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Early portrait op the Artist’s Daughter. By Thomas W. Dewing. In the Freer Gallery op Art. 
THE ART OF THOMAS W. DEWING 
By Nedson C. White 
I N considering the art of Thomas W. 
Dewing, one is reminded that be¬ 
yond a certain point the qualities of 
the rarest and finest painting defy 
analysis. The beauty and charm of 
creative art are inherently elusive; for 
their source is in those deep well-springs 
of life interwoven with the mystery of 
all things. Great individuality, sur¬ 
prising and without precedent, sets up a 
law unto itself, and when accompanied 
by unusual subtlety is frequently unap¬ 
preciated. A deep study of art reveals 
that it fluctuates and defies any at¬ 
tempt to define its subjective at¬ 
tributes in terms of static values. 
Whistler has suggested that art usually 
“happens”; that the advent of the 
artist is unheralded. Art, the gift of 
genius, is a free agent and only func¬ 
tions according to its own design. It 
cannot be directed with purpose to any 
result which does not require the use of 
the qualities of line, form and color. 
Only when an artist appears who 
utilizes these elements with discrimi¬ 
nation to serve both his personal needs 
and truth to life and nature, does art 
seem in the least amenable to any 
definite classification. The master 
craftsman welcomes these definite 
qualities that control the creation of 
art and proceeds to make of them an 
instrument for the expression of his 
personal, emotional response to life. 
Such an artist is Thomas W. Dewing. 
And since no man is uninfluenced by 
the time and place of his advent, it will 
be seen that this artist has a definite 
place in American art. 
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