Evening star., 1914-12-26

as though one looked in from an open
window or door, yet the little maid is
all unconscious, enwrapt. as it were,
IN the atmosphere Of the place-self-
absorbed. net posing.
EDMUND c. TARBELL of Boston has
FOR years been the foremost paint
er of interiors with figures in this
country. His Josephine and Mercie,"
owned by the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Is an excellent and typical example
This and other pictures of the same
type have had u charm and distinction
quite their own and almost unrivaled.
They have not only reflected delight
fully, as well as veraciously, the life
CT an American family of refinement
and culture. but have possessed the
qualities which have come to be re-
Sarded as the hallmarks of good art.
AS compared to these previous works,
his painting in this exhibition is dis
tinctly disappointing. The compost
ton does not hold together. the fig
ures seem too obviously grouped. the
light is cold and the color lifeless. BY
no means does this represent or meas
ure the ability of this extremely gifted
and accomplished painter
CHARLES BITTENGER, now of New
York, but formerly of this cay,
contributes a figure painting to this
exhibition which might well be classed
among the subject pictures. A young
woman is seen seated before a mirror,
picturesquely gowned in flowing silk.
The title, Vanity, is suggestive, but
the observer cannot escape the sus-
picion that the name was an after
Ihpnpht a .ali in q
the real reason for existence and rep
resentation was the conjunction OF de-
lightful and harmonious colors. Fred
erick Frieseke. in like manner, paints
a young woman out of doors reclining
in a settee chair with a background of
ianSuid blcssoming lilies. The per-
sonality Of the figure portrayed in
neither instance signifies: it is the
charm of line and color. of atmosphere
and composition. which counts.
CHARLES w. HAWTHORNE. in his
painting, The Widow" is seen to
have gone quite to the other extreme.
forcing a meaning upon the observer
by graphic representations flag at
half-mast seen on the bare mast OF a
This is a melodramatic note and one
which is in its essence literary. In
some way it detracts from the dignity
Of the painting. interest in which is
of the young, bereaved mother.
Youth by this same artist--a picture
of a boy and girl waining hand and
hand. peerinS with awe and emotion
one of The Corcoran Gallery's previous
eNhibitions-was much greater pic
ture than this, one which was genu.
inely profound in its significance.
A SUBJECT picture OF much charm
included in this exhibition is by
William w. Churchill of Boston, and is
entitled '"rhe Sanctuary" Here one
finds merit in composition. real beauty
in theme. fine flowing lines and lovely
color. While closely painted, the brush
work is unusually free, and an effect
Of spacious airineSS is distinctly given.
The lamp swings clear of the wall, the
embroidered hanging which forms not
only background but Is q factor in
the composition takes rs place nicely,
and the figures of the two young girls
are finely portrayed as well as ad-
care for the picture. but all must ad-
nit its exceptional merit, its beauty
and painterlike qualities.
TN gallery &c" there are two subject
paintings-one a courtyard by Rob-
cit Spencer, the other a park scene,
some women on bench, children play
ing near, by Breyfogle. Both of these
pictures are, however, primarily Illus
trative rather than pictorial or inter-
pretative-passageS from human his
tory. significant but certainly not pic
toraL Herein lies the difference be
tween the illustration and the pic
ture. the dominance OF subject or the
dominance of the higher qualities of
art-desi2n, composition, color. rhythm,
surface, texture. The boundary lines
may not always be clearly demarked,
but they discernible.
THE exhibition and sale which the
Society of Washington Artists has
been conducting for the pu pose of in
creasing the fund for Belgian relief
has proved most successful. BY the
beginning of this week more than $500
had been taken in and more sales were
pending. Furthermore. as works pur-
chased were removed, others were sub
sIituted SO that the character OF the
exhibition has been strengthened
rather than weakened by such changes,
interest renewed ard additional op-
portunities given II public.
The artists are / ,vcrbiaIly gener-
Gus, but 1t may well be noted that IN
this instance all OF the works shown
and sold have been donated and all
the money taken in will be turned over
to the Belgian sufferers. When 1t IS
that this exhibition is en-
tirely made up OF the worhs Oh local
artists and that the season is an es-
pecially bad one for picture sales. no
complaint can be made of lack of ap-
probation or patronage on the part OF
the public. LEILA MECHL1N.