Evening star., 1914-11-28
All are uniformly

ored skillfully. All are uniformly
| framed.
AS whole the collection makes a
striking and significant showing. There
Is the original LEnfant plan for the
city. and the park commission plan
drawn 100 years later, as well as the
progress has been made in the last
| fifteen years toward mplishmeut.
| There are pictures of the government
buildings, which may be taken as types
of excellence, and of the best semi
public buildings. such the Pan
American Union and Continental Me-
mortal Hall. the Union station. with its
open plaza and impressive approach
| There are views of memorials erected
| under the direction of the commission
the John Paul Jones, the Barry and
| the Mil1et and Butt. Also a view of
the White House from the south, show
ing the fountain playing.
| Each picture has its object; some show
| the admirable way a vista has been
| closed by a monumental work of sculp-
| ture. others how building line has
been preserved. A picture of the Oc-
tagon is set forth with the purpose of
exhibiting the real merit as well as
present suitability of the colonial type
of domestic architecture. The White
House fountain illustrates picturesque
possibilities in the use of water with
out ornament. One of the lamp posts
now used on 18th street, Connecticut
avenue and other thoroughfares in this
city Is also illustrated. 1t is really a
delightful display and will undoubted-
ly not only interest visitors at the
exposition In the further development
of the National Capital. but go to
show the advantage of having such an
| expert board as is the federal COM
mission of fine arts to resort to for
criticism and advice
/ IN he
producer of creative work at one
and the same time. yet some of the
| foremost of our American paint ers
J have thus made double contribution in
the field of art William Morris Hunt
John La Fargo and William NJ. Chase
are striking examples instantly brought
to mind. Mr. Messer. principal Of the
Corcoran School. working here In our
midst, Is another. giving. 1t would
seem. his best hours and strength to
instruction, and yet finding time for
production of no ordinary order. This
| autumn he has had several large can
| vases under way-themes studied dur
ing the summer-and has completed
one which marks the highest tide SO far
of his accomplishment. painting which
! dares comparison with the best. 1t Is
| a simple composition. hills and fields
| seen at twilight. The sun has sunk
without display, peacefully to rest;
sense of peace perVadeS the atmosphere
| there is silence, a pause, one Is I'M
bued with reverence and conscious of
uplift as in rare moment, when
brought face to face with nature In
its supreme mood. How this thing
which can scarcely be put in words
can be interpreted in paint none but
| the painter can tell. but to do this Is
the aim and object of art. Thus, when
| skillfully rendered. a painters inter-
| probation of nature may become. as
Tolstoy has said, "a feeling handed
down"
| To some perhaps this might be mere
| ly picture of hills and a meadow, but
to such the secrets of nature would
also be closed Art is, or should be,
an open book. but between the painter
and his public there must be a COM
mon basis of understanding, common
bond of sympathy. This very simple
| little picture seems to possess very
large qualities Of universal appeal.
| A MONG the American artists long
"a resident abroad who tho war has
driven hack to this country "a George