International studio (36.1908/1909(1909))

the Corcoran bronze medal,
to Robert Reid, of New
York, for a figure study
entitled YAe Ffre, a
transcription of mingled
Rrelight and daylight; and
the fourth, Ave hundred
doltars, carrying with it an
honorable mention from the
Corcoran Gallery, to Fred-
erick C. Frieseke, of Paris,
for AfarcgKe, a painting of
the nude. The alchemy of
prize giving is something
which in all probability will
never be entirely under-
stood, but these awards
are certainly as rational as
the majority. So long as
juries are obliged to multi-
ply apples by oranges, or,
in other words, to compare
relatively the merits of half
a dozen kinds of paintings,
so long will occasion be
given to wonder why such
and such a picture got a
prize. In this particular
instance the two painters
who probably made, of all,
the most distinguished
showing—Edmund C. Tar-
bell and Willard Metcalf—
were both Aorc eowcoMr—
one on account of mem-
bership on the jury, and
the other on account of
previously winning the
highest award. Mr. Tar-
bell showed two genres and
a portrait—Mr. Metcalf,
onewinter and two summer
landscapes, all peculiarly individual and pleasing.
Irving R. Wiles, also, sent a delightful little genre, a
picture of his daughter reading in a room shaded
from the summer sunlight. Thomas W. Dewing
is represented admirably by FAe Fef/ow
which is full of exquisite rehnement, and George
de Forest Brush, bythe familygroupownedby the
Art Institute of Chicago, a work in spirit and rec-
titude reminiscent of the early Dutch masterpieces.
For the most part the pictures in this exhibition
are recent works contributed by the artists, but
exceptions have been made in certain instances in

PORTRAIT OF MISS TOWNSEND

BY JOHN S. SARGENT

favor of paintings of special distinction. Thus,
one hnds with pleasure that Abbott Thayer's Ffr-
owned by Mr. Charles L. Freer, and his paint-
ing of a ITFf^Mre, inscribed to Robert Louis
Stevenson, are both included; comes across three
of John La Farge's works, chief among which is the
IFo// C/mrmer, and is able to renew acquaintance
with E. A. Abbey's PeiMMce <?/ E/gaMor, DMcAcM <?/
G/oMCM?gr, the property of the Carnegie Institute.
To be sure, the frequenter of exhibitions would find
now in the Corcoran Gallery many familiar pic-
tures, for it was merely stipulated that none should

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