New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-25
SIR JOHN MILLAIS.
EXHIBITION OF HIS PICTURES. AT THE
GROSNENOR GALLERY.

services to English art by an exhibition of the
works of Sir John Millais The private view took
placeon Wednesday, wi b the usual throng of celeb
rites and of those who perhaps Will be celebrities
at some future time. To-day the gallery is opened
to the public at shilling head Sir John MaIs
his title is recent that it still odd to
ithas long been the most popular Of living English
artists. Whatever else might be said of him, the
claim Of popularity is one there is none to dispute
1t has nothing to do with painting and it may be
mpertinent but will venture to add that his per-
sonal popularity among friends and acquaintance
rivals his popularity as a painter with the public.
So far the English public is concerned, to say
that it adnires particular artist is but doubtful
compliment to the artist. 1t aGmires the best and
the worst with impartial indiscrimination. Its
sutfrages are gwen on various grounds; fashion,
authority, a chance dicum of the Prince of Wales
himself far from being a critic-approval of the
subject of a picture and know not what else. The
most permanently attractive gallery in London Is
that which tho pictures of the late Gnstavc Dore
are to be seen a collection of artistic horrors So
that when speak of Sir John Millais's popularity,
u is neither by way of applause by way of re-
proach. merely record fact.
When Sir Coutts Lindsay or his advisers, or
BOTH first conceived the notion of filling gallery
with the works of q single artist, the experiment
was thought hazardous one. Tho public, said the
croakerS, will not pay to see such collection
when the artists friends or his clique of admirers,
have and gone you may as well close the
doors. Tho croaKers wero wrong, as they generally
are This is the fifth yearly exhibition of the sort,
and each of them has been throneed. Mr.. Watts
came first. then Mr.. Alma Tadema; then the master
of to-day made way for older master, Sir Joshua
Reynolds. and last came Gansborongh. Each ex-
hibition n revelation. No man till he saw tho
ted works Il each of these great had an
adequate conception of his range his strength, or
of the sum of admirable work by his hand in exist
ence and capable of being brought together. To
Judge the work of any one of them as whole was
to augment his reputation; to give him higher
place in the world of art than he had occupied be
fore. The same thing is true of AIillais.
UnlucLlily. the Mllas pictures have not been
hung in way to make it easy TO trace his history
and to follow the development and transformations
the word Is not too strOng-Of his art The ar
rangement is not chronological No attempt has
been made to group the pictures which belong to
particular periods or manners. The distribution is
purely decorative. 1t is Sir John Millals himself
who has settled the order il which his pictures
should be placed before the public With vivid
rccol.ect)ns of the deterioration many of them
have had to endure from unit Deighbors at the
Academy and elsewhere, he evidently resolved that
for this once each one of his canvaAes should be
seen at its best lie had scheme of color in his
mind aud to this he has adhered. The result is that
n student who wishes To understand the progress OF
hi, art has to journey back AMI forth from the East
Gallery to the West and from tho Third Room 10
the Fourth and Fifth. aud 70 pass many times from
one to the other. The catalogue gives him some
hcp by publishing chronological list, but the
process of selection remains intricate ono which
mono but very devoted students will attempt.
Others must he content with what Sir John Mlllais
has ordained for them. He has wied-and it is
hard to blame him for it-that tho achievement Of
his life should be viewed As a whole and that cacn
example Of his powers should have fair play.
Sir John Mlliais has had three manners. the con
yeutlonal number. The first was tho Pre-
Raphaelte. That name has been much rldiculed
and so much misund rstood that it is worth while
even at this day to quote Mr. L. u. Stephe;ss ac-
count Of it written in 1862.
Half in finn, the Brotherhood called itself Pre-
Raphaeite adopting that title rather To eXrTcs> a
full measure of admiration for the motive which
intending II TO be understood, aS the critics OF
dozen years received IL, rs chosen IN approDa-
ton of the oftcntlm's fantastic. more often
asrctlc ar almost invariably imperfect systems of
execution to which the undeveOped powers of
raintlng possessed by the early Italian artists
limited so cruelty their achievements or the panel
OF the convent wall
OF this Pre-Raphaete period. extending from
1919 to 1854 there are ten examples now in the
GrOsyenOr Gallery. Mlas it is to he borne in mind,
was lust twenty years old when he entered tho
brotherhood, and but twenty-one when he painted
"Chrst in the House of his Parents one of the most
famous OF the Pre-Ri phaeltc efforts Mr.. Stephens
an art critic of the first rank aud author of the pres
cnt Milas catalogue, has written full history of
this picture and of its reception by the public.
There are people who say that Millas is now over
praised The complaint could not have been made
ia;
Carpenters Shop" It was called by one writer re-
Voting, disgusting, loathsOme. To another it was
ugly rracccss. unpleasant picture of tho same
date Ferdinand I.ured by ARIEL Jared hardly
better; sensecSs in the conception. is perhaps the
mIlheSt thing said of it, Miilals was told he knew
nothing OF art and could not draw. Only two years
Iarcr camo the " Ilugncnot." The Prc-Raphaelitc
period was not over, but the painter had
promised a little with his first method and had
entered upon u second stage of his experience.
The tate Of tho " Iuguenot " was wholly different
from that of its predecessor Crowds stood before
it at the Royal Academy all day long, men fingered
there for hours, and went away but to return.
IL had clothed the old feelings of men as M a new
garment, aud ITS pathOs found almost universal ac
ceptanco" 1t brought Mlas to the height of his
reputation, says Mr. stephens anticipating the fact
a little Mulai,s reputation las grown year by
wear his famo has widened and spread beyond
these island shores. lie has been seen in France, in
America, in Germany, in III Hand in Belgium, III
Russia; nowhere is he unknown where English art
is known. 1t is curious to note what effect
criticism rather abuse, had the market value of
these pictures For rhe Carpenters Shop dealer
had agreed to give $3.50 great price then for tho
work of young fellow of twenty one II remained
unsod for years. The promised by another
dealer for tho " llugueuot" was $3.50; which was
paid by nstalmcutS Rather different both from the
$1,000 of these days.
Then came a transitional stage in the painters
art Mas had not absolutely renowned his idea
of protest against initiative conventionahty when
he produced The Rescue and tho Black Bruns-
.L;,I l,,,o, -, ,lovrn En- 1SR0 Lron that