International studio (18.1902/1903)

even in this work that suspicion of acrobatic ten-
dency so often fatal to a woman's art. Its presence
somehow serves to bring out more ciearly the
athletic strength of Looschen's

The most naturaiistic of the group of artists, but
not the ieast poetic, is Richard Friese, who, in his
interpretations of Polar life, manages to strike
an individual note akin to the best of his pre-
decessors, and yet brimful of a life of its own.
The work of interpreting Nature to the population
of iarge cities is also being undertaken by Victor
Freudemann, who revels in coiour, and weaves the
beauties of Nature into dreamy and fanciful visions.
Franz Lippisch, on the other hand, displays an
aimost maideniy shyness in dealing with the
mysteries of Nature. Oscar Frenzel and Cari
Langhammer are known
to the readers of THE
STUDto aireadv. Frenzei
was a great favourite
with visitors to last
year's Secession. He is
decidediy a " quietist,"
personifying an absoiute
abandonment to Nature's
charm, mixed with just a
trifle of that sentimentality
which is an ingredient
of the average Berliner's
temperament, notwith-
standing, or perhaps on
account of, his satirical
inclinations. If there be
such a thing as a migra-
tion of artistic iluid from
one branch of produc-
tion to another, then
Carl Langhammer is the
continuance of Theodore
Fontane, that essentially
Prussian romancer of the
nineteenth century, who
discovered the charm of
the Markish landscape, the
environment of Berlin for
the Berliner. There is all
Fontane's conscious cling-
ing to the native soil in
Langhammer's work, and
at the same time a desire
to push onward ; a feeling
^ ° "IM WASCHHAUS
of bemg related to the
64

purity oi light, to the everlasting beauty of the sky
lingers in it, blended with a sense of humour that
can aBford to smile at the shortcomings of human
nature and perhaps even at some imperfections of
his own. This it is that guards him against the
a)I too common fault of attempting achievements
beyond his strength.

In his iandscape TVirA the
chief interest lies in the struggling of the lights of a
steamcr and of two windows against the last rays
of the sunset; and to any close observer and lover
of Nature the way he grapples with this difhcult
problem, and victoriously solves it, will always be
remembered on account of the masterly manner in
which he has gained success where so many others
have signally failed. L. H.

BY FAUL HOENIGER