Evening star., 1922-01-17
POPULAR
/ Prize lSAWARDED
Won by Boston Artist With
Painting "GirI Arranging :
Flowers" ~

William II. Paxton Of Boston, by
reason of his picture entitled Girl
Arranging Flowers has won the pop
ular prize Of 5000 offered by the Cor
coran Gallery Of Art and open to all
the entrants in the Sth biennial exhi-
bition Of cotemporary American oil
paintings now In progress
Representatives Of the American
Federation of Arts opened the ballot
boxes and counted the Thousands Of
votes cast last week by gallery vfsi-
tors for their favorite picture. Mr..
Paxton's painting, No. II. in the cata-
logue, received 459 votes. The same
last exhibition two years ago. with
a picture called Girl Sewing" On.
that occasion his picture received
2SS votes. 30 1t would appear that,
this artists delicate and appealing
work Is rising rapidly In popular,
ssteem-
Votes Cast for Others. =
Although but one prize Is given as
the result of this popular referendum.
the pictures receiving high totals Of
votes are also announced. The "Por-
trait of Barbara" by Lillian Westcott
Hale of Boston. No. so. got 212 votes,
or almost as many as the hrst prize
winner two years ago. Arthur J..
Spears picture, THE Flame No. ~
received 1856 votes. while No. Al. In
terror With Figure" by Burtis Baker
of this city. came In fourth with sS
votes. Mr.. Spear is also from Bos-
ton, while Mr.. Baker used to live
there. New England. therefore, made
almost a clean sweep.
Mr.. Baker. with another picture,
won the second of the William A.
Dfv Of
opening of the exhibition by the pro-
fessional jury of award This evil
dences the fact that his work not
only carries a strong popular appeal.
but also displays technical qualities
Of high order. He is considered
an unusually skillful draughtsman.
The good judgment Of the local vot-
ing ,uolic Is further confirmed by the
fact t.at this particular picture has
been invited to be hung. in the ap-
preaching exhibit of the Pennsylvania
ACADEMY of Fine Arts. in Phiiadelphia:
1t has been made apparent In the
three popular referendums already
held in this city in connection with
the Corcoran biennials that the art
loving public. while II may not agree
with the verdict of the jury of pro-
fessional painters. invariably selects
a good picture for its first choice. On
dict and its attendant prize has gone
to the work of an artist of high pro-
fessionai standing.
Many Attend ExAibit.
No fewer than 5000 visitors attend
ed the exhibit Sunday afternoon.
which was the last opportunity for
voting. although the exhibit will re-
main open until next Sunday after
noon.
Most of these visitors voted. al
though a number of them took their
artistic franchise so seriously that.
after careful consideration. they could
not come to decision. c. Powell
Minnigerode. director of the gallery.
had 10000 ballots printed for the
occasion. In spite of the bad weather
which, this year. particularly affected
the attendance, nearly all of these
votes were cast; Mr.. Minnigerode and
gallery. officials generally. express
interest In the referendum and in its
result. This process of indication
of popular choice. Initiated in Wash
ington in 1917, has been copied in
other art centers.
William NJ. Paxton was born in
Baltimore, Md. in 1869. He was q
pupil at the Ecole des Beaux Arts
in Paris under Gerome, and also q
pupil Of Dennis NJ. Bunker of Boston.
ciety, Of the Guild of Boston Artists.
of the st. Botolph Club and Of the
Philadeiphia Art Club He was elected
an associate Of the National Academy
Of Design in 1917. He has won a
number Of prizes at various important
exhibitions throughout the United
States.