Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-15
WHISTLER And
HOMER AT fine
ART EXHIBITION
Great Painter Described as
Eccentric and Egotistical--
Failed at West Point
Lived In London.
LETA MOORE MEYER.

La a. Ava ~ - 49, ~'~~~
A very small picture portraying
,arge amount of real art is Coast
Scene" by James A. Mcneil Whis-
tier, one of the gems Of the collec-
ton. Painted on a wood panel, the
paint is so mixed with oil as to give
il somewhat the appearance of
water color. T..
Whistler considered his outdoor
pictures symphonies, and this il
symphony in gray. 1t is a gray
day, 4 storm imminent There is
strong wind blowing from the left,
not only indicated by the blowing
OF skirts and the sail, but felt
throughout the picture. The dis
tinct and subtle change from the
green of the sea to the blue OF the
sky is mastery, still holding them
together as one mass and atmos-
rheric entity. :,
Although the beach is grayish
color, the yellowness it would have
in sunlight is felt. None but
great master can paint sharp hne
at the horizon like this and still
keep it back in its place, as is dom:
here. The whole satmosphere OF
busy activity and of the life OF the
place and OF the surroundings are
keenly felt and expressed. This il
a characteristic of Whistler's work.
Failed at West Point.
Aside from his wonderful art
which will live, Whistler Is one OF
the most interesting figures In the
art world because OF his personality.
Born in Lowell, Mass, In 1854, he
attended West Point for q while
but was . failure and he spent most
OF ris life in London. He was very
eccentric and esotistical, but | won
der at times If it were not more 2
keen sense OF humor. He would
saw to other artists, I'm not argu-
ing with you, I'm telling YOU"
When ! gushing lady said emu
sively, "Oh, sir. Whistler, no one
but you and Vciasquex ever knew
how to paint" he answered, "Oh,
madam, why drag in VelasquezF'
which At least shut her up. Before
he had arrived" one time when his
pictures were refused at the salon,
he went through the miles OF rooms
which make up that exhibition.
AS he was leaving, completely ak
hausted, he saw his own pictures at
the door being hauled away. He
told afterwards how he was entirely
rested at seeing something good
after the vast amount OF trash he
had been forced to look At. Few
books are more interesting reading
than his "Gentle Art Of Making
Enemies" which partly chronicles
his lawsuit against Ruskin, which he
lost.
Whistler was commissioned by
an Englishman, / think George
Morland, to paint large picture 7;
be called my Lady Porcelain,
which was to hang over the mante
in room which contained rart
collection of porcelain.
Enraged His Host
He was 4 guest in the house while
doing it and one rainy day amusee
himself by painting peacocks on thu
window blinds of rare wood. Thi.
80 enraged his patron that he re-
monstrated and finally ordered
Whistler out Of the house, who re-
sponded by painting large peacock'
on the fine carved paneling which
covered at one end OF the room, say
ing that all wood was ~ nothing
compared to his art.
Mr.. Morland then took legal step
to stop him whereupon Whistles
made the peacocks gold and th'
spots In their tails sheckels saying
his patron thought of money NOR
than of art. And just to show hi
independence he stayed on In tn
house several months after TIL
painting was finished.
Charles w. Freer Of Dstr Of,
Whlstler's closest friend and sxecu
tor who died this fall, owned mos
Of his pictures. He bought the pea
cock room and ali Its contents
porcelain, picture and all, and bull
I room for it in his home. He be
qusathed Whistlers valued at NOR,
than 81 900, 900, many other picture
and . large sum of money to the ma
ton for the founding Of nationa
gallery in Washington.
Majority Not for Sale.
The tiny Whistler here 10 value,
1t $500. Several of the picture
are valued at from $4,000 to $4,000
aud most of them are worth NOR
than $4,000, but the majority are no
I for sale. The collection here In on
room Is valued at something owe
The one water color shown J
"Forebodings," by our owa Wins
low Homer, the great painter of tn
sea. The fisherwomen, looking anx
iously with tense feeling, are 4 fin
J mass of dark against the light, Will
other workers are just suggested i
the surf. While painted with waite
color, this is called gouache 0
body color, white paint being nike
with the color for the lights instea
Of leaving the white paper, as
done in 4 regular aquarelle, thus ap
preaching the seriousness of an OF
while retaining the delicacy OF
water color. :.
This picture corroborates tn
statement of Mr.. Brockwe1l at tn
Friends of Art dinner that good pic
lures are an excellent investmen
from a financial standpoint, as wei
as from an educational one. Thre
years ago "Forebodings" was price
at $3.50. Its price now is $4,000.