Evening star., 1919-12-14

! figures. portraits and landscapes. His
work was essentially modern and at
| the same time firmly founded upon
| tradition. He used rather high
keyed palette. In the selection of
themes he deliberately chose the
somewhat commonplace, but his works
| always possessed inherent beauty.
He was one of the few cotemporary
painters whose works gained in value
through aggregation. A single paint
ing by Mr.. Weir was not always found
impressive: room full of the paint
ings was not only impressive. but
notable, because they were extremely
reticent. Never did his work bid for
attention. His art was so sound. so
sincere. so true that it more than
carried conviction.
1t is quite proba BILE that Mr.. Weir
never gave five minutes thought to
whether or not his paintings eX-
pressed himself His great concern
was rather to give expression to the
charm that he himself found in ma
ture. and for this reason his pictures
and his etchings were invariably
frank and at the same time poetic.
possessing naturainess which can
only come through expression which
is without lf-consclouSness
In the Corcoran Gallery's permanent:
collection he is represented by a por-
trait of young girl. which was
awarded one of the Clark prizes in o
IN the NdtlOnal
Gallery he is represented by a por-
trait study. of young woman. quite
different from the one in the Corcoran
gallery and peculiarly typical both
of his style and the subjects which
he usually chose. Another important
example of this modern masters work
is included in the collection assembled
during recent years by Duncan Phil
lips of this city.
Mr.. Weir was born at West Point in
August, 1852. His father. Robert w.
Weir. was the instructor in art at
the Military Academy He studied
first under his father and then under
Gerome in Paris. He is represented
in almost every Important art museum
in this country I'd during his life
time received almost every honor and
award open to cotemporary Ameri-
in the permanent collection of the
Luxembourg Museum. Paris.
**
A monument to Lewis and Clark by
Charles Keck was unveiled at Char
lottesville. Va. about a fortnight ago.
native of Charlottesville who has
done much to beautify and enrich
the little city by this and other gifts.
Lewis and Clark were both born in
Charlottesville.
The group shows the two explorers.
men OF HHe pnySique anu stfoHS.
handsome countenance. standing upon
a bit of bowlder. with an Indian
crouching behind them. as catching
their first view of the Pacific ocean.
1t is forceful and impressive work.
X X
In the annual exhibition of the Con-
cord Art Association. Concord. Mass.
recently held, Felicia Waldo Howell.
formerly of this city. was awrded
first honor for her painting of THE
Treasury Building. Washington"
4
William e. Closson, who has spent a
number of winters in Washington and
is well known here. is holding at this
time an exhibition of his paintings in
the Macbeth Galleries. New York.
Mr. Closson is peculiarly gifted as
a colorist and his figure studies, while
fragmentary. often recall the works
of Monticello
Gallery by nainting of "A mermaid
frolicking with water babies. which
is typical of the playful spirit which
often finds vent in his art.
n
Miss Lesley Jackson. one of the
foremost of our local artists. who has
/ won an enviable place for herself by
her skillful water colors not only in
local circles, but outside of Wash
ington. left the latter part of last
week for Japan. where. with Miss
Seymour. she expects to spend year,
studying at the art school in kioto
and working Independently.
Miss Jackson has already visited
! Japan. having spent six weeks there
! in 1914. so that she already has
! measure of familiarity with the coun-
! try. and she has in kioto several
! close friends.
X X X
Miss Catherine C. Critcher will give
a studio tea on the afternoon of De-
| cember 1S in her new studio, No. j
| st. Matthew's alley.
LEILA MECHLIN.