Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D Part 16

DE HAAS, MRS. ALICE PREBLE TUCKER. Born in Boston. Studied at the Cooper Union and with M. F. H. de Haas, Swain Gifford, William Chase, and Rhoda Holmes Nicholls. Painter of water-color pictures and miniatures.

Her pictures are in private hands in Was.h.i.+ngton, New York, and Boston.

The following article written at the time of an exhibition by Mrs. de Haas gives a just estimate of her work:

"Mrs. de Haas is especially devoted to the painting in water-color of landscape and sea views, for which the Atlantic coast affords such a wide and varied range. A constant and keen observer of Nature, she has seized her marvellous witchery of light and color, and reproduced them in the glow of the moonlight on the water when in a stormy mood, and the silvery gleam has become an almost vivid orange tint. She is most happy in the tender opalescent hues of the calm sea and the soft sky above, while the little boats seem to rock quietly on the water, barely stirred by the unruffled tide beneath.

"The sunset light is a never-failing source of variety and beauty, and Mrs. de Haas has found a most attractive subject in the steeple of the old church in York Village--whose graceful curves are said to have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren--as it rises above the soft mellow glow of the sky or is pictured against the dark clouds.

"In another mood the artist paints the low rocks among the reeds, with the breakers playing about them, while the distant sea stretches out to a horizon, with dark, stormy clouds brooding over the solitary waste. A remarkable union of the beauty of land and water is produced by a foreground of brilliant fancy flowers relieved by a scrubby tree in the background, with the faint responsive touch of yellow in the clouds over a calm sea, where gentle motion is only indicated by the little boat floating on its surface.

"The schooners on the Magnolia Sh.o.r.e with Norman's Woe in the distance suggest alike the tragic story of the past and the present beauty, for now the sea is calm and the sails are drying in the sun after the storm is over.

"Many other pictures might be mentioned--a quaint old house at Gloucester, a view of Ten Pound Island, with its picturesque surroundings, and the familiar beach, with Fort Head at York Harbor. As a specimen of landscape I would mention a picturesque group of trees at Gerrish Island, full of suns.h.i.+ne.

"But Mrs. de Haas has added another most attractive style of art to her resources, and her miniatures, besides their charm of simplicity of treatment and delicacy of coloring, are said to have the merit of faithful likeness to their originals. Of course portraits, being painted on commission, are not generally available for exhibition, but Mrs. de Haas has a few specimens of her work which warrant all that has been said in their praise.

"One is a charming picture of a child, which for beauty of delineation and delicacy of tinting recalls the memory of our greatest of miniature painters, Malbone.

"Another is the portrait of the artist's father, and is represented with such truth of nature and so much vitality of expression and character as at once to give rise to the remark, 'I must have known that man, he seems so living to me.'"

DE KAY, HELENA--MRS. R. WATSON GILDER. This artist has exhibited at the National Academy of Design, New York, since 1874, flower pieces and decorative panels. In 1878 she sent "The Young Mother." She was the first woman elected to the Society of American Artists, and to its first exhibition in 1878 she contributed "The Last Arrow," a figure subject, also a portrait and a picture of still-life.

[_No reply to circular_.]

DELACROIX-GARNIER, MME. P. Honorable mention, Salon des Artistes Francais; medal at Exposition, Paris, 1900, for painting in oils; and a second medal for a treatise on water-colors. Member of the Societe des Artistes Francais, of the Union of women painters and sculptors, and vice-president from 1894 to 1900. Pupil of Henry Delacroix in painting in oils and of Jules Garnier in water-colors.

Mme. Delacroix-Garnier has painted numerous portraits; among them those of the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess d'Uzes, Jules Garnier, and the Marquis Guy de Charnac, the latter exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Francais, 1903.

At the same Salon in 1902 she exhibited the portrait of J. J. Ma.s.set, formerly a professor in the Paris Conservatory.

Among her pictures are the "Happy Mother," "Temptation," "Far from Paris," "Maternal Joys," and in the Salon des Artistes Francais, 1903, "Youth which Pa.s.ses."

DELASALLE, ANGeLE. Honorable mention, Salon des Artistes Francais, 1895; third-cla.s.s medal, 1897; second-cla.s.s medal, 1898; travelling purse, 1899; Prix Piot, of the Inst.i.tute, 1899; silver medal, Paris Exposition, 1900. Member of the Societe des Artistes Francais, the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Societe des prix du Salon et boursiers de voyage de la Societe Nationale. Born in Paris. Pupil of Jean Paul Laurens and Benjamin-Constant.

Her picture of "Diana in Repose" is in the collection of Alphonse de Rothschild; "Return from the Chase," a prehistoric scene, purchased by the Government; "The Forge," in the Museum of Rouen, where is also a "Souvenir of Amsterdam." Portrait of Benjamin-Constant and several other works of Mlle. Delasalle are in the Luxembourg; other pictures in the collections Demidoff, Coquelin, Georges Pet.i.t, etc.

At the Salon des Artistes Francais, 1902, this artist exhibited the portrait of M. Constant and the "Roof-Maker." At the Salon des Beaux-Arts, 1903, "The Park at Greenwich," "The Pont Neuf," "On the Thames," and a portrait in oils; and in water-colors, "The Coliseum, Rome," "A Tiger Drinking," "A Lion Eating," "Head of a Lion," "The Forge," etc.

In the _Magazine of Art_, June, 1902, B. Dufernex writes of Mlle.

Delasalle essentially as follows: This artist came into notice in 1895 by means of her picture of "Cain and Enoch's Daughters." Since then her annual contributions have demonstrated her gradual acquirement of unquestionable mastery of her art. Her characteristic energy is such that her s.e.x cannot be detected in her work; in fact, she was made the first and only woman member of the International a.s.sociation of Painters under the impression that her pictures--signed simply A. Delasalle--were the work of a man. Attracted by the dramatic aspects of human nature, she finds congenial subjects in the great efforts of humanity in the struggle for life. Her power of observation enables her to give freshness to hackneyed subjects, as in "La Forge." The att.i.tudes of the workmen, so sure and decided, turning the half-fused metal are perfect in the precision of their combined efforts; the fatigue of the men who are resting, overwhelmed and stupefied by their exhausting labor, indicates the work of a profound thinker; whilst the atmosphere, the play of the diffused glow of the molten metal, are the production of an innate colorist. Her portrait of Benjamin-Constant represents not only the masterful man, but is also the personification of the painter. The attentive att.i.tude, discerning eye, the openness of the absorbing look, the cerebral mask where rests so much tranquil power, the impressive shape of the leonine face, all combine to make the painting one of the finest portraits of the French school.

She has a perfect and rare knowledge of the art of drawing and a faculty for seizing the character of things. Mlle. Delasalle exhibited her pictures at the Grafton Gallery, London, in 1902.

DELORME, BERTHE. Medals at Nimes, Montpellier, Versailles, and London. Member of the Societe des Artistes Francais. Born at Paris. Pupil of A. Chaplin.

Mlle. Delorme has painted a great number of portraits, which are in the hands of her subjects. Her works are exhibited in the Salon au Grand Palais. In 1902 she exhibited a "Portrait of Mlle. Magdeleine D."

DEMONT-BRETON, VIRGINIE. Paris Salon, honorable mention, 1880; medals of third and second cla.s.s, 1881, 1883; Hors Concours; gold medal at Universal Exposition, Amsterdam, 1883; Paris Expositions, 1889 and 1900, gold medals; medal of honor at Exposition at Antwerp; Chevalier of the Legion of Honor and of the Belgian Order of Leopold; officer of the Nichan Iftikhar, a Turkish order which may be translated "A Sign of Glory"; member and honorary president of the Union des femmes peintres et sculpteurs de France, of the Alliance Feminine, of the Alliance Septentrionale; fellow of the Royal Academy, Antwerp; member of the Societe des Artistes Francais; member of the committee of the Central Union of Decorative Arts and of the American National Inst.i.tute; member of the Verein der Schriftstellerinnen und Kunstlerinnen of Vienna; one of the founders of the Societe Populaire des Beaux-Arts and of the Societe de bienfaisance l'Allaitement Maternel, etc. Born at Courriere, Pas de Calais, 1859. Pupil of her father, Jules Breton.

The works of this artist are in a number of museums and in private collections in several countries. "La Plage" is in the Gallery of the Luxembourg, "Les Loups de Mer" in the Museum of Ghent, "Jeanne d'Arc at Domremy" in a gallery at Lille; other pictures are in New York, Minneapolis, and other American cities; also in Berlin and Alexandria, Egypt.

At the Salon des Artistes Francais, in 1902, Mme. Demont-Breton exhibited a picture of "Les Meduses bleues." The fish were left on the beach by the retreating water, and two nude children, a boy and a girl, are watching them with intense interest. The children are very attractive.

At the Salon of 1903 she exhibited "Seaweed." A strong young fisherwoman, standing in the water, draws out her net filled with sh.e.l.ls, seaweed, and other products of the sea, while two nude children--again a boy and a girl--are selecting what pleases them in the mother's net.

At the exhibition of Les Femmes Peintres et Sculpteurs, in February, 1903, Mme. Demont-Breton exhibited the "Head of a Young Girl," which attracted much attention. Gray and sober in color, with a firmly closed mouth and serious eyes denoting great strength of character, it is admirably studied and designed and proves the unusual excellence of the art of this gifted daughter of Jules Breton. At the Exposition of Limoges, May to November, 1903, Mme. Demont-Breton was p.r.o.nounced hors concours in painting.

d.i.c.kSON, MARY ESTELLE. Honorable mention, Paris Salon, 1896; bronze medal, Paris Exposition, 1900; honorable mention, Buffalo Exposition, 1901; third-cla.s.s medal, Paris Salon, 1902.

[_No reply to circular_.]

DIeTERLE, MME. M.

[_No reply to circular_.]

DIETRICH, ADELHEID. Born in Wittemberg, 1827. Daughter and pupil of Edward Dietrich, whose teaching she supplemented by travel in Italy and Germany. She made her home in Erfurt after her journeys and painted flower and fruit subjects. Her pictures were of forest, field, and garden flowers. They are much valued by their owners and are mostly in private collections.

DIETRICHSEN, MATHILDE--NeE BONNEIRE. Born in Christiania, 1847. When but ten years old she began the study of art at Dusseldorf, under the direction of O. Mengelberg and Tideman. When but fifteen she married, at Stockholm, the historian of art, Dietrichsen. She travelled extensively, visiting Germany, France, Italy, and Greece. She pa.s.sed three years in Rome. Her pictures show refined, poetic feeling as well as good taste and humor.

DILLAYE, BLANCHE. Silver medal at Atlanta Exposition, 1895; medal at American Art Society, 1902. Member of New York and Philadelphia Water-Color Clubs, American Women's Art a.s.sociation, Paris; first president of Plastic Club, Philadelphia. Pupil of Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts; has also studied in Europe.

This artist makes a specialty of etching, and the medal she received at Atlanta was for a group of works in that art. She paints in water-colors, and has exhibited at the princ.i.p.al American exhibitions, in London, and in both Paris Salons. Her etchings have been widely noticed. At an early age she showed talent, and preferring etching as a mode of expression, she soon became noted for the qualities which have since made her famous, and is one of the best known among a group of women etchers. Her work, exhibited at the New York Etching Club, is conspicuous on account of its strength, directness, and firmness, allied to delicacy of touch.

"In Miss Dillaye's work one sees the influence of her wanderings in many lands; the quaintness of Holland landscapes, the quiet village life in provincial France, the sleepy towns in Norway, and the quietude of English woods."--_Success_, September, 1902.