New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-20
ART IN LONDON.
THE ALMA-TAMEDA EXHIBlTlON-MhS'
LANGTRYS ROSALIND.

tion really representative of the artist Wlthout1,
without even some self-denial on the part OF the
possessors of important works, who naturally doht
like TO part with them, satisfactory collection can
he cot together. Some of the best OF Mr.. Tadema's
latest work is in the United States. am asked to
say-and should do it without asking-that both
Mr. Tadema and Sir COutts Lindsay are extremely
DESTROYS that these examples should form part CT
this exhibition. Among them are " The Spring
Festival" belonging, | think, to Mr.. Knoedler
Down to the River" III the possession of Mr. W.
H. Vanderbilt and "Sappho" of which Mr.. Wal
tiers is the owner There are Others which, as well
as these, Mr.. Tadema himself regards as among the
most characteristic specimens of his later manner.
Proprietors of pictures are not asked to incur any
risk or expense, the gallery bearing all charges
for insurance and carriage to and from London
The influence of such an exhibition as this on
English art can hardly fail TO be very great For If
there be one thing in which English art of the day
hot all but very much of it's weak 1t is In tech
meal knowledge, and it is in technical knowledge
that one of the secrets of Mr.. Tademas power and
popularity lies. He knows how to paint. His Work,
apart from all its other merits, Is marvel OF ma
nipuative skill of what can be done with brush
on canvas Mr.. Tademas style is, in one sense,
familiar to the public here and to his fellow artists,
But | apprehend that new sensation is in store
for them when gallery shall be filled by his pic
lures alone. Visitors to the Pans Exposition OF
1878 will remember the effect produced by the
grouping of considerable number of Tademas on
single wall of one room. AS you went from PIC
ture to picture the impression of power deepened.
If the mere quantity of skilled toll on any single
canvas was surprising the surprise became genuine
admiration as you saw on every other the same
scrupulous fidelity of finish carried to its furthest
limit and not impalring but enhancing the breadth
and imaginative force of the work.
OF how many English artists could one say as
much7 Mr. Ruskin used to appeal to the
microscope as a test of the minute accuracy
of Turner's painting. In many points there
is little III common between Turner and Tadema,
but of the latter at any rate it is TO be said that the
details of his most spacious canvas not only Will
bear being magnifed, but cannot be fully seen
otherwise. He has the patience of his race and
their singular capacity for prolonged labor lie has
another trait even more remarkable perfect read
ness to sacrifice all the results of long toll Any
body who has visited Mr. Tadema's studio from
time to time knows that hardly picture leaves
his easel large parts of which have not been painted
and repamted, and sometimes the whole picture
In these days of hurried production that's a lesson
to be profted by. There are three four pictures
each perhaps nearly complete, underneath the one
you look at. have seen large picture rearranged
in design and repainted after it had come back
from an exhibition in Berlin.
In Mr. Tademas eyes painting is never finished
so long as it can be improved. The perseverance
and aptitude for study which went to the acqulsl-
ton of the immense learning his pictures exhibit
abide with the artist to the end. BY knowing
ancient Greek and Rome, said Mr.. Matthew Arnold
the other day. is meant knowing the Greeks and
Romans as they lived and moved IN the
world. So are they to be seen III art OF
this kind. The old life lives again. On these
marble benches Sappho and her maldens really sat
and looked out on this blue sea. l don't know but
Mr. Vanderbilt might drive his famous trotters
across that bridge of his in down to the River"
1t looks solid enough still, would not advise him
to try He VIII do better to send it over here and
let London admire it once more.
| hope it may intame no republican prejudice
if add that the idea of an exhibition of Mr.. Tade-
mas pictures is due TO the Prince OF Wales. While
looking at some of his pictures Ill the GrOsvenor
Gallery last spring the Prince the artist, went
ND to him. and said Mr.. Tadema, must have
an exhibition of your paintings next winter" To
Sir Coutts Lindsay the Prince repeated his wish
Mr. Tadema at first was reluctant, but wish, as
everybody knows, from the Princes lips in such
circumstances is nearly equivalent to command,
and Mr. Tadema soon gave way. This present en-
tnent have responded IN liberal spirit to the APP
plcatious made TO them. NJ. Gambart. for example,
sends all the way from Nice the celebrated "Vn
tage" the local SculptOrs and Painters Studios, and
others. If America will do as much the exhibition
will be what il ought To be, and Sir COutts Lind
say will have added one more to his many services
to art.
The wears are few since the GrOsvenOr Gallery
was first opened. What q change in that short pc
rod! The idea that the Royal Academy was the
sole nurse of British art and that all the art worth
seeing was hung on its walls was dlspeiled for
the FIRST time Artists whom the Academy spurned.
or who spurned the Academy dor both things hap
pened cordially accepted Sir Couttss cordial invi-
tation The reign of the conventional, and even to
some extent the sway of the fashionable picture
dealer were broken up OF hostility 10 the Royal
Academy there was none. Sir Coutts Lindsay felt
his mission to be TO supplement, to enlarge 10 d-
versify the work of the Burlington House mag
mates. Presently the Academicans themselves
began to cooperate and the work of Sir Frederick
Leighton hung side by side with that of Mr.. Burne
Jones, and Mr.. Holman Hunt again found himself
in company with Mr.. MIllas. The GrosvenOr, with
much intelligent help from Mr.. Comyns Carr and
Mr. Halle has turned its energies in various direc
tions; this of exhibitions of the work of living
artists for one. Last year we had Mr.. Watts, who
was painting portraits almost before Mr.
Tadema was born, and who has long
had host of friends and admirers. Between
the art of Mr. Watts ana that of Mr. Alma-Tadema
there are more points of contrast than of COMPARE
SON. and shall attempt neither. II is enough to
say that there is probably no living painter whose
art is better adapted than Mr. Tademast to stimulate
he interest OF reward the study of the public in
general, and ofthe British practitioner IN painting
N particular
One thousand two hundred and thirty-seYen
pounds sterling less halt a crown, is the sum, MI
Labouchere tells u.s. which Mrs. Langtrys Rosdiind
las produced in a single week This, thinks Mr.