Evening star., 1940-06-02

the Pennsylvania Academy of 4
are all difficult subjects handled with
utmost ease, not as reduced paint
ings of larger size, but first and last
primarily as miniatures-or as mini
atures should be. Mr.. Hasselriis is a
Dane by birth, but has been In this
country for a good many years and
has made a place here for him.
self as illustrator as well as mini
ature painter. 1t was he who illus
trated some of Pearl S. Bucks books
on life in China.
Subjectively of somewhat the same
order, but quite different in treat
ment, is Magda Heuermann's "Chess
Player"-two old men seated at q
small table in library very intent
upon the game they are playing on
the chess board. 1t is an excellent
composition rather broadly rendered
and in such wise that the illusion
OF atmosphere is created Miss
Heuermann studied in Munich and
paints somewhat according to the
tenets of that school. She is rep
resented in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, and has written
two books-one on painting a head
and the other on Miniatures Old
and New" To the current exhibition
she also has contributed a second
work, a portrait of her father which
is very fine.
Washingtonians Represented.
Works by four Washington paint
ers are included. Mrs. r. P. Tolman
shows portrait of her husband
which, rendered with great SIM
plicity, possesses exceptional vital
ity; Nina Nash Cron contributes
portrait of Col. A. C. Cron and also
colorful rendition of a little
Chinese boy in native costume, "Cho
Cho San; Mary Elizabeth King
sends charming portrait miniature,
Dorothy and Gertrude Hays one,
somewhat in the same manner, of
Louise Reese" It is a matter of
local pride that all these are out
standing.
Two very distinguished American
miniaturists are not, it is to be re-
gretted, represented in this showing.
These are Laura Combs Hills of Bos-
ton and Margaret Foote Hawley of
New York. We miss also the work
of Miss Hattie E. Burdette of this
city, who is not, however, a member
of the Pennsylvania Society. But
when so much is given complaint
should not be made. Miss Hills was
one OF the first to apply a new
technique to miniature painting,
doing rather large portraits, at
three quarters of full length, on
ivory, with the sweep and verve OF
oil paintings by the technical ma
gician, such, for instance, as a De
Laszlo or Sargent. In her par
ticular field she has had no rivals
and her work has undoubtedly in
huenced miniature painting in this
country, widening its field.
An example of this greater free
dom Is found in miniature by
Eulabee Dix, "The Purple Dress"
a portrait of young woman seated
on a sofa. 1t is given prominence
in this exhibition and well deserves
1t because of its broad handling
and artistic effect. After all, how
ever, miniature portrait is meant
to be held in the hand. to be ex-
amined closely and to appeal inti-
mately, and the art of the minia-
turist, at its best, is that which
conceals all conscious effort.
OF such order are the portraits of
Mrs. Shillard Smith by Margaretta
Archambault; Mrs. Marable by Alma
H. Bliss, DR.. William E. McFadden
by Sarah McFadden Boyle; Little
Boy and Dorothy Ogle" by May F..
Gelletly; Mr.. B." by Mary H. Tan
nahill and Janet" by Mabel R.
WEIGH. OF exceptional interest are
three by Elsie Dodge Pattee and one
each by Rebecca B. Peale-Patterson
and Edith Sawyer. The last is en-
titled Portrait Study, Black and
Gold," and is not only a symphony
in color, but notable instance of
the combination of two methods of
rendering stipple and wash, effec-
lively employed.
Fruit Composition.
Varying the monotony of portrai-
ture are number of landscapes and
still-life studies "in little" done with
much skill. Among these is fruit
composition by Evelyn Purdie which
should not be overlooked, as well as
a New Mexico landscape by Eva
Springer. formerly of Washington,
and Race Horse" by Virginia Hol-
linger Stout.
1t may be of interest to know that
of these 103 works by members of
the Pennsylvania Society, four come
from California, four from the Dis
trict Of Columbia, two each from
Massachusetts,, Maryland and Illi-
nois; one each from Michigan and
Louisiana and the rest from Penn
sylvania and New York. So high is
the standard upheld and so even
the excellence of the work shown
that it is difficult, indeed, to single
out one or another for special note
or commendation.
This visiting exhibition came beau-
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