KERAMIC STUDIO 
97 
ness to work with love and with diligence. Mrs. T. M. Fry 
accompanied her son and gave instruction in lustres. 
Mrs. S. V. Culp of San Francisco sustained in every way 
the high reputation of the decorative class-room. Her charm- 
ing treatment of double violets and pansies was enthusiasti- 
cally received. Not only in the handling of color did Mrs. 
Culp impress her class, but equally did they appreciate her 
painstaking explanations of what to avoid, what to do, and 
how to do it. 
This little colony of keramic artists made up a studio 
well worth a long trip to enjoy. In no other summer place 
can such perfect environments be found as are furnished by 
this unique city of trees, fenced off from all the world, with a 
little civilization of its own, its people the cream of the intel- 
lectual element of America. 
*• -f 
TN THE As our colored supplement this number 
cuv-ypc ' s Chrysanthemums, it will be interesting to 
know that Colamore is exhibiting in his win- 
dow a new punch bowl from the Doulton works, decorated in 
white chrysanthemums, fading into a delightful background 
of shaded greens, from the blue greens to the fresh warm yel- 
low greens. The flowers are vague and suggestive and seem 
to melt into the background. Our supplement by Mr. Aulich 
could be used beautifully for such a decoration, and it will be 
something different from the much abused grape designs. 
«Miss Wynne continues to offer bargains before her re- 
moval from East 1.3th street. We noticed some dainty tea 
plates, bread and butter plates with open work edges, which 
were marked down. She has some odd spoons that would 
make attractive sale pieces. It is rather difficult to find deco- 
rative bowls of the desired size, so a small bowl and one of 
these spoons decorated to match, would be suitable for 
whipped cream or mayonnaise. 
At Vantine's there is some interesting underglaze, called 
the Intarsio Ware ; it is English and reproduces some old shapes 
and oriental designs found in the British Museum. The 
colors are clear and brilliant, the designs being large and bold. 
It reminds one something of the Rosenberg pottery, only the 
colors are brighter and the outlines sharper. 
The undecorated china seems very attractive and allur- 
ing — the shapes are plainer and better. There is a good 
assortment now of plain vases, plates, chop dishes and trays. 
We noticed some plates with the "acid eaten" designs on 
the rims. These are expensive, but decorate charmingly 
when one does not care to make the entire design. We will 
give a design of these later. 
A LETTER FROM PARIS 
A /in Shaw. 
IT is not to be marveled at that the French are so wonder- 
fully gifted in all matters pertaining to art and seem 
inspired, from infancy almost, to cozen, from their palettes such 
dainty productions of charming bits of color. The floods of 
sunshine, the artistic and historically rich environments, the 
ever joyous caroling of the birds in seemingly countless gar- 
dens fill one with the desire to remain on, indefinitely, in an 
atmosphere so stimulating to an artistic nature. The poetry 
of life comes to the surface now and again, and the latest 
strong manifestation of it has, to me, been the study of some 
of the beautiful miniatures in this year's Salon. A compari- 
son with the exhibits of other years demands no apology for 
the current one, larger as it is in number, and many of an excel- 
lence well nigh approximating that of the old masters' work. 
Individual mention would encroach too much upon your 
columns, but several of the miniatures are, in my judgment, 
remarkable, and worthy of description. The first to attract 
and hold one's attention is the portrait of an aged woman, 
with hair like threads of spun silver and a skin that even with 
the flight of time has not lost the delicate creamy tones that 
must have blended so well with the once dark tresses. The 
handling is superb, the hair being soft and rich, yet the masses 
of light and shade are well defined, while the gray tones seem 
wonderfully transparent — the blue and cold ones fading most 
harmoniously into the warm shadow tones of the skin. The 
color is slightly loose, but the finish is very careful and the 
modeling absolutely faithful. The lips are transparent in 
color — pure carmine, washed lightly with yellow and a touch 
of cobalt to accentuate the lines and shades and give them 
firmness. The features are exact in limning, without giving a 
disagreeable impression, and the eyes, a dark blue gray, have 
in them a light that will only fade with death, yet the effect 
of age is portrayed by a slight receding of the eyes' sockets. 
A touch of Prussian blue (a color so strong that exceedingly 
careful handling is necessary to prevent it from staining the 
ivory) is put just at the inner corner of the eye and fades 
agreeably into the cheek tones. A gray satin gown is grave 
yet rich in the color that has been washed over color to 
secure the satiny texture, and a green gray background 
completes a specimen of modern miniature work that in 
color and finish rivals any chef tfoeuvre handed down from 
another time. The committee's award of the medal to it is a 
well deserved honor. Near this hangs another miniature that 
in subject, color and handling is a most charming example of 
the modern school. It is a semi-nude torso of a girl reclining 
among white cushions, her hair falling in a cloud about her 
face and shoulders and partially covering the rise of her chest 
and bust. The work is very dainty and high in key, the light- 
est parts of the skin being the ivory itself, while a touch of 
white brings out the high lights of the hair; its darkest tones 
are but little deeper than the lights of the ordinary miniature. 
The color is perfectly transparent and handled entirely in 
washes, quite smooth and one over another. Very little car- 
mine is used save a touch in the lips, which are partially open, 
the depth of tone between them being made with a bit of co- 
balt blue and vermillion. Some daring and effective blue and 
yellow tones are used, but broadly and by so experienced a 
hand that they at once model and color. The chest, throat 
and bust are symmetry itself. The eyes half-open in a dreamy 
fashion, and with a few strokes of delicate purplish gray is 
revealed an expression as of one returning from a journey into 
the land of reveries. The color fades into the tone of the 
ivory all about the outer edges. The drawing is strong, com- 
position good, and the whole a most pleasing inspiration, one 
the committee deemed not only entitled to a medal, but 
worthy of a permanent place in one of the State galleries. 
Were most of the work of the modern school to follow 
in the wake of this miniature, a portion of the critic's disagree- 
able duty would be minimized. 
Paris, June 1st, 1899. 
4? jP 
The laws of proportion demand balance — symmetry, 
subordination of details, variety in unity. 
