The Washington times., 1922-12-24
N. 4. HOLMES HOLDS
PAINTINGS
Came to Washington SO Years
Ago and Has Watched
Many Changes.
HAD NUMEROUS INTERESTS
Artist Widely Known for Work
In AnthropoIogy, Geology,
end Archaeology.
HAD NUMEROUS INTERESTS
BY viKTOR FLAMBEAU. .

a.
All the world loves q lover. And
the same is true of the artist.
A Washington painter who has
been highly honored is DR.. William
H. Holmes, president Of the Wash
ington Artists and director OF the
National Gallery Of Art. Dr.
Holmes, who now is holding an
exhibition Of some of his best work
in water color at the Venable Cal
leries, has watched many changes
in Washington, since the days o.
the old canal along B street and
the art colony Of Vernon kow,
where dozens Of the earlier paint
ers had their studios.
CAME HERE 80 YEARS AGO.
when I came to Washington
fifty years ago." DR.. Holmes said.
among our art students were the
Masses Henry, daughters of Secre-
tary Joseph Henry Of the Smith
sonian Institution. They lived with
their parents In one wing OF tne
Smithsonian building. which was az
~
National Museum"
ranks of the Smithsonian staff was
dramatic, He had been IN Wasning
ton but q day or two after his ar
rival when he visited the insutu
ton. and was Drawing q picture OF
q bird in one Of the collections wnen
the curator saw his work ano
promptly engaged him. After tnat
his promotion was rapid.
His interest In art never waheo.
and he continued his studies under
a German master In the studios Q.
Vernon Row, which was between b
street and Pennsylvania northwest;
near Eleventh street, where ne mao
as companions the late Hcnaro
Norris Brooke, Max Well. and Mr.
Messer who was afterward princi-
pal Of the Corcoran School OF Art.
VARIED SUBJECTS.
ION the California Coast" Rock
Creek in Autumn" Jamaica" Ven
Ice" "In the Colorado Rockies,
'"rhe Plateau Country" Abandoned
Canal Near the War College" Mary.
land Wheat, Field" are some OF the
artists themes. DIR. Holmes always
has been an industrious paintet, and
has produced as many as three fin
ished paint gs of water color land
scapes in a day.
Born in Harrison county. Ohio, In
184s. william Henry Holmes grad.
uatedy from McNeely Normal School
In 1870, and came to Washington
about 1872. He was first a geologist
under the United States Geological
Survey. Ten years later he became
curator Of the department of abor.
igtnal pottery OF the National Mu-
scum. and IN 1889 his fondness for
travel and investigation brought him
the appointment of Archaeological of
the Bureau Of American Ethnology.
In charge Of explorations.
EXECUTIVE ABILITY
Seldom has an artist shown such
executive ability as has character
lied the career OF DIR. Holmes. In
1894 he became curator Of anthrop-
ology Of the Field Museum of Chi
cago, and q professor at the Univer.
sity> Of Chicago. Three years later
he returned to Washington to the
National Museum, and, with the
opening Of the new department Of
the National Gallery of Art in 1907,
he became IT. first curator.
The National Research Council
In its war work OF 1917 made him
chairman Of the committee on
anthropology, and in 1918 he was
director of science for George
Washington University. These dis
tinctions have not separated DIR.
Holmes from the artists, however
He is president OF the Society Of
Washington Artists and Of the
Washington Water Color Club. He
is also member of the Landscape
Club. and is the art editor of Art
and Archaeology, published in
Warrington.
PICTURES OWNED HERE.
Probably more Washington homes
possess pictures Of this versatile
painter than Of any other artist
now living here.
The first Corcoran- prize of the
Washington Water Color Club was
awarded to DIR. Holmes in 1900,
and in 1909 he received the Par
sons prize of the same club. His
painting, Midsummer, is In the
Corcoran Gallery and another
Landscape, "The wanderlusfer
Rest" II in the National Gallery.
His water colors. now on view at
Venable's, soon win be distributed
arnong many new owners.