Evening star., 1940-06-02

oOoCAACA VIC AuClCuS u very
distinguished collection artistically
and historically valuable. Included
are miniatures by Peale, Copley,
Fraser, Trott and Field. as well as
w. Henry Brown, Inman, Catlin and
others. In each instance the pur-
chase has been made on merit
rather than attribution. The
Copley was, for instance, bought
without knowledge of the name of
the artist, which, after acquisition,
was discovered through cleaning-a
delicate process for which the finest
dry brushes are used. In connection
with the miniatures by James Peale
and Benjiman Trott, there are in
teresting stories and sad ones of sale
and resale, sojoA.ns in pawn shops
In the interim. But now they have
come into their own. The miniature
by Fraser of Thomas Waities is
one of the best in the collection, and
also one of the best of this distin-
guished painters work. 1t and
others now in the national collec-
ton, as well as on loan, make one
wonder, as do the oil portraits by
our early American artists, how, with
conditions as they then were, such
competent-in fact, superb-works
could have been produced. Evi-
IDENTIFY, giants then walked the earth
giants who did not fear accepting
and following the judgment of those
OF preceding generations, which
constituted tradition. Certainly,
they strove for perfection, forgetful
of self, and spared no pains to
achieve it.
Commanded Medium.
Note the way in which these
miniaturists rendered detail-lace,
jewelry. fabrics, hair, eyes, lips. Yet
there is nothing Photographic in
their works; in fact, when they were
produced, photography had not been
invented. And, furthermore, these
portraits are extremely vital; those
portrayed are still living personah-
ties. It is inexplicable. In most
instances, these early American
miniature painters, like those in
England in the 18th century, used
different medium from that en-
ployed previously or today. With
clear water color, they mixed little
gum arabic, which gave body with
out destroying transparency. But
they fully commanded this medium
and were excellent craftsmen as
well. There is no evidence of fumb-
ing-it was not possible.
These facts are further demon
strated by works in the loan collec-
ton. Here are found miniatures by
not only Peale (Charles Willson and
Trott, but by Malbone and Cosway,
one of the leaders of the English
school, The Peales' are portraits of
John Parke Gusts and of Martha
(Patty) Custis and were painted at
Mount Vernon in 1772. These have
been lent anonymously. The Cosway
is of Rebecca Lloyd and the Trott
of Ann Hume Shipper, both of
which have been lent by DR.. Lloyd
Shipper of this city. The Malbone
is of Robert Means, an excellent
example, owned and lent by j. j.
Pringle, jr. Other interesting and
notable loans have come from Miss
Lucia Hollerith of Georgetown.
Notable Exhibition.
There are still many of these
fascinating little portraits in private
ownership, treasured as heirlooms,
but in many instances, the name
of the painter is no longer remem-
bered. Bolton has listed 200 minia-
turists who painted in this country
before 1850 whose works have been
identified, many Of whom were very
competent, and there were probably
still more. In 1925 q notable exhi-
bition Of early American miniatures,
208 in number, was shown, with por.
traits in oil and silver of the period,
In the National Museum, assembled
by q self-organized local commit
tee. The majority of these minia-
lures came from Washington homes.
Some have since found their way
into the National Collection.
O14C Va Vic 6ACdVCOV COuCCUlOllS VI
miniatures ever assembled in this
country was that of the late j. p.
Morgan of New York, which, in
June, 1895, was sold in London, the
sale occupying four days and the
total amount realized being $340, ,651.
It was at this sale that Lord Duveen
purchased the portrait of Miss Penn
berton by Holbein for the British
National Collection. Other works by
such men as Smart, Engelhart and
Oliver brought several thousand dol
lars each. All If which goes to show
that miniatures are not merely works
lin ittle," but, according to the
genius of the painter, genuine-and
sometimes great-worxs of art.
That the art is being continued
and upheld to high standards Is
evidenced beyond question by the
contemporary exhibition now on
view-which, by che way, will con-
tinue only until next Sunday.