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THE SUNDAY CALL. OF all the branches of art that wo man takes to— and that means all branches that man takes to— there sis not one that seems so especial ly fitted to her as miniature paint- Ing. A miniature is a feminine thing in itself. It Is delicate, fragile, fascinating, danty. sentimental. It carries the aroma of old chests and lavender and ribbon-bound love letters. It Is all pinks and blues and whites, like a handful of sweet peas. There is every reason in the world why it should be the work of a woman. Watch some of the charming San Fran ciscans who have taken it up and you wUl wonder which Is the prettier picture— the one that is being painted or tnesubtle nngered artist bending above her work. We have a number of women who are already distinguishing themselves in the waik. Miss Lily O'Uycn is one of them. Not that she Is a San Franciscan except by adoption, but our cotorie of artists is gliil to claim her even in that way. Miss O'fiyan's best known miniature was the on»3 of Janice Meredith that adorned the cover of the book. Every one remembers the delicacy and spirit of thnt —and who has forgotten the famous rurl? The painter was a friend of Paul Leicester Ford and she painted him as well as the whimsical and charming creature of his imagination. Sir Wilfrid Laurier was another of her distinguished subjects. Since she has come to work among us she has done work among people that we know. Mrs. LUIen thal and Mrs. Mariln Schultz are interest ing studies. A quaint portrait of gracious Mrs. O'Callaghan Is by her. as well as one of Miss Annie. The character depleted in the elder woman's hands is u striking Tilt. Mrs. Marie Gge's portrait is a spirkuelle thing. A part of the work has been done on that of Miss Amie IJriggs, the artist, and It Is so elusive a sketch Ihtt Miss O'Ryan has named it "The Spirit of the Woods." Equally dainty Is th-? portrait of the little child cf Mr. K}ng of Oil City, P.*. Miss Rose Hooper went abroad to study miniature painting and has returned to us and set up a studio here in town. She has ejxnt much time in Burlingame painting the smart set. A portrait of Mrs. Jne.To bin, reproduced lu-re. is characteristic Mrs. Coiman and her two children. Mrs. Talbot anil Miss? Huntingdon, are some of her subjects. She U now^»working - on «if likeness of Mrs. Fred Perry, her uwn'ais* ter. Some of her d.stir.gulshed liasiern subjects are Mrs. Rogers of Philadelphia, Mrs. Torrey of New York and Mrs. Parke of Chicago. Miss Lillian Adams is an Englishwoman, who has taught her art to us. Her mother was a miniature painter before her and painted every Duke and Earl in all Eng land. She also made a miniature of Queen Alexandra, which was much liked by the King. Miss Adams has In the collection of her.own work a portrait of her mother, one' of herself as a child, done from an old photograph: one of herself at present, a part profile painted from a mirror; a copy of one made from life of the beautiful Miss Abraham of New York. There is one of Mabel Lov«, the little actress. She painted in England Lady Sandhuist, Vis countess Cranbrook and Lady Macfarlane. Mrs. Minnie llaslehurst has painted miniatures of several men, which is less usual tnan the painting of women. One of Alvlnza Hayward is enrolled with her suc cessful work. Mr. Edwin Joy and her husband. Dr. llaslehurst. are others. Tha portrait of Mrs. Sharon is from her brush. Miss Mae Slessinger is just beginning her career In this field of art. A painting of lier mother is her best work. In. Oakland Miss Laura Prather an<l Miss "Rose Campbell swell the list.' So you see we can make a pretty showing of .women miniature painters. REVIVAL OF MINIATURE PAINTING- -BY Ri'Sd' i-JLOPER. f-t^IIERE is now no doubt that the I revival cf miniature painting was 1 not a mere fad of short duration— I it has proven by its steady ¦ rise during the last ten years "that It has come to stay and in a few years' time it will again take its place, ad i:i ctnturies gone by, among the highest of all arts. To my mind the wane of the miniature, caused by the brilliancy and novelty of photography, is one of the most deplor ahle things in the history of art, for it de prived the world, at least one side of it, of one of the most pleasing and dainty of art creations. In the old countries the love of novelty dec* not prevail so stronij ly as in our own, therefore, although pho tography had its strong hold there, too, one always found the miniature in evi dence. An lncreaseln? Interest in this line of portraiture has been strongly noticeable of late years and a larger and more In telligent appreciation is given to its prog ress. Miniature portrait' painting, although described as being in "the little," should not in any wise be considered as a lesser art. There is no reason why, If the art ist's conception and feeling for the work Is correct, a miniature portrait (should not be as life-like, both in color and form, as any large canvas; of course the treatment and style must be different, as, for in stance, a miniature should be an idealized Image of the original. Greatest care should b« taken to preserve th© strong characteristics of the subject, at the same time the artist should have the power to look far down into a human character and delineate the best that can be re vealed; In these two things lies the sole support of the painter, and having them both planted firmly In each piece of work he or »h« commences, all the daintiness and prettlness which he or she chooses to brtnr Into the picture— provided every- thing remains stridly subordinate to the Rn at aim— in no wtee takes nw#y from the likeness. On tho contrary it lenJs c!:f>rm to the whole and makes it what a miniature always should bv.— a pleasing picture. . . Extry rhiriature phould be to the jainter strictly individual: lie shoul.l i.ever have palnUd anything like it be fore. The- greatest trouble with many artists is that nil their works look aiikt-: there is no Individuality. The painter of u miniature portrait should be equally as ii. spired as the painter of canvases. lor. o:iliou5h in the "small," a miniature is f.'ipabie pi expressing an much thought anil soul ad any .larger work. Vjfwiru; the miniatures of the day v/ith the glamor of the ancients still upoi: uj is a hard task. Of course It is impossible to estimate aright those who pass cur rrnt now as abie masters cf this art; It would be unfair. In brief, to attempt to in stitute any companions. We must re member in forming' our judgments that It 1j* lit- nrly always a portrait that is at temptfd and, although the first requisite in a portrait is exactitude in respect to likeness, every crtist has his own way of representing his subjects and claims tho tight to the style of his way of working --that particular style may not be youra or mine, but at the same time it may pos sess good qualities. But the most unfor tunate trail of many of the modern min mimes is the strong feeling they show toward the adoption of tricks, eccentric mannerisms and peculiarities which are merely evidences of fashionable craze. To my mind a miniature cannot be too highly finished; the old masters weie ¦Wilting to sit ami labor over their works i\itil they reached the height of perfec tion. They were life-like to a line ami not mere suggestions of their subjects. Why should not the painters of to-day be vv-Sliing to give their time and patienco a'so to attain the same end— for, after all, am they not all striving to paint as did the old masters? There Is no use of any one attempting ,to do thla work without a thorough knowledge of drawing. A student should draw at least three years before attempt ing to paint. A very good foundation in miniature painting may be obtained -in tMs city, but for perfect finish, likeness and delicacy of touch and management. It is necessary to study abroad, where every advantage Is accessible; the teach ings of the best masters and the guidance of the masterpieces of ages. And, again, the . very atmosphere of art which on« finds only In the old countries Is a great help to the student— «very one Is Imbued with the spirit to work and work well, too, and in this particular -line it means more real bard and concentrating labor than in many other branches of art — that Is, If one wishes to make a success of It- THE WOMAN MINIATURE PAINTERS 11 To-day is published in The Sunday Call the second install- ment of ''When Knighthood Was in Flower," by Charles Major. This* novel has truth- fully been called the most charming love story ever written. As a drama it has been on* of the greatest suc- cesses that Julia Marlowe ever played. ""When Knight- hood Was in yiower" will b« published complete in three issues of the Sunday Call, January 11, 18 and 25. The Btory is illustrated by the special . flashlight photo- graphs taken by Byron, the great New York photog- rapher, especially for Hiss Marlowe.