The San Francisco call., 1909-03-28

M uons TINS Week-one AT WICK
Wv ery's, one at the Art institute
and one at the Sketch club
cooms-there has been spread q
color feast, in some instances, OF
the rarest merit First in point
Of date. and first. too. in point OF
excellence. comes the Richardson ex-
hibit a the vickery gallery, which has
attracted many visitors and which will
continue through this week. Mrs
Richardson's paintings of children and
work in figure portraiture is too well
known both in the east and here 10
need comment On entering the gal
lery. SO fun of gems of the rarest and
purest art one is compelled TO pause
at the head of the stairs and note
the figure and head of the girl who
stands fondling horse. whose fine
head droops over her caressing hand
This head. a girlish head. with its
loose red bronze hair much the same
tone as the color of the animal. is
painted vigorously. powerfully and
honestly. with the broadest brushwork.
that yet conveys the idea OF infinite
delicacy in its strokes, OF which there
is not one too many. nor one too lit
tie. The pose is natural the light ef-
fects skillfully carried out and the
conception admirable.
The Orchard Poor is a composition
which every lover of fine work should
see, representing, as il does. the ut
most facility in handling color, which.
allied TO unusual craftsmanship and
a poets fancy. make the pictorial eff
feet of the greatest charm.
Sleeping Child" showing a young
girl holding a sleeping infant in the
hollow of her arm is a wonderful de-
pictiOn OF the two stages of youth and
is rated one of the finest subjects from
the brush of the artist.
The Art association opened its fifty
seventh exhibition at the rooms Of the
institute on Friday. and almost before
the doors were opened 1t was rumored
that this years exhibit was conceded
to be Of the strongest excellence. This
proved TO be the fact when one gained
admittance. Rarely has a better ex-
hibit been seen on the walls of any
local gallery, the paintings showing a
great variety of subject a marked ad-
vance in handling over the previous
exhibits and a felicity of color scheme
which stamp the work selected as far
above the average standard.
Without doubt, one of the most not
able pictures in the gallery, and one
which attracts spontaneous attention,
IS the one by Willis Davis, entitled I'm
the Hills. Santa Barbara" This is a
tremendously original composition. at
tempting, as it does, to portray
shadows from passing clouds on the
low hills. These shadow effects are
magnificent, falling like a veil over
the soft roundness of the hills lit by
faint CLEANS OF sunshine, dapphng
them with exquisite charm and fugi-
tive brightness. The mass of cloud
which hovers above is beautifully
toned in cream and purple, though the
two colors melt into indistinguishable
tones. The foreground, which is
wholly subservient to the cloud effect,
consists of scrub oaks and a few rocks
which. though but mere accessories.
are handled with minutest care. This
picture has called forth praise from
artist and layman alike.
Orrin Peck's Garden Scene" recent
ly viewed at the Bohemian club, is
seen again, and loses none Of it's beau
ty on second observation.
Several marine works by Hammar-
strom show a marked advance in this
line of study. being strongly handled.
The largest OF these, called In Dis
tress" gives a wide sweep of stormy
water. a brief line of hills to the right
and a ship, Iaboring in the heavy sea.
The sails, torn and broken, thrashing
wildly in the wind, the dismantled ap-
pearance of the vessel and the desola-
ton and helplessness of the laundering
bark tell their own story. The water
stretch is we'll and ably handled, the
big waves leaping, eddying and plung
ing skyward with a mighty movement
that gives the Irresistible feeling of
actual motion. Two smaller marines
show the same qualities, while quiet
bit Of woodland with dark tree ref1ec-