The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24

-EHE Amadee Joullins, who nave
occupied their charming and de-
sirable studio in Paris for several
years past. are expected in New
York in January. The work OF Joullin
IS well known here and It's undoubted
merits and undeniable beauty have left
pleasant memories of one OF the clev-
crest and most sincere Of painters. The
artist is bringing to New York num-
Der OF his latest canvases for the pur-
pose OF exhibition and these may be
seen In this city later Among them
is figure scene painted in Paris. 1t is
OF red haired boy polishing brass and
laughing at a mud turtle creeping awk-
wardly toward him. Whimsical In
conception, the subject is alluring IN
It's very natura lness. A second compo-
sition. that of a peasant girl eating
cherries from bowl. displays the
same vigorous interpretative quality.
while the coloring-fresh and rich
In tones harmonious and satisfying.
In number OF sketches for further
figure work the wife of the artist has
been his model, one particularly sue
cessful and striking picture being that
OF Mrs. Joullin posing in an antique
DAOE3Oe 6OWn u VIII O1Q 1cSC. -
few oriental subjects also have felt the
magic OF Joullin's brush The painter
may bring a collection that many or
hts California friends will go far to see.
The wife of the painter is an artist
who has done some meritorious work.
One OF her subjects-an oriental girl
sitting before an incense burner
painting Of great delicacy, handled
brilliantly and POLITICALLY, was received
in "a urfu ea1
and delight Another, representing the
figure OF a young woman in an evening
gown, gazing intenuy in a mirror, Is
said to possess wonderful color attri-
butes while number OF heads done in
oil are full Of emotional charm. A
number of sketches of out of door life
in Paris and its environs are said to
be excellent in their depletion of actual
scenes, infused with the right quality
needed to make them acceptable To an
eye desiring modification OF reality.
J. NJ Griffin is Berkeley artist
whose work, displaying strong qualities
Of originality and bold conception, is
too little known. Searching for the
unusual, though not the fantastic, the
unheeded aspects Of nature are the ones
which to him make a successful appeal
Strongly infused with imaginative feel
ing, the dozen or more paintings that
may be seen in his Berkeley studio
hold one by their vividness and Virility,
the keenness of discernment and skill
Of rendering stamping them as the
product of brush expressing an IN
dividuality for which the beaten tracks
have but small interest Especially
is this seen in the large canvas, BE
fore the Storm" This gives to the eye
an Alameda. marsh, its coloring, terra
Gotta, with CLEANS of hidden yellow
somber brown and purplish hues, which
seem to underlie the prevailing reddish
tones. Broken only by the large oval
OF glimmering pool placed at the
right, the somber expanse of grays and
browns is relieved by a single high
light, effectively placed that gives to
the composition that feeling of relief
the mOnotony of the marsh demands:
but the fine effect in the picture is the
huge gray cloud poised midway in a
sky Of tenderest. clearest blue. This ire
mendous cloud, painted in tones of.
varying grays. tipped with luminous
white from which swirls of arrowlike
rain seem descending, has the effect of
actual motion. Good work it is and
worthy OF encomiums. The picture will
probably be offered for exhibition at
the Art institute in the spring.
An Imaginative picture by the same
artist shows a strong yellow sky over
groups. In the foreground two figures
are indicated. The tonal quality is ex-
cellent.
A water color somewhat after the
manner OF a Corot displays the delicate
virginia. freshness of spring, in a path
leading through groups of trees of sin
gular coloring owing to the vivid green
moss patches which spread over their
trunks.
A bend of the river is depicted at
shutdown, the banks painted in rich
brown hues, while on the left side a
cluster OF trees fling fairylike branches
against a tinted sky. Mysticism under
lies this type of picture as painted by
Griffin. Scenes infused with faint mel
ancholy render the conception enchant-
ing IN its idealism and full of the
larger qualities of balance and har-
mony.
A portrait of the same artist painted
by himself before a mirror displays a
Rembrandtlike quality in the handling
Of the deep shadows. The portrait is
more than life size, and is painted
against a background of black that
seems TO hold in its surface faint
CLEANS as OF reflections from the scar
let of the cardigan jacket, and the bril-
liant blue of the care1essly knotted blue
tie. which yet are imperceptible on ex-
animation. The picture is an admirable
example Of portraiture. The boldness
and vigor with which the artist has
treated his subject tell of an admirable
command Of the brush and a sure
knowledge of the possibilities of por-
traiture. Griffin prefers landscape to
portraiture. so it is not likely that an
other such example as this will be
again produced
The Bohemian club will probably give
an exhibition of the work of the artist
members of the club at its Leavenworth
street quarters early in March. These
exhibitions. that were feature of the
club in the days before the fire, were