Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-28
THE MODERN WOMAN.
XXIX-Women in Painting and Sculpture.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

The number of women each year win
ming distinctive honors in the fine arts
tends to refute the assertion that the
feminine mind is incapable of creative
work. In painting of every kind. as wei.
as in sculpture, women are rapidly COM
ing to the front Considering how ex-
ceedngly difficult it was half century
ago for women to secure an advanced
instruction in art, their progress has been
remarkable.
The most important art award ever
given to a woman is that for the COM
pletion of the mural decorations OF the
Pennsylvania state capitol at Harrisburg.
which is now in the hands OF Miss Violet
Oakley of Philadelphia. The contract for
the decoration Of the building first was
given to Sir Edwin Abbey, whose death
prevented the completion of his work.
After a lengthy discussion the committee
in charge awarded to Miss Oakley the
contract which had been begun by Abbey,
thus practically recognizing her as the
leader in American mural art of the pres
ent. Her work consists of frieze of
eighteen panels, which represent The
Founding of the State OF Spiritual Lib
erty." Miss Oakley Is still a young wom-
an, but her work already Is recognized
both in her own country and abroad.
In pOrtraiture Miss Cecilia Beaux has
won a reputation in the opinion of many
critics equal to il not superior to any
living artist. She has a scheme absO-
lutely her own, sometimes objected to
for it's slightly impressionistic tendency,
but wonderful in it's strength and spirit
'uality. Her exhibition in the Paris salon.
as far back as 1896 captivated the critics
Of France and won her the honor of as
sociate membership in the Societe Ma
tionale des Beaux-Arts. She received a
gold medal at the Paris exposition OF 1900.
and has had innumerable hOnOrs heaped
upon her by the different art organiza-
tions of her own land. Among her best
known portraits are those Of Richard
Watson Glider and his daughters; of John
Paul Jones, which hangs in the Naval
Academy at annapolis, and "A New Eng
Academy Of Fine Arts. Ono Of her most
interesting portraits Is that Of DIR. John
s. Billings. late head of the New York
public library. DIR. Billings was a surgeon
charge of the organization of the sur
geon generals library. which is by far
the greatest medical library in the world.
The estimate in which Miss BeauX's work
is held in Europe Is attested by the fact
that when 1t was decided to present a
portrait of DR.. Billings to the library as
q testimonial from the physicians of Eu-
rope who had benefited by his work. she
was the only artist mentioned in con-
nectiOn with the commission.
A number of women are well known for
their skill in painting mothers and chill
dren. This IL
Skilled in Painting one of the
Women and Children. tarsn nm nv
Miss Mary Cassatt, q Pittsburgh artist.
who has spent most of her life abroad.
winning an unusual number of honors,
the most noteworthy being that Of Che
Waller of the Legion of Honor OF France. !"
Specimens OF her work are to he found
in most of the leading art collections in
This country Miss Elizabeth Nourse is
another American girl who delights in
nainting women and children. although
many of her landscapes and still-life
efforts are much admired. Miss Nourse
is one Of the few women whose work
has been recognized by the French critics
to the extent of being purchased by the
government. Her picture. "The. Closed
Shutters" was purchased last year for