Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-17
BIOGRAPHIES OF LEADING AMERI-
CANS. Edited by W. p. Trent.
LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF
SCIENCE. Edited by David Starr

Berta Hanson, a picture Of baby en-
| titled "Bye-Bye," which is broadly paint
! ed and pleasant in color.
-
| A MONG the paintings purchased by
the Corcoran Gallery for its per
manent collection is portrait study Oh
a young girl, by Irving r. Wiles. 1,
Is small canvas and represents the sub.
ject, who is, by the way. the painter
daughter. In painting frock holding a
large oval palette on her left arm. One
does not SEQ the picture she is painting.
but the colcrs on the palette invite in
terest. In manner OF execution this
painting is enormously clever, and though
interest Is divided between the girls head
and the palette. the ultimate result as a
| whole is uncommonIy pleasing. Mr..
Wiles was born in Utica, n. Y. in 1861.
His father was an artist and from him
he received his first instruction. Later
he studied under William NJ. Chase and
Carroll Beckwith in New York and Caro-
lus Duran in Paris. He has received
many medals and honors and is men,
Der Of the leading art societies. Prob
ably the first picture he exhibited in
Washington was portrait Of his father
and mother to which a prize was given
by the Society of Washington Artists.
Later shown here in local ex-
hibition his portrait Of his wife and
daughter. a very charming and well
known painting. lie is represented in
the Evans National Gallery collection
and in the City Art Museum Of ST. Louis.
as we'll as in many private collections.
A notable exhibition OF his portraits was
held at knoedlers in New York last
| winter.
TN reviewing the Corcoran Gallerys ex-
hibition last Tuesday evening Mr.. CAT
fin mentioned only nine or ten pictures.
but these he used to illustrate certain
teaching applicable to all. His effort was
not to praise or condemn, but to lead his
audience to form it's own judgment
with intelligent discrimination. Primarily
he demonstrated the meaning and value
Of art-the greater worth Of an interpre-
tative picture to one which merely imi-
tated nature. II. he said. art does not
enrich life it is meaningless. Life he de-
clared to be the one thing OF lasting and
vital Importance, and that to the fulness
Of life art contributed. To illustrate
! clearly his meaning. he spoke of what
might seem to the farmer the absurdity
ture of q cow--an expenditure which he
himself did not commend to his audi
ence-the canvas COW being OF more
! value than the real COW because of the
,, art of the painter. Further illustration
was found in the painting of "Still Life
by Henry r. Rittenberg-a picture Of APP
pies and grapes on pewter tray, beside
which stand copper and brass vessels.
It was not because the fruit was we'll
painted Mr.. Cafnn said, that this picture
gave him special delight. but because In
| It the painter had put some of his own
youth. vigor and enthusiasm. Next. COM
! parison was drawn between a full-lensth
portrait by Robert Henri, which was
I characterized as frankly obvious. and q
portrait by Clifford Adams hanging in
| was more subtle. That the expression in
| the hands corrObarated. as 1t were, the
| expression In the face was especially
| remarked.
The two prize spieturss-those by Mt.
Tarkeu ind Nj. MelcheSs-Neze discussed