The San Francisco call., 1909-10-31


A. w Best, who has spent most of the
last four months on various little
sketching trips to the Yosemite valley
and the counties across the bay, has re-
opened his studio here for the winter
and is turning out some very strong
scenes as the result of his summer ram
bles. Among the most attractive of
these is study of oak trees, which is
specially noteworthy for the brilliant
play of sunshine and shadow. The red
brown ground and grass bordered path
leading under the oaks away into the
distance are dappled with golden sun
light, making the shade the deeper. The
trees are powerfully dealt with, and
the view in and under them is pleasing
and refreshing. This picture is on view
at SchussIers and is very striking, al
though two smaller canvases by Best
have appealed even more to the popu-
lar fancy
These are in many respects the same
scene-one in all the freshness and
beauty of spring in shades of the light
est and brightest of early green; the
other worked up in all the richness and
warmth of tint the autumn brings
shades of red and gold, that blend ex-
quisitelX. The setting is in the foot
hills, with a rugged country road lead
ing into the wooded canyon, a broken
down fence to the side giving a de-
lightfIlly rustic touch. In both. canvases
the artist has handled beautifully the
long morning. shadows thrown by the
hills on the rolling fields. One is paint
ed in. the softest. Of spring sunshine.
the otlier on a cloudy fall day, snatches
of sunlight fltering through the riffs
in the heavy threatening clouds. ::
Most of Bests works are. strong and
I5o ndIa1 xs-ifIl a touch that a
close" study of nature. There is scfne
talk of his having some Is or 20 of. lis.
latest pictures on exhibition in 'Decefn :
Der at the .Rakjoln and Morcom gal
leries in. Post street.
One interesting exhibition in this
city Will follow another during the re-
mainder of the fall and winter, begin
ming with the Keith view the week
after next and with the hanging of the
famous Walters collection Of European
paintings at the San Francisco InsSi-
tute of Art: AT present the works Of
Hermann Dudley Murphy of Boston are
on view at" the .Vickery, Atkins and
Torrey galleries in Sutter street. There
are 20 or more of his canvases hing
and they. are of special interest to art
lovers as being very unlike the work
of our local colony. MIrphy's. style is
in different key; there is something
delightfully."- delicate and >eyaneseent
about it, the general tone and treat
ment being peculiarly and distinctly
his own. For the most part the. sub
iects, he has chosen are Venetian
scenes, with a few marine studies off
the Italian coast thrown in. There is,
in fact only one typically American
scene IT represents a New England
winter landscape. with dark. blue shad-
owed hills rising back of the snow
covered fields 1t is a beautiful can
vas. though "a little cold in finish and
coloring And this in a measure may
be said of all of Murphy's works. Even
his Venetian scenes, bright and light
and ethereal as they are, lack a little
of the warmth and richness of. the Ital-
ian sunlight.
One of his most fascinating paintings
is study in oil of the sea near Venice
done in the coolest of blue moonlight.
over the deep, dead calm OF the dark
water are seen the lights of the dis
tant city, which with their golden re-
Election in the water make the oone
bright touch in the sonlber canvas.
This is really the most beautiful scene
on view, and is principally wonderful
for the way Murphy brought out the
idea of tranquility, the two swells in
the watef in the foreground giving to
the rest of the sea a deeper quiet.
Murphy's exhibition will continue for
another week and will later be put on
view in one of the large Los Angeles
galleries.
Gertrude Partington, whose clever.
painting of yergilia Bogue has been re-
ceiving the greatest praise for the last
fortnight since it was first exhibited at
the St Francis, contemplates doing a
series of portraits this fall and winter.
What renders this artists work doubly
attractive is that she succeeds not only
with her brush and palette in the faith
faI portrayaI of likenesses, but she is
even more skillful with her dry point
sketches number of which are on
view in her home. And as she is ono
of the only three artists in the world.
who do dry point etching her studies in
this line are all the more valuable.
One Of the most attractive done by