Art and Handcraft in the Woman's Building
of the World's Columbian Exposition

IN THE WOMAN'S BUILDING. 203 can be no denying that in aquarelles no school has ever approached the English. The opportunities for studying art in our country are very great, for women as well as for men. The careless observer, judging only from ths larg's annual exhibitions, in which, it may be held that the standard is not kept sufficiently high, may be inclined to underrate contemporary British art, but the careful student will find that London is in fact, as well sis in name, one of the great art centers of the world. While George ÄV atts, Walter Crane, and Burne-Jones live, we can claim that in the field of portraiture, illustration, and ideal work three of the greatest con- temporary artists are English born and bred. The Montalba sis- ters, Mrs. Adrian Stokes, Blanche Jenkins, Henrietta Rae, Miss Osborne, and Miss Stewart Wood are well represented at Chicago. Mrs. Swynnerton’s “ Mater Triumphalis ” at the Art Palace wins almost as much commendation as Lady Butler s famous picture, “ The Roll Call.” When this was exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy, a policeman was in attendance to keep the crowd in order that always gathered about it. The picture was bought by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, who has kindly consented to send it to Chicago. Mrs. Adrian Stokes exhibits two of her important pictures, an “ Annunciation,” very original in composition, and a pathetic little scene which she calls “ Go, thou must play alone, my boy. A little lad sits weeping" bitterly beside liis playmate, who lies at lest white and still as tlie flowers on her breast. The treatment of this familiar subject is very tender, the dead child, is exquisitely painted, and the grief of the little brother is quiet, reserved, and infinitely human. The women sculptors who exhibit are Miss B. A. M. Brown, Miss Henrietta Montalba, Miss Ada M. Chignell, and Miss E. M. Moore. Among the etchings and engravings excellent examples of the work of Mrs. Dale, Miss Ethel Martyn, and Miss Elizabeth Piper may be found. When the exceedingly high standard of the work which Great Britain has sent to Chicago is taken into account, it is a significant and encouraging fact that forty-five women are represented among the British artists exhibiting in. the Art Palace. The east vestibule of the Woman’s Building’ is decorated by two large mural paintings. The one by Mrs. Swynnerton represents three different phases of nursing, the care of the young, the sick, and the aged. The decoration is in the form of a triptych. The central panel represents the Crimean Hospital at Scutari, with, the sick and wounded soldiers lying on