Evening star., 1913-12-06


gift of five paintings. -Four or
these are works by the late
Walter Shirlaw, the fifth is
portrait of the painter by his confrere,
Frank Duveneck All are valuable ac-
auisitions. There is in this interesting
group a study head of Nine. Capre. done
in glowing golden tones with great re-
serve and simplicity-a picture which may
well serve as an example of superior
painting, so knowing Is it and so serious
ly wrought
Another canvas is a study of a portion
of a bell foundry and was executed in the
interest of that more famous work by
the same artist, Tuning the Bell" 1t
is in grays and drabs, dusky and low
toned. but not dull nor colorless. Each
object is carefully wrought and the whole
gives evidence of having been rendered
with the utmost care. This same loving
workmanship Is seen in a third canvas, a
picture Of an inn in Germany, a pleas
ant, hoInely scene, wherein figures are in
troduced with delightful success as an
inherent part of the composition. In this
work the brown tones predominate, but
there Is at the same time an abundance
Of rich color. The shadows while heavy
are luminous and the painting has the
richness of ripened age. Such works
have special tonal quality, and give
pleasure both through subjective inter-
est and mere superficial effect. They
both invite and reward inspection. The
fourth painting by Mr.. Shirlaw is deco
rative panel representing Easter Morn
ing" 1t is in paste.s and differs greatly
from the works in OILS being rather high
keyed and in light colors. Mr.. Shirlaw
had an exceptional feeling for decora-
ton and In his decorative work met with
special success.
Water Shirlaw was born in Scotland,
but was brought to this country when he
was two years Old His early training
in art was as an engraver, and in the
line Of bank note designs. He studied,
also, however, at the National Academy
of Design, and after having won some
distinction as an artist, he went abroad
and continued his studies for several
years in Munich, which, in the seventies,
occupied a leading place with Paris and
Antwerp in the field of art. Frank
Duveneck was one of the coterie of
American students in Munich at that
time, and there was always sympathy
and kinship to be discovered between his
work and that of Walter Shirlaw. In
deed, the portrait study he made of Mr..
Shirlaw which is included in Mrs. Shir-
laws gift, might well have been painted
Dy Mr. Sn1rtaW, SO similar is the style
TO that in which he worked.
Those must have been stirring times.
Europe was more distant from America
then than now, ofing to the poorer
means of communication and greater
difficulties of travel but the artistic
spirit was no less ardent and there was
great pioneer work to be done at home.
Some of the American students forgot
the need IN the new land and perman-
emily took up a residence abroad, but
4r, til.
came back and gave generously of their
best to the yornger men and the yolth-
full art institutions. Mr.. Duveneck has
given much of his time TO teaching, and
has exerted wide influence for good. Mr..
Shirlaw was the first president of the So
ciety of American Artists. and was. until
| his death about four years ago, leader
| one who held firmly to traditions and
| yet was invariably independent in his
convictions, open minded, progressive,
F., OF him it will be remembered that Mac
monnies. the sculptor, once said:
There are some men who go through
/ life as though they had eternity before
| them. They pass along calmly, quietly,
| fuI of other peoples feelings nor too alb
| sorbed in their own interests to be in
| different TO other peoples undertakings.
| They do not allow their disappointments
TO embitter their philosophy nor to tear
| down their standards. If they happen to
! be artists. the joy OF the work compen-
| sates them for the labor of its production,
and they leave to posterity the task of
| fixing its inevitable value. Walter Shir-
| law was one of these rare spirits. He
was loved and honored by all His dis
| tinguished life and noble personality are
glories of his generation, while American
art owes him a debt of gratitude for his
influence, his ideals and his work"
| The National Gallery is fortunate in
owning not only these four works. re-
Gently acquired. but three other paintings
by Mr.. Shirlaw-"Pohd Lilies" Girl
/ Reading and Roses" all OF which are
1 included in the Evans collection.
/ II will be recalled that in April, 1911 a
| memorial exhibition of Mr.. Shirlaw' s
| works covering a period of over thirty
| years and showing it in all it's phases
was held in the hemicycle hall of the
/ Corcoran Gallery Of Art.
THE exhibition of winter pictures by
4 Walter l.. Palmer of Albany, which
opened in the Corcoran Gallery last week,
is attracting attention and will continue
until the 14th of December Mr. Pal
mer's pictures improve upon acquaint-
/ ance, possessing some of those qualities
that give permanency of interest His
pictures are compositions, they are
| studied and complete, they have tonal
quality and certain sentiment in sug-
/ gestion. This in the aggregate makes
| them agreeable companions and prevents