly
interesting comment:
German art has always been bur
dened with the German idea. 1t mas
ever sought TO paint the idea. and not
possessing native genius for painting,
her true greatness lying in the misty
rudregions of metaphysics and music,
her history reveals long, hard strug-
gle to do indifferently well what the
Italians, Dutch and French accomplish
without entering into a death struggle
with their temperaments.
There is much to be said for German
painting, misguided as are its ideals.
Most OF it is like the effort OF the
Irishman to play the fiddle by sheer
strength But take 1t by and large,
since the mighty names of centuries
ago. the results have not been COM
mensurate with the enormous travail.
We can think of nothing more mel
ancholy that visit to the galleries
OF German art at Berlin, Dresden ana
Hamburg, where hang miles of medi-
OGRE pictures, except a day with the
Munich or Berlin seceSstonlsts--paro-
dies OF the autumn salon In Paris. Inc
amount of talent wasted. whether at
Dusseldorf or Berlin, or Bonn or Mu-
mich, is disheartening.
In Germany the academy rules. Every
few years sees a fresh rebellion, but
German art never changes. 1t is run
damentally academic. professional IL
is either the sentimental anecdote or
the frigid allegory. In 1855 that witty
Frenchman, Edmond About, impert1-
nently wrote in regard to the German
pictures at the exposition: If you run
against good German painter you
may compliment him in French.
Adolf Won Menzer. the most distin-
guished craftsman of them all, Is
accorded criticism as follows:
Born in 1915. Mcneil, chameleonllke,
changed his style and color half
dozen times Affected first by Meisso-
nier, he painted with microscopic hdel-
ity-see mingly he had the many lensed
eyes of an insect-this little giant from
Breslau with the huge hydSocephalic
head. Then he met Gustav Courbet,
the most powerful painter of the nine
teenth century. Immediately the sup
pie, receptive talent of the German ab-
sorbeds the mighty influence of man
who today is still withheld his right,
1851 Courbet had painted his stone
Breaker; in 1876 appeared Won Men
Zeps masterpiece, The Iron MILL The
Restaurant of the Paris Exposition"
Sc IL 1sx.r~ o. an G
sionistic work, though on close in
spection, like all of Won MenzePs pic
lures of crowds at court levees or thea
tiers, it is painted with too much IN
lated and may be studied separately
and we have actually heard this defect
praised as a sign of distinction! Monet
and Degas can suggest a crowd with
half dozen figures. Won Mcneil, whose
eyes magnified everything, could never
AVOID the Meissonier exaggerauon. HIS
landscapes are Photographic. We can
see the forest because of the elaborate
~ painted trees, but his sketches, his
pencil drawings-there is the master
His color today is neither agreeable
nor subtle, though not sooty like Mum
kacsys and his school.
Wores has definitely decided to take
up portrait painting again, as he is
achieving much success In this direc-
ton, his latest work being full length
OF MISS 0dIOli11t IodUtE III
light blue gown and hat, holding back
a curtain with one hand. Wores has
an effective method of painting and
that the picture is strikingly lifelike
representation there is no doubt. The
pose is natural and the sense of ar
rested motion is felt The rendering
of the texture of the gown is faithfully
carried out and the accessories painted
with care and skill. Exactly the oppo-
site of the treatment that would be
bestowed upon it by an impressionist,
the handling yet convinces one of the
great delicacy and finish of Wores
work and the capable producing of a
highly satisfactory similitude.
The painter has singular way of
viewing his sitters, in mirror which
enables him to see what defects there
may be from an inverted point of view.
Seen in this mirror the painting is as
though the living subject were step
ping from the frame. The realism evil
denced is startling Miss Bauer has
been an agreeable subject and her por
trait, together with remarkable one
of DR.. Louis Deane, may be placed
where the general public may view
them in the spring.