The sun., 1890-05-13

To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: Some
surprise has been excited by the recent award
OF tho WCbb p!iZe. annually given for the
best Landscape" in the exhibition OF tho So-
ciety Of American Artists, to Mr.. Theodore
Robinson's Winter Landscape" Naturally.
n jury composed Of intelligent artists would
not thus distinguish n poor picture and in
doed, Mr., Robinson's is an excellent and most
interesting work Of its kind 1t is also some-
what in the nature OF II novelty. boing. perhaps
the most successful essay yet made in this
country which illustrates tho aims and
methods OF the new French school popuari2cd
by the talent of Claude Monet and veruacular-
ly known as imDressionistic. Novelty in art is
apt to disconcert, if not reuel. tho public: but
1t attracts and impresses those who. by reason
Of their own labors. are able to SEQ that all
the phases and effects OF nature have not yet
been we'll painted. to appreciate the difficulty
of finding now solutions for new problems, and
to read in intelligent beginnings the promise
Of fuller DEVELOPMENT to come. 1t seems as
though their recognition Of skilful effort in
comparatively fresh direction had Influenced
the voters who gave Mr.. Robinson the prize:
and ii it had been one which was merely to
distinguish the canvas which, as n bit Of
painting narrowly called. they esteemed
the most interesting Of the year. there would
be nothing TO say against their verdict
But about all that Mr.. Robinson's picture
offers us is tho realization of a charm
ing effect Of light and color. More than
this goes to the making of u fine land
scape. To deserve this title the work should
be a picture in the true sense of the word. Mr..
Robinsons is only study. Size, 1t need hardly
be said has nothing to do with the matter. 1t
is easy to fancy a gallery filed with thirty-foot
canvascs where Mlets "Sheepfold' would be
the finest and, in character and effect, tho
largest and noblest of all. But in the
"Sheepfold,' ana in every other landscape
which has won distinction for its creator and
been ranked among tho notable pictures Of
bit. The rendering Of form has been con-
dered n well as the seizure Of an ef-
an Intelligent and significant arrange
ment of lines and masses has given tho work
wanting in Mr.. ltobnsons essay. Were it ten
times as big 1t would still be study only:
interest to all lovers ol American art is the fact
that ii may Seem to endorse tendency OF
This is the tendency to care for unconsdered
triles more tnan for Serious conscientious
work: TO be so exclusively attracted by slight
ment tor the artist to do his very best. Mr..
Kobinson,,s effort is not an Unronsidersl trihe.
ply a study and the public will see this and
viii not SEQ wherein it differs from the shallow
been distinctly inferior 10 Mr. Robinson in
painter-lke qualities. superior only In the
attacked. he would still have been well entitled
to his reward. lirt there are hero works from
tho head. which is good enough to satisfy a
Jury of artists in any part of the world and
far bettor able to provo what the best land
scape in an American exhibition may lie.
Nould the snme choice he made again. ono
Queries: by the same voters len years from
now when the charm OF novelty shall have
y IN away from impressionistic methodist
y 4uld tho same choice have to be made to-day
tho Metropolitan Museum or to represent
American landscape painting in n foreign eX-
hibltlon? II not. then the jury lost sight Of
their true responsibility in their desire to cX-
press their own interest. ~ painters. in
Al AMATEUR.