Evening star., 1909-04-24
CURRENT NEWS AND NOTES OF ART AND ARTISTS.

of May L. and other social entertain
ment will he provided. This convention
to have been held last January, but
owing to the approaching change in ad-
ministration and the multiplicity OF con-
flicting interests it was deemed best to
postpone it until this time. The object
is not only to encourage cooperation be-
tween the various societies. but to form
a fine arts federation similar to that
already organized in New York though
national in it's scope--a federation which
will consolidate the art interests of Amer
lea and make concerted action possible.
Such national organization would GER
tainly do much toward cultivating taste
and raising the standard of American
production. to say nothing of American
life. AS no convention of this kind has
ever been held in this country before, it
should prove epOchmaking.
THE Library OF Congress has recently
1 received a valuable gift of eleven en-
cravings and etchings by James d. Smil-
lie, from the artist. One Is quite re-
markable interior. the library Of Mr.. c.
d. Borden Of New York city, d private
plate made for Mr.. Borden's catalogue
and printed in only limited edition. An
other IS an EXQUISITE transcription of
single spray of hOllyhOckS done in dry
point with slight resort to mezzotinting:
and Yet third is landscape. a Hill
side With Sheep, a soft ground aquatint
Others are transations of paintings by
stance, "A Glass With the Squire, by
Eastman Johnson; y Lady of Cairo
Visiting, by F. \. Brdgman, and
lovely figure study, Sleep. by Walter
Shiraw. Each is in a manner peculiarly
suited to the subject, and the ability of
the etcher TO enter into the mood of the
painter whose work he reproduces is
plaintly manifested. Mr.. Smillie. who
two 14 he fe, - 4
veteran painters of America-a man of
much distinction and large accomplish
ment. He is the son of James Smillie
the Scotch engraver. who early emigrat-
ing to America. settled in New York and
became the authorized interpreter of
the works of Cole, Durand, Kensett and
their contemporaries or the Hudson River
School. At the age of eight James d.
Smillie etched his first plate, and until
1864, when he was thirty-one years DID,
he cola borated with his father. Then
he turned to painting and without having
received any definite instruction did ex-
1867, he founded the American Society of
Painters in Water Color. which, under
the name OF the American Water Color
Society. opens it's forty-second annual
exhibition in New York next week. He
is represented in the Corcoran gallery
by a large painting, The Cliffs Of Nor
mandy" purchased from the first ex-
hibition of contemporary American paint
February, 1907.
A MOTHER exceedingly interesting and
"a valuable acquisition lately made by
the print division OF the Library of Con-
gress is a collection of etchings by Brit
tSh etcherS-men and women of eXtraOr-
binary ability. but. in this country, COM
paratively little known. Seventeen prints
are included in this collection and each is
in itself an enviable possession To the
print collector and connoisseur they are
real treasures. but to none with artistic
perception could they fail to give keen de-
light The majority are architectural
themes such as Whistler and Meryon and
Cameron have etched SO ably-old famil-
lar places in tourist-frequented towns.
great cathedrals pictured and repictured.
and yet for this reason no less accepta-
BILE and significant 1t is hard to tell
just what constitutes the charm in an
etching-what really makes great work
of art. Good drawing. correct massing of
shadows fine composition, to be sure. but
something else as well-a magic touch. an
assurance of authority, an indication of
artistic feeling. And it is this spirit
which these etchers seem to share in COM
mon and which lifts their works far
above the usual plane. Each has dis
tinctive style and yet all speak a COM
mon language. There are two plates by
William Walker. one beautiful church
exterior broadly and simply handled:
four by E. NJ Synge, among which may
be mentioned lovely vista In the garden
of the Villa Medici, Rome; one stands to
the credit Of Katerine Sparks and four
have been done by Gertrude Hayes. The
remaining six are by H. Frood and In
clude views Of 1.-THE Rows" Chester: of
streets in Bfisto! and Exeter. and. most
remarkable OF all, splendid transcript
tion Of the cloisters of Gloucester Cathe-
dral-a performance no less mastery
than beautiful. 1t Is interesting to re-
mark moreover, that some of the strong
est work in this collection is by women,
for in this particular field the laurels
have heretofore Invariably gone to men.
Not but what there have been women
etchers who have done acceptable work,
but none has attained, as does this group.
codistinction with those who rank fore
most. These etchings are not on eNhlbl-
ton, but may be examined upon request.
* X
At the v G. Fischer galleries this
"A week a mastery painting by Cou-
ture has been exhibited. 1t was por-
trait study of a French soldier painted
in a vivid outdoor light. The sky. part
ly 'clouded. constituted the background
against which the mans head ana shoui-
ders were thrown into high relief The
subject was pictured in small cap
jauntily set the side of his head and
in a red and white uniform. The upper
portion of his face was In deep shadow
the lower portion in strong light. And
It was this handling Of light and shade,
together with the direct. vigorous brush
work. which gave this picture special
distinction. The shadows, while dark.
were luminous and transparent-the mod
cling was simple but strong. Couture
1t will he remembered, lived between the
years 1915 and 1870. and. while fore
runner Of the semi-classicists. was In
way an eclectic William Morris hun. .i
in Paris. and his Is one of the beneficent
French influences which is still felt in
American art.
AN excellent showing was made by
"A Miss Critcher In her exhibition at
the Cosmos Club. which closes today.