Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-05-10

A Trio OF Criticism. gu Hi. Work.

Mr.. Hardie, As has already been stated
is now ia Boston engaged upon a portrait
of Chief Justice Morton of the Massachu
sets courts. That his work attracts atten-
ton among the critics of the Hub is shown
by the art columns Of the daily papers
The last Sunday Herald, for instance, said :
Two portraits uf gentlemen, 10y Robert Gordon
Hardlr. have been shown for a few days in the
Richards gallery. one il a three quarters sitting
tigurr, and the other half length The former
represents Mr. Louis Ols.r. "A we'll known person
age, Whose striking face the artist has PAINTED
most realistically. This portrait is cl,.Vrrly hand
led throughout IN the style Of most Of the artist
work We have seen vigorous and clean cut bat
entirety DEVOID 81 imaginative qualities. He may
r. said to drlineate s-archingly, leaving nothing
merely suggested; nor, with artistic friendliness
does he refine this feature or that in recognition
Of those mental or emotional traits which al times
subject physical forms 10 Transforming processes
Mr.. llardr paints what he Sees. and with excep-
crptOnal force and hrilliancy; but he dO--s not
care to s4-r below the surface. and he therefore
gives no indication Of that more interesting inner
self The flesh tones in this picture arr OVrrs.t
and the hands show something Of weakness but
the drawing and modelling are boldly done in the
main; the clothes are most deXteruusly painted
and the tone uf the entire canvas is full and har
monlOus. The Bonnat background Of cross hatch
eel brush work is certainly effective, and gives a
good surrounding OF atmosphere 10 the picture
but that regulation style Of hack grnund 10 all fig
urrs Will soon get Ia H. muuOtonOus. and flavor,
too much Of recipe 10 be- deemed really artistic
background, and presents a little old gentleman
with abundant gray hair and a peculiarly marked
thin face, without h-ard. and dimnutiyr hgur,.
The interest Of this canvas lies In the eccrntrcty
Of the subject and the clever manipulation of the
work. The artist Il will be seen by an eXamna-
tion Of these two works, lends nothing of mental
ity To his representations, nothing of refinement
Of manner, nothing Of grae-. He may he more
true than the camera IN some particulars, and he
could not b. more cruel. IL is ht-Cause the photo
graph gives us little Of our real friends that ex
acting persons have come 10 have cslntenpt for
H. Nevertheless, II has had this pernicious effect
upon art-that We have come to look for most of
its characteristics in paintings. with some add
tons Looking for this result has brought il So
far 10 pass that many Of the modern portraits
give nothing beside color more than the solar
print. To be- sure. il takes severe mechanical
training 10 achieve this accomplishments and adj
mira6e Workmanship always ELECTS praise, and
rightly so; but by its very excellence the the mod.
cru portrait IS placed upon plane where il Is
subjected 10 trying comparisons For instance,
the excellence Of Mr. Hardie's technique makes
us desire more refinement, or rather. more art
istic reserve; his manual skill serves To call aten
ton prominently to a lack Of idealty in his work
This exceedingly plain-spoken criticism
is said TO be from the pen of a lady whose
husband is "a portrait painter, and the stress
with which she insists on the severe literal
ism of Mr. Hardie's work leads one 10 cues
ton whether it is not a quality or an at.
tainment the possession Of which arouses a
bit of envy in the breasts of brother artists
The Transcript recognizes the quality
complained of as Zone of the highest mer
It's portrait can have".
A life size portrait OF Mr. Louis Ober, the French
restaurateur, by Robert Gordon Harde Is on ex
hibiton at Doll q Richards's. The intensely real
istic character Of Mr. Hardie's portraits has H.
come familiar through the exhibition Of several Of
his works here, and has served 10 bring ms ser.
vices into lively demand. The likeness of M
Oher Is perhaps the most strikingly successful ex
ample OF this uncOmprOmising aud literal man.
ner Of pOrtraiture yet shown here The drawing
and modelling OF the work arr maryelously strong
and correct, and the workmanship is IN many re,
spects superior. II is picture Ia which the nc.
quaintances OF the sitter are not slow To rrc,,g.
nize one Of the highest merits portrait can hay
absolute and undertaking falthfulness 10 tie
original
This from the Post expresses in word
the feeling one has about Mr., Hardie's por-
trait of Mr., George j, Brooks as it hangs
in its appropriate place in the Brooks libra.
ry-it is "a presence
The new artist, Robert Gordon Hardie has a
fine portrait at Doll Richards The Original