New-York tribune., 1890-05-23
THREE GALLERIES.
RAPID VIEW OF BRITISH PICTURES FOR
THE YEAR 1890.
London, May 10.


London, May 10.
It is an open question whether three large GAL
leries in London are not more than the mod.
ern British artist can fill each year with credit
to himself and some moderate degree Of pleas
ure to the general public. The Royal Academy
had for long time monopoly. II painter
were not lucky enough to have his painting hung
on those sacred walls, his chance for a year was
gone. But the Academy was a close corporation
Of art shop-keepers. The old hands were in pos
session; their power was absolute, and they were
not in the least inclined to abdicate, or TO make
room for the new men Of a new school. II the
new men were young and docile if they had
passed through the Academy schools or mod
elled themselves after some great Academcian--
Mr.. Herbert, for example, or Mr.. Firth, or the
late Sir Francis Grant-their pictures were hung,
perhaps, and not always skied. But against the
rising spirit of independence among the younger
men the old Academicians set their faces like
flint To have studied abroad, to prefer Troyon
to Cooper or NJ. Carolus Duran to Mr.. Wells was
to invite condemnation and exclusion. To have
art views Of his own was still worse sin in an
outsider-what was the Academy for if not ia
prescribe rules and enforce canons of taste upon
the rising generatiOn?
The rising generation bore with this dcspotism
long. Nobody seems to have felt strong enough
to rebel until Sir Coutts Lindsay arose then the
Grosvenor Gallery built and opened. II was
thought rash act, and the total failure Of this
new gallery freely predicted by some Of those
most interested in the monopoly of the old. Yet
there was in the Grosvenor spirit Of hostility
TO the Academy and some Of the leading Acade-
micians were asked by Sir Coutts Lindsay to con-
tribute TO his exhibition, and did His aim
was to provide wall-space for group OF men
to whom the Academy had steadily refused il; or
refused it in effect by hanging their pictures. but
so hanging them that they could not be seen. IL
may be said TO have been revelation 70 the pub
lie, and nobody now denies that the service to
art was a very great one. Sir Coutts Lindsay
was lucky enough to secure Nr. Comyns Carr and
Mr. Halle as art administrators, and the efforts
of the three resulted in scheme of arrange
ment, and new opportunities for the study Of an
art which, if not new in itself, was new TO most
of the public
Then came the split in the Grosvenor; the Sc
cession of Mr.. Carr and Mr.. Halle, followed by
men of such rank as Mr. Watts, and Mr. Burne
Jones. and Mr. Alma-Tadema. The New Gallery
was founded. It's birth was heralded with echoes
of those predictions of failure which had been
heard in the first days of the Grosvenor; which
were falsifed in both cases from the first The
New Gallery gave London a new sensation. 10
was charming as well as novel, and there is still
no contrast more delightful than that which You
may enjoy by turning out Of Regent-st., WIN
its roar of traffic, into this cool hall with It's
marbles and its fountain, its balconies ana lts
always original display of pictures and statues
and drawings.
STILL the question recurs whether the years art
produce is enough TO maintain these three eXhlDl-
tions wear after year from the lst OF May 10 the
end of the summer The answer, If it must he
given at this moment, is little dlscouraelng.
No one of the three galleries Is quite up 70 the
mark and none OF the strongest men are at theT
very best. Mr.. Burne Jones is, but he has an
exhibition 10 hiDsef in Bond-st.. and at the New
Gallery nothing of his is 70 be seen except studies
and sketches. The Academicians. as body, are
content 10 be themselves Not one of them has
struck new note. The president is as admirable
in technique as ever and as decorative. SIR
Everett Millais's Academy landscape gets plenty
of praise, Of which 1t deserves, Dut VINO
can praise his Gladstone portrait? know who
does but ont for regard 70 him | VIII not saw
This wan-eyed iaundiced face, with the weak
mouth and relaxed muscles, Is not the MI Niad'
stone whom anybody but Sir Everett Mllias mas
ever seen in the flesh. He is JOY to tie lorIes
only No Academican has exercised his acad-
emical right TO hang eight pictures on
tho line; even in the Academy the force
of public opinion does at last on some
subjects make itself felt. The very portrait
painters have been moderate; for them. MI
SAINT has but six; Mr. Ouless Mr.. Ilerhomer, Mr.
Phil. Morris. five each. One of the last painters
works bears La Belle Americana lor ullo
and the British mother reJoices. II theIe ~
ANYBODY who has made new departure 1t Is per-
haps Mr. Fildes with his portraits, very soHuy
and one Of them almost splenddy painted. Mr..
Uerlomer is possessed usual by a fever oil over
work: his best picture is portrait OF MAYOR
Pohert Bourke. Lord Connemaras brother; Ger.
tainly a good likeness and full OF character II
not in all other respects satisfactory.
4 portrait of Lady Randolph Churchill. by Mr'
Chories Nezzara. is hung near the ceiling in the
| fourth gallery; a not uncommon fate Tor good
nictnre by a foreigner. This is pne-eminentIy
British show: if a Frenchman choose 10 present
| tinsclf he does il at his own risk. Certain IL
| i that hardly a wear passes without some mis-.
| ,oLe ot the expense of the non-Britlsh artist;
o,, oro Of those mistakes which, after awnlle
| and when il is past remedy, the authors Cl ~
| themselves acknowledge as a mistake. Now ana
| then the foreigner finds or forces his way !" "o
| front Mr. Sargent, our countrymah. Is al en-
| annie but of Mr.. Sargents work thlS %aSoI'
whether here or at the New Gallery. 1t Is lmposs-
h. % say what one would like 10 say. Inc
caprices of man of original gifts may be passea
over lightly; perhaps with hope that they may
not be too frequent. 1t is not every sitter "ho
likes that humorous view OF him should 20
taken by the artist to whom he ioo~s iof
portrait Ia .h,, Oh.
! or the Grosvenor it has 70 be SAID 'ha' 'ho
distinctive note. for the sake OF whlch IL "sS
first established. is this year wanting. ine''
nothing here which can be called vltally u'ie'eu'
from the art 10 be seen in such protuseheSs u, .ae
walls of Burlington House. Inc Acaueuh'''' .,'o
conventional and-alas that 1t shoulo oe ~ e
commonplace. have thrust themselves u 'ne iton''
Mr. Orchardsons portrait OF hlnseil lei'"'
| $500 -, =. :. Iva sai1 that distinction is their