Evening star., 1938-04-10

woman and an equally subtle and
discerning head of his colleague,
Wyatt Eaton, and a magnificent por-
trait study, life size. but small cam
vas. of the painter Walter Shirlaw, by
none other than Frank Duveneck-
one Of the strongest painters this
! country has produced-a giant" in
deed. This group of portraits alone
would lend distinction to any gallery.
Also of notable quality is a portrait
of the late William T. Evans. donor of
the collection which bears his name,
friend of American art and artists,
painted by Alphonse Jongers. capable
technician, which is an excellent like
ness and holds its own as work Of
art. Among the works of sculpture
on view is portrait bust Of Mr. Evans
by j. Scott Hartley Who incidentally.
was son-in-law Of George Inness.
Portrait OF InnesS-
Recent Acquisition.
INCLUDED in this collection and
shown for the first time. being re-
cent acquisition. is portrait of George
1nness by painter named Courier,
given to the National Art Collection by
August Franzen. who is himself por-
trait painter. This is not a great work
but it is an excellent likeness and does
serve to introduce the layman to one
OF the outstanding figures in the his
tory OF American art-he who is called.
with reason, the father of American
landscape painting. The Evans Col
lection is especially rich In works by
1nness, three of which are included
In the current showing They are
Georgia Pines. a wood interior with
figures; '"September Afternoon" bit
OF lush green country. and Niagara, 4"
charming transcription, intimate
and subtle. 1t was George Inness, it
will be remembered, who first turned
from Imitation, or repetition, to in
depreciation. The painters of the
Hudson River School, painted what
they knew to be, rather than what they
actually saw-and rarely registered
their own emotional impressions. In
ness, and those who took their cue
from him, likewise sought truth. but
functioned as leaders, taking the pub
lie by. the hand and manifesting to
them the loveliness in nature which
they themselves discovered.
This coterie, which made up the
landscape of the late 10Th and early
goth centuries, is admirably represent
ed in the present display. There are
two canvases by A. H. Wyant-
Spring" and, most masterly Autumn
at Arkville"; there are Homer Martin
Evening on the Seine" which dates
about the time of his Harp of the
Winds" belonging to the Metropolitan
Museum of Art. New York, and an
Abbott Thayer. very direct and pleas
ing Dublin Pond" to say nothing of
an early landscape by Francis Murphy.
Path to the Village" which still ranks
among his best.
There are of particular interest a
number of nocturnes which for lyrical
quality make strong appeal-such as
The Harvest Moon" by Charles Mel
vile Dewey; October Breezes," by Al
bert P. Lucas, and Great Silas at
Night" by Robert C. Minor. With
these, mention should be made of very
engaging canvases by two erstwhile
washington artists, acquired by Mr..
Evans for the National Collection,
Evening Glory-Mount McIntyre. by
the late James Henry Moser. and
'Moonrise, Ogunquit." by Hobart
Nichols. now vice president of the Ma
tional Academy of Design, and director
OF the Tiffany Foundat dation-both yerv
worthy of honor.
Then, too. there are landscapes by
Lahrop, Foster, Henry Golden Dearth
and Frederick Ballard William, vari-
ously rendered but alike in bringing to
the observer consciousness of the
beauty OF nature and a sense of the
oenef1cence of the Creator. The cry
To-Day is for realism-but is not beauty
as real as ugliness, and may we not be
truer to the intention of creation for
man? Certainly it is more stimulating
and Strengthening.
masterpieces by Winslo,D Homer
And John H. Twdchtman.
A MONG the great canvases in this
collection are two paintings bv
Wlnslow Homer-his world famous
High Cltff-Coast of Maine" superb
painting of rocks and surf, and his
earlier genre, Visit Of the Mistress
done while the painter was in Virginia
as illustrator at large for Harper's
Weekly in the war years Of the 1860s.
both of which are much-coveted treas
ures. Here, also. are two very charac-
teristic and lovely paintings by John
H. Twachtman-"End of Winter" and
The Torrent"-painted in a high
key-all spirit, atmosphere, feeling.
but also very true and deeply signifi-
cant. BY such works as these the
painters open our eyes to that which
might otherwise be passed unseen, and
our understanding to things too subtle
to be explained, but indivisible from
life.
In connection with the landscapes
by Twachtman mention should be
Hiooe VI 1iie HguTe painting by Mary
Cassatt, "Caresse Enfantine," which
also owes something to French impress
sionism and yet is distinctly individ-
ualistic. Mary Cassatt and Whistler
are the two American artists best
known and esteemed abroad; both
were OF the new era and possessed
strongly marked personality. The
young women with the two children
which represents Miss Cassatt in the
national collection Is very character
istic, in feeling. in color and manner
OF presentations work which grows
better the more familiar it becomes,
Paintings By Contemporary
Artists of Note.
or LATER date, though by no means
~ fta> ap~sa~k