The San Francisco call., 1909-05-23
SPLENDID WORK OF
EASTERN ARTISTS
Group of Paintings on Exhibition
at Vickery's Attracting
Much Attention
Many Fakers Bringing Into Dis
repute the Fame of Cali
f0rnia's Art
By LUCY B. JEROME


A group of IL paintings by leading
eastern artists will be on view at the
vickery gallery during this week. The
group is remarkable one, and. as
with the exception of Inness, the work
of these men has never before been
exhibited in San Francisco the opportu-
nifty to study their canvases and COM
pare them with local methods is rare
one Perhaps the best known of the
group is William Morris Hunts "Ophe-
lia." which stand forth in its great
charm. Ophelia droops softly against
the trunk of tree which 1overhangs
shadowed pool, on the bosom of which
the flowers cast by her hands are float
ing. The expression of the sweet,
melancholy face, the inimitable pose
betraying languor and WEAKNESS. the
warmth and balance of the scene, must
all be seen to be understood.
No less remarkable in it's way is
THE Trio" by f. b. Williams. a can
vas handled with such absolute ac-
curacy and felicity of touch as to inn
part a most pleasing dryness TO the
picture. giving it something the effect
of tapestry The bright purity of the
three charming feminine heads the
elastic vigor and undulating grace Of
the finely modelled limbs and the in
dicated emotions which permeate the
painting suggest the work of Month
celli, though in this instance the work
clusion.
Other artists represented are C. H.
Davis in the Breaking of Winter a
powerful composition splendidly han
died; a. B. Davies in Lake and ISL
and a transcription of Lake Tahoe !;
j. +. Murphy in Hillside Farm and
Golden October; C. Virgins in Mid
summer, Connecticut Valley; Will
liam Sartain in Waste Lands; Bar
neys JOY; Paul Dougherty in a strik-
ingly beautiful and poetic compost
tion entitled "Manana"; w H. Howe
in Salt Marshes, Connecticut'; George
Inness in Coming Storm" and Mrs.
G. b. Cowa in Late October" Many
of the local men are embracing this
chance to view work of this order
and there is much discussion of the
varying methods of expression.
The announced sale Of King Leo
pold's pictures, due. says an eastern
journal, to his determination not to
leave these treasures to his daughters
nor to the nation. viii mean that about
SIS 900, 600 worth of pictures will be
offered to the art experts of the world.
A large portion of the collection was
to have been hung at Laeken at one
time. but fortunately it was not re-
moved from the palace at Brussels, for
a aly tot Nv fro
This is not by any means the largest
individual collection of pictures ex-
tant. Sir Francis Cooke, whose resi-
dence is on Richmond hill near London,
has marvellous collection valued at
nearly S15,000.O00, among which is a
Van Dyck worth s150,0Oo, while all
the European royalties have art collec-
tions more or less valuable.
complaint from the southern part
of the state regarding the influx of
fake artists, which usually takes place
Fsome time during the year, runs as
follows:
The reputation our California paint
ers have gained in the east, as well as
their success in disposing of their work
to eastern buyers, has resulted in a
tendency to bring westward many fax
ers in art who have neither standing
among critics nor a permanent home.
These so called artists use the columns
of the smaller newspapers most sue
cessfully. advertising themselves as
coming from their summer homes on
the Hudson or at Bar Harbor to re-
cuperate from their summer labors.
Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and
Pasadena are full of them, and tourists
are feeced by them to an alarming
extent, being helped unconsciously by
the smaller newspapers, which have
no art critic and which permit the
self-styled artist to write his own
criticism. thus beguiling a generous