WOMAN IN ART
fair Academy, Savannah, Georgia; and the old "Pierce-Nichols House, Salem," is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York.
Her work speaks for her inclination toward historical interests, also for indefatigable industry. She is one of the younger women in art, whose unfolding it will be interesting to watch.
Miss Lucie Hartrath is a Bostonian by birth, but circumstances transplanted her westward after her return from Paris where she studied with Rixens, Courtois, and Collin. She was also a pupil of Angelo Jauk in Munich, in which city she was made a member of the "Kunstlerine."
Lucie Hartrath belongs to the comparatively small number of American landscape painters among women, and her chosen subject has brought her much fame, for many landscapes, either in the fresh greens of June or the dun and brilliance of "October Morning," have merited the prizes they have won for the artist, and an artist she certainly is in landscape painting.
The Butler prize was hers at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1911, for "Midsummer," and from that time annual prizes have been her reward for conscientious work from various exhibitions. The Rosenwald purchase prize of $200 for "The Leafy Screen" in 1915; the Carr Landscape prize for "Summer" in 1916; the Star prize of $200 at Terre Haute, Indiana, and the prize at the Hoosier Salon, 1926, and others.
The pictures by Miss Hartrath show her appreciation of nature's coloring and harmony, which she uses, rather than the inflated tones that are the fashion of today; and that is well, for as a rule harmony is omitted from fashion.
Her pictures are all phases of the wide out-of-doors. "The Oaks" portray their native dignity. "Indian Summer" and "The Valley In October" carry the charm and restfulness of autumn wherever they may go.
Some years ago the writer had an hour to wait for a train; the Chicago Art Institute being near, it seemed an inviting place. The exhibition represented the works of local artists. It was before the extension galleries had been built across the tracks, and the exhibits were in the South galleries of the main building.
On entering the first large room, we confronted a distinguished-looking gentleman hat in hand, as if he paused to let us pass in front of him. The next instant we discovered he was in a frame. His overcoat was black with collar and cuffs of dark, deep fur, painted as only the old Dutch Masters painted fur, soft enough to put your fingers in; his hair was slightly gray,
177