124 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



of Miss Melville, the drapery work is very fine. California, a mam- 

 moth allegorical piece, by Oscar Knnath, a picture on which there is 

 a. great deal of work, and the chief merits of which lie in the scat- 

 tered fruit at the feet of the colossal figure and in the rich ripeness of 

 its color. Ten pictures by Mrs. D. AV. Gelwicks, a pupil of the San 

 Francisco School of Design. The pictures rank good in the collec- 

 tion. Twelve pictures by M. C. Loomis, the meritorious ones being 

 flower pieces, which show native ability that deserves good schooling. 

 Then follows crayon drawing by F. J. Corcoran, James Crackborn, 

 a collection of pictures by Miss M. Brothers, and monochromatic 

 drawing by Mrs. H. Schardin. Crayon portrait by A. Hupman. Ten 

 paintings in oil by George H. Redding, whose best efforts are in still 

 life, and who has ability that is developing and demands thorough 

 culture. Two pieces by Frank Penfold. Exhibition of photo- 

 graphs by Tabor, San Francisco; Jones, Rulofson & Co., San Fran- 

 cisco; and Leftwich, Sacramento. In addition are two paintings in 

 oil, by Jessie Ford; a crayon by a pupil of the Santa Clara College, 

 and a collection of drawings by Mrs. Bingay's juvenile class, the lat- 

 ter being of much credit to both pupils and teacher, and making a 

 pleasant and suggestive exhibition. There were pictures in the main 

 hall that should never have found place in the exhibition, and but 

 for its connection with the Agricultural Society could not have been 

 admitted to the art collection. They were by amateurs and tyros in 

 art, most of whom have no intention of becoming aught else. The 

 only merit these pictures possessed was found in the strong contrast 

 they made to the works of real art, by vv^hich even the least cultivated 

 beholder was brought to a better realization of the worth of the truly 

 meritorious works. The exhibition was made a success by carrying 

 out the idea of divorcing the Agricultural Society from its old meth- 

 ods with regard to the seventh department, as explained in the 

 Record-Union recently, and secondly by the well directed and untir- 

 ing eff'orts of Norton Bush, Master of the Exhibition, and Mr. Mar- 

 tin, Secretary of the San Francisco Art Association, who has given 

 his time wholly during the week to duty in the gallery. Mr. Martin 

 says the Association he represents will be repaid all its pains if the 

 people of the interior by this exhibition have been brought still more 

 to appreciate good pictures, and to a realization of the fact that there 

 are on the Pacific coast artists fully equal to the greatest portion of 

 the art work bought in Europe for the American market, and that 

 as to some home exhibits Europe shows none to excel them, as Mr. 

 Brookes' in fish, for instance. Mr. Deakin, who has just returned 

 from Europe, saj'S the collection just under notice will compare fav- 

 orably in character with that shown in the Salon Paris, for though 

 limited, as compared to the Parisian exhibition in number of pieces, 

 in character and variety it was upon as high a plane in many 

 respects. Mr. Tavernier, the well known artist, also took occasion to 

 speak of the exhibition in terms of warm praise when comparing 

 the merits of the chief works with those placed in European galle- 

 ries. In conclusion, let it be placed on record that the art exhibition 

 for the year 1879, at the State Fair, was the beginning of an era of 

 great importance in art in this State, and may be justly regarded as 

 the First Annual State Art Exhibition. It is but reasonable to 

 assume that these exhibitions will be continued from j^ear to year, 

 and that as they occur effort will be made to make each one surpass 

 its predecessor. 



