Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-16
I Notes of Art and Artists.

| The death of Edmund Clarence Mes
ser, which occurred in Menomonie,
Wis, last Sunday, removes an accom-
plished artist and noble spirit from
! the world of today. Mr.. Messer would
| have been seventyseven years of age
on the 18th of this month. For some
| time his health had been falling, but
so indomitable was his courage, SC
keen his joy in life, that his passing
came as a shock TO even those who
were most closely in touch with him
The world is the richer because he
lived-the poorer because he has nov
left it.
/ Mr.. Messer was one who satisfied the
| ideal as artist. He loved art in all ITS
manifestations. In IL he found his
greatest pleasure. To him it was a
perenniel source of enjoyment. He
| lived in a world of thought he knew
the value of immaterlai things
beauty in life and in nature. he made
| his friends among those in all walks
of life, his standard being character
rather than rank or position Though
of gentle disposition, he was capable
of strong feeling and he was ever
ready to battle for the right. AT tunes
his indignation was voiced IN I'M
icQulEOGdt ltTITS " btU ~ 80
sincerity or apparent self-seehing
Yet he was as a teacher the most lem
lent of masters, always endeaNorinS
to discover or encourage the smolder-
ing spark of genius, and as painter
the most generous of critics. looking
for the best in all, striving TO give
each his due. He taught in Washing
ton for nearly forty years He was
first principal of the school of the
Washington Art Club. an organization
now almost forgotten. which con-
Quoted classes from 1879 to 1885. Then
he went as an instructor to the local
Art Students League, with which he
was associated until 1902. when ne
succeeded Mr.. Andrews as principal OF
the Corcoran School of Art, a position
which he held until last June, when
he left Washington to make MS nome
with his daughter in Wisconsin.
With all the local art movements
all these many years Mr.. Messer has
been associated. lending TO the pest
his ardent support; advising par
ticipating. And with his teaching has
gone his painting-work of high
order of excellence touched by his
own gentle spirit and his reverent
love of beauty in nature. he was
a landscape painter who at ms best
(for example, his January in the
Corcoran Gallery of Art1 was emf
nently worthy of being ranked with
the foremost. such as Wyant and
Inness.
Mr.. Messer was particularly fond
of the midsummer landscape, and
he especially delighted in inter-
preting natures rare moods-sunsets.
morning mists, the twilight hour On
every side he found paintable sub
| jects--in Maine, among the Catskiils.
| on the outskirts of our own city and
particularly in the vicinity of the
| home he and his family so long oc-
/ cupied on Congress Heights, in Ana
/ costa. Many of his paintings found
l their way into private homes and
! pleasure. for they are without excep-
! ton of an intimate sort--a personal
message Joy shared with those
[ like minded and sympathetic.
| For many years MI. Messer gave
| from time to time informal talks on
art to the students of the Corcoran
| Art School, and to those who had
| the privilege of attendance they will
not be forgotten. It was in one OF
| these talks that Mr.. Messer main
tanned that geniuses-those of ex-
/ traordinary talent-were not abnor-
| NAL, as many supposed. but most nor
! NAL. seeing further and clearer than
| the average individual And in his
own case this was true. He was ex-
| traordinarily sane-minded, well hal
! anced. while at the same time far
| yisioned. Inherently leader, yet
/ ever ready to give others precedence,
ambitious yet content with MS por-
| ton in life. never hurried. always
| friendly boon companion, giving
| much and demanding Iittle-such was
| Edmund Clarence Messer, gentle and
brave, as his friends and pupils knew
! him and as he will be remembered
! by those among whom he lived.
Two pictures have been sold from
the exhibition of The Ten" now In
progress in the Corcoran Gallery of
Aria still life painting. by Mr.. Tar
bell. the other a figure, RED and
| Gold" by Mr.. Benson. It is not al
WAYS understood that in the major
ity of transient exhibitions such as
this the paintings are for sale. an
exhibition being too frequently re-
garded as merely something to be
| seen.
II is true. however, that at this
| time new collections are being start
| ed by private collectors in all parts
| of the country. For many years COL
lecting OF this sort was confined
! chiefly to the ca st Today it has spread
| to the west, and if American painters
| realize their opportunity 1t would
| seem as though they might within the
I next few years receive in apprecia-
| ton their reward.
| There Is chance also of reward to
| the collector Mr.. Evans and Mr.
Clarke, who were perhaps the pioneer
] purchasers of works by American
| artists, realized large sums through
/ the increase in value Of works by
| painters who at the time they made
| their purchases were comparatively
| unknown. The only legitimate reason
| for the purchase OF work of art is
| admiration and a desire for posses
sion, but incidentally the knowledge
| that from commercial standpoint
| the money is not i'll spent may be
| found encouraging.
|
X x
| At the Washington Arts Club there
| is now on view a small collection of
| sketches by local architects. -.Vaddy
3. Wood. L. W. Dom. jr.: L. NJ Leis-
enring. Il. B. Morris. f. ". Murphy
| and others. For the most part these
are drawings in black and white and
| color of buildings in foreign coun-
| tries made on incidental Journeys
abroad. They go to show both the
i architects point of view and his skill
as craftsman. In almost every in
| stance they are charming and rem
II 6AYe6 with keAnfv artic+;o %noltue~