Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-27
X NEWS AND NOTES OF ART AND ARTISTS y

were loaned by private collectors. many
of which were of fabulous value. There
was a most charming portrait OF little
girl by Raeburn. wonderful young rabbi
in skull cap by Rembrandt. a portrait
of Philip Nv by Velasquez. two genres by
Vermeer. besides portraits by Gainsbor-
ough, Reynolds. Romney, Lawrence.
Hoppner and Halls. and landscapes by
Constable, Turner. Hobbema and others
The wealth Of American collections was
frankly demonstrated.
X
AT the Cottier Galleries. East 10th
street, New York. a collection OF
paintings and drawings by Walter
Greaves is now on exhibition. Greayes
was the son of Whistler's boatman and
pupil of the great and eccentric genius
who in his early manhood resided and was
well known in this city. There is some
thing very romantic in the lateness Of the
recognition accorded Greaves, and this in
a measure has led to misrepresentation.
His works have been said to be as good
as Whistler's, and some doubts have been
expressed as to whether they were Whfs-
tiers or not. Certainly there is great
similarity in style-the pupil has assidu-
Ously followed his master, but the person.
atty is not the same. Greaves' work.
clever as It u.s. lacks the sparkle Of Whis-
tiers genius and Is heavy In comparison.
This Is not to say that IL il not good, but
to credit 1t with real individuality.
+ =
A T the veerhoff Galleries there Is now
on exhibition a collection OF photo
graphs OF Indians by Edward S. Curtis.
This is not the first time Mr.. Curtis
work has been exhibited in Washington.
More than once 1t has been shown in the
assembly hall Of the Cosmos Club. But
he is continually adding to his plates
and each one has permanent value. These
photographs Of Indians. which are really
a LIES work. were made as permanent
record of the vanishing race. The object
was not merely to secure chronological
studies, but pictures representing the life
or the red man as it was lived remote
from civilization. In order to accom-
plish this end Mr.. Curtis had to dwell
among the Indians and win their conf
dence while familiarizing himself with
their customs. That he succeeded admit
rably all win agree. for he has obtained
not only accurate studies, but pictorial
records.
For some reason the Indian has been
but poorly interpreted by art. We have
few able Indian painters, but very few,
and these in most instances have repre-
scented the Indian as the bowling savage
life perfectly conformed to the conditions
of the land in which he lived and whose
history is full Of romance and of dig
nifty. IT requires peculiar talent to give
fact pictorial setting and this Mr.. Cur
It's has possessed. Some OF his photo
graphs are charming compositions-al-
most all are in reality works of art. He
has regarded carefully not only COM
position. but light and shade. and has
waited with unending patience until he
could obtain precisely the desired effect.
Some of the heads of chiefs are extreme
ly sculpturesQue, as strong and vigorous
as drawings by Vedder. Other group
pictures with landscape setting are rem
dered in an impressionistic manner. the
strong masses Of light and shade alone
being defined. And yet 1t should be noted
that Mr.. Curtis photographs are never
merely blurred to create an atmospheric
or so-called artistic effect" Photogra-
phys chief function is to bear witness,
and the more accurate this witness the
more nearly 1t serves its end. snap
shot is by no means OF necessity correct,
the mechanical process alone will not
suffice. but technical skill supplemented
by art will accomplish the range of pos
sibility. Mr.. Curtis photographs illus
trate the value of photography for scien-
tiflc purposes and the possibilities of
as q medium OF art.
LEILA MECHLIN.