Evening star., 1917-04-08
NOTES OF ART And ARTISTS

but. what is more, each is imbued with
his own special personality. yet ala
four are seen az in intimate relation
ship. at sympathy and conjoined In
single composition. There Is nothing
more difficult to produce than a group
portrait, and it is seldom that one is
so successfully achieved.
Almost all of Mr.. Roulands sitters
are men Of distinction in the world OF
art and letters. Among the portraits
now on. exhibition one recognizes Will
liam Winter. the great dramatic critic:
william Dean Howells. most distin-
and editors: Hamlin Garland. Irving
Bacheller and James Lane Allen. writ
ers: John Muir and John Burroughs.
great naturalists. All Of these men were
uuent guests in his home. It is with
this intimacy of knowledge, further
more. that he has painted them. show
ing not merely their external appear
ance, but to an extent, through express
sion. their mentalties. interpreting
character and personality with frank
ness and at the same time with reserve.
They are very real people, essentially
cultivated and refined and as such do
not force themselves upon the observ
er's attention.
All of these portraits were painted
from life and with sittings. They are
we'll drawn. firmly modelled, good in
color and excellent in tone. but Mr..
Rouland paints broadly and rapidly: he
rarely requires more than hve sittinss.
and some of these portraits were paint
ed with only two. The portrait OF
Thomas Mott Osborne in convict garb.
painted in 1913. when Mr. Osborne In
order to study prison conditions spent
several days in Auburn prison, was
painted in single morning. 1t is in
teresting to compare this portrait with
a second portrait of Mr.. Orborne and TO
note how. with the self-same features,
there is little resemblance between the
two pictures of the same man.
There are but three portraits Of worn
en- in this collection. One is Mrs. Er
nest Peixotto. the wife of the artist
and we'll known illustrator; ono Is OF
Miss Costa, and one OF Mrs Eichberg.
mother Of Mrs. John Lane. Each is
subtly rendered. and possesses both
refinement. femininity and charm. Tho
portrait of Mrs. Eichberg is quite a re-
marksble Characterization, and special
rendering OF this ladys very express
sive hands.
There is a portrait Of J. J. Shannon.
the well known American artist, who
has for long now made Great Britain
in Mr. Shannon's studio in London. and
will, II is earnestly hoped. some day
find a place in our own national gal
lery.
book Of fairy tales In her lap. q very
skillful Interpretation of real child.
full of simplicity and imaginative won
derment
brated part of Beau Brummel. There is
a seIf-portrait of the artist. John Muir
has been pictured twice. Most striking
of all, perhaps. Is the portrait OF John
Burroughs. swiftly y.a;ss,tsa executed .,% %ei,
lighted. a hne characterization ana
supePh MACE of painting.
Testifying to the versatility OF this
gifted artist is the group OF land
scapes. six in all. which lends variety
whole. Three were painted in the
Catskill mountains. one on Long Island.
one in New York. picturing view in
Central Park on q winter evening. and
one in Texas. All are colortul n.a and
carry conviction. s
MI. Rouiand is genuinely the artist.
loving beauty and deHghting IN its
discovery and Interpretation. He does
design a little Greek outdoor theater.
making the model himself: he paints
portraits because he is interested In
people, but he loves the big outdoor
world Of nature and he hnds comrade-
ship and recreation In books and music
and those other immaterial things
which really make life worth while.
The exhibition in the National Mu-
scum will continue to April 30.
+
On Wednesday evening. Apri1 II. an
illustrated lecture on Gothic Elements
in Modern Architecture will be given
by Prof. A. D. F. Hamlin Of Columbia
University in the auditorium OF the
National Museum under the auspices OF
the Washington Society Of the Fine
Arts. This will be the annual meeting
of the society and the last Of the pres
ent season.
An exhibition of water colors by H.
Anthony Dyer will be held IN the Moore
galleries on 17th street from April II
to rs. LEILA MECHLIN.