New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-18
THE GROSVENOR GALLERY.
BRIEF NOTES ON SOME OF IT'S CHIEF
PICTURES

rYrou THE REGULAR coGRrsrONpE',r OF THE IsIhcS~l
A stranger who looked yesterday for the first
time into the Grosvenoy Gallery would have said
without hesitation that the English bad keen IN
teTest in art lie would have seen spacious galleries
crowded with brilliantly dressed women and
correctly attired men, many of whom were paying
some attention to the pictures that covered the
walls His first glance at these works would nave
told him that there was art of high order here TO be
seen and as he turned over the pages OF -the
catalogue he would have Recognized name after
name famous these many years past. Yet on enter
ing into conversation with any Of the guests nc
would have been likely TO hear them avow that
they were not there to see pictures but TO meet
Their friends awe can see the pictures any day
impossible to study them in such crowd as inns
Is the formula which floats on tho most itNoi"uS
lips Year by wear indeed, the sO-caed private views
At the Grosvenor and the Academy become moro Ike
gigantic drums than anything else Never was
there a greater tlrong than to-day at the GroSvenor
Pictures supply tags for the talk with the MAJOR
ity. not with all but many more things than are
dreamt of In the world of paint are discussed with
equal fervor.
II TINS wears exhibition contains large number
of admirable pictures. il must be said that space
has been found also for great many that arc not
admirable. The reason one hears given for such
state of things is anything bat cretabe to art 1t
isnot 50 good shop as the Royal Academy Pic
turs. exhibited here find less ready sale than if
exhibited at Burlington House. and so the artist,
who after all must live, thinks he must prefers
the most profitable market The dealers, / hear,
have something to do with this state of things
They find or perhaps make difficulty in securing
the same ready acceptance for successful picture
at the Grosvenor for that on which the
Academy and the Academy public have set
Il No lett &c 81
power in the land and note of .Philistinism is
dread of the unconventional The very service
which Sir Coutts Lindsay has rendered to art rises
nm against him. He has not feared to open his
gallery TO new and 10 novelties on canvas.
which the Academy has disdained. Give HIM time
and his courage will be rewarded. 1t has been re-
warded already in no Slight measure, but the lew
wears that have elapsed since the Grosvenor first
became a second home Of British art are not enough
TO persuade the slow intelligence of the pubc that
success in this new is worth as much as sue
Cess at the old sign And there are artists not
few who prefer to take their chance Of admission to
the crowded walls OF the Academy. Most Of the
usual contributors 10 the GrOsvenor are, II is true,
contributors this year. but the number of good pic
lures is nevertheless smaller than nsual.
As went in j asked friend: whom knew to
have definite opinions what ought to see hrst.
First and. last and all the time" answered he
Maid This good advice was not perh@'s meant
to be taken literally, but it expresses with en-
phasis the opinion Of q strong party among the new
men TO whom Burne Jones is all in all. One may
however. admire his genius without ceasing to adj
rnire the genius of others. and without adnIrng, as
the fashion Is, even hs faults The Beggar Mad
of the picture before us is an example of the type
Of women often repeated IN the works OF tins
master. confess with humty that have never
vl,v {lo ell
tons of the human figure should I've altered, or
what the unnatural eI0ngatOn Of the female frame
isuegnt TO express Seated as she IS, this maid
docs not ouite look the or eight feet which
must be- her real height She is pallid of hue and
thin IN flesh as beseems a beggar maid; her face
confined in the narrow oval we have grown familiar
with running 10 point at the chm But gwen
the type. there is no denying tho power OF the
nainting. So of the rest Of the picture. On every
inch Of this tall canvas is some illustration Of
learning. the mastery Of technique the feeling for
oolor lie profound sincerity always characteristic
Of This nointer His genius is Of kind that may
never be ropular but the coolest of the public who
tnrn away from this masterpiece recognize it as a
masterpiece Here, at least, is no poverty OF
thoueht no careessness of composition, ana no
wanting seriousness OF concentrated purpose ana
definite aim.
Mr. AIma.Tadema contents himself with sending
of Lowenstein the etcher, and one Of " Miss Lewis
prct ~ brunette with face full of character and
charm. They'are all painted with that breadth and
brilliaucy inseparablc from Mr. Ta0cma's art. The
portrait of Amendola was done at Naples, and is
sufFuscd with light that never was on northern sea
or land: glow and splendOr Of color that are all
but tropical This and the ,LOwenstein picture are
full of ingenious and subtle expressions OF techhic
knowledge: of difficulties created to be overcome,
IL, f.aa 81 hot rafa inn
preston is left OF mere display ne Whoe Is sonho
consistent and altogether admirable.
Miss Nina Lehman and Lady Campbell are the
two titles Of two portraits by Millas, of the same
snhiert the earlier at the early age of six a pic
ture long known but not quite mp 10 Mlllaiss high
est mark the latter painted as 1t were yesterday
and clristened Oh the very day Of the young lady
marriage 70 Sir Guy Campbell the day OF the pri-
vatc view. The drawing and coloring OF tins me
picture leave little to be desired. Mlllals mas
rronrht NJ il with friendly interest and made it Il
rendering of his sitters piqOant and original beauty
at its best With individuality in every line OF the
face and figure.
In nothing IL this years exhibit as a whole
stronger than in portraits-possibly because por-
traits do not appeal for market 70 dealers OF 10
The hubble Two Americans are among the portrait
naintcr, both wclknown men, and at least one
of them. Mir Sargent with q secure fame IN Pans as
well as in London. Yet Mr. .Sargents portrait oI
Ms. Legh is not rcckoned by anybody among his
best performances The pose Of the head IS such IS
20 bring into excessive relief the muscles OF the
peck; the touch, though effective IS hasty, ana the
oouraee OF Mr. Sargent's method is hardly, ~ this
instance. justified by the result similar criticism
T. hoard on his work of the Salon in Paris Nj. Al
bert Wolff an ant critic. who loses no opportunity
Of disparaglng Americans whether rs buyers or
pointcrs Of pictures pronouDces MIR Sargents por-
trait of Nine Gauthcrot. a Parsian beauty. total
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