New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-26
cocTETY OF AMERICAN ARTISTS.
TWELFTH EXHIBITION.

~NN'
,o,eous cndeavor of the artists oher eratelm
Spo' . N the labored and mechanical character OF
o, of the work have seen at the Academy. IL
go that the best part of this collection might have
-. IN raise the average OF the display at inc
.dsmv and the artists would have been the gamers
=. ,ora wavs than one But the exhibitions are to be
,, as they stand. and. this year. the Academy has
-, cround and the society has gained. That the
.sorv will continue TO be the representative Or
,,at,on ~ artists and that it will strengthen it
.r there can be no manner Of doubt, but the eXhi-
,,on of the society teaches lesson which the
,cada,v will do well to heed. 1t is true enough that
nrcb ~ the work shown by the Society Is expert
mental and that many Of its contributors az following
tbis or that fashion. Monet or Pissarro or Degas,
wbistler Rico Boldni or Cain. as the case may be-
49,. a. most ~ these men have learned or arc ac-
ir;r, . considerable technical knowledge. and their
naintinc shows that their heart Is IN their work. II
,bev are following masters. their masters are usually
,resh and vigorous painters and IN TINS they nave an
advantage over those who simply repeat hfeess con-
ventions The exhibition Of the society brilliant as 1t Is
on many accounts contains comparatively little which
shows that the painters have finally "arrived,' but
IN the other hand represents many phases of our
art which are full of promise and it should he pos
sible for artists both sides 10 learn liberation and
to learn that a division of forces means weakness
The societys exhibition is dominated. in
sense. by Mr. sargents "Ca'mencita." but many
reveals httleknown aspect of Mr.. Eichelbergers
art The picture was left unsigned. but the artist
could have added little TO his rendering Of white surf
yeasty swirlng water and the tender gray tones o.
the fog. In its luminous atmospheric quality.
in tone. and in the expression of the varying phases
Of the this picture proves the painters Gccacy
Of observation and the development Of his resources.
Mr.. Sargent heads long list of portrait painters
among whom Messrs Thaycr. Tarbcll. Bunker.
FOIyip Iol
Benson, Beckwh MacEwen. Coffin Lockwood
whittemore. and Mrs. Whitman. Miss Gill; Miss Beaux
and Miss Brooks. II may be said Of the portrait
work. whole tina. it represents the current fashion
of preferring color scheme to the personality Of
the sitter but pictoraly this is certainly better than
a failure in color and character as we'll
Mr.. Sargent's large flll-lengh portrait Of the
brilliant spanish dancer Carmencita " should slim
uate other artists TO paint the people and things
about them instead OF depending upon memories of
Europe or last summers studies or one or two stock
models.
Carmencita stands if just appearing before an
audience. The head is thrown back, eyes are
narrowed. lips slightly parted the arms aklmbo.
the weight resting mainly on the left foot and the
right foot advanced. But weight is hardly the word
TO connection with this figure. The costume
is daring yellow underneath light lace, yellow
mantle under lace and frnged with Jet is gathered
the shoulders. and there is a touch Of color in
the raven black hair. The face is pale the arms
little i'll color. and the background shows
graysh tones. 1t is apparent that The picture
PAINTED rapidly, and fault may be found with the
drawing and the proportions. but the artist has
ceeded in expressing the vitality and elasticity of the
figure before him. For its suggestions Of life and
the very spirit OF the dance Mr.. sargent's modern
Terpsichore deserves TO be called tour dc force.
Here in other portraits, there are forced notes
which may tell Of the influence Of Monet and Rcn0r.
Mr. SorC IaS loarp Cd bfrh
the color OF lips and the flesh tones are sometimes
overweight. In the Of No. 155. a delightful
portrait Of dark-eScd young girl in dark blue coat
and white waist, it is hard to
give anything but praise to portrait
which literally lives and breathes but IL is impossible
To believe that the dilaed eyes and feverish cheeks
justified outside Of the painters ideas. There i,
less of this over-empasls IN the charming sketch Of
Master Goodrich. painted three years since an
admirable realization Of character and Of the warm
colorlng and sof. flesh of childhood The portrait Of
Mr.. Hcnschel. whose attitude inevitably suggests ain
spiration" is comparatively suDdued coloring. Tie
face is PALE the coat dark brown. excellent
effect Illustrates the artists adapab.lty. The note
worthy portrait Of young man, whose book. held a
little awkwaidly in the right hand, supplies a touch
Of emphatic color shows that Mr.. sargents devotion
TO color is not accompanied necessarily by neglect
Of structural truth. The flesh tones seem slightly
untrue, but the portrait has life and distinct character
Mr. sargent's excellent study Of young lady walk
ing river side beneath the trees has been seen
before, and his study NO 90 must be among
his failures. But the portraits Of young girl and
Master Goodrich and "Carmcncita are sufficient for
the most eXactng. Mr.. sargent has never been rep
resented 20 satisfactorily at exhibitions.
Mr.. Chase, who usually 10 be relied upon for i'm
portant" portraits. makes amends by contributing his
brilliant little Kathleen Villa and beach scene,
ard landscape with two studies Of the figure Mr..
Dewng sends lady in black better executed on
the whole. than his Academy picture, and Mr.. Thaycr
exhibits two portrait studies uneven and unequal
10 his best work. Mcssrs. Benson, Tarbc. Wilcs
Bunker Rice and Bell illustrate the color arrange
ment7 theory Of portFaure. Mr.. Benson's naive
Burne Jones figure in pale pink is less interesting than
its companion. Mr.. Tarbcs excellent study Of lady
in yellow with erminc cloak disposed behind the
figure. The arrangement and general lines crate
l to the eye. and the painting is another proof Of
the artists promise. The artist has been fortunate
his sitter, but surely the of her face is
done and the modelling Of the injustice.
Mr.. Wes's blonde girl in green reveals unusual
care for definition and very firm and solid modelling.
This is to be noted because the present passion for
color schemes" has developed tendency to sur con
structon and drawing. and to substitute smears and
pantiness for the texture and modelling Of flesh
But this does not apply b Mr. Coffin, whose sober
portrait exhibits sitter well detached
from the background well drawn and well
modelled, and well carried out up 10
hc rendering OF HE ana characteristic expression.
But the artist has substituted severe immObty Mrs
Whitman who represents school very different from
the schools of her ncghbors in these galleries. has
contributed strong, If somewhat gloomy. fulllength
portrait, and have to note quiet workman |
IKE example of good portraturc by Mr. Fowler, a |
yfueuy realistic portrait by Mr. IiOycndcn, Mr.. Bells
large arrangement in pale blue and mauve Miss Gin
Ehav,adsg uneven portrait Of remarkably broad |
haIuie, lockwood aud Ieckwiih -
rS a." No'iyi mas zone ambitious work in landscape
gu we thihk mat his results have Justified hin |
ms september Breeze" a fine paIe green and gray
and ol fsss ana moving foliage truthful character
anu OeauliuI IN quality has been seen before but it,
more exacting companion After the TIundcr-sforin
y" ~, zen exhibited This comprehensive painting
lou rva1 ana green cds In a comparatively subducd
iorSfound night with burst sunlight beyond upon
vn oa IN the middle distance and the hillside and
gram heid beyond. The broad planes OF the landscape
are dottcd with trees Toward the horizon white
esSen ana e1mall clouds relieved against
OF sunlight ard cloud shadow and the effects t,nnn
tne coiofIng "a the landscape have been carefully