New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-01
,,oWyIySHIELD'S ITALIAN SKETCHES.


most delicious quality possessed by the exhibit
!, ols and water col0Ts by Mr.. Frederic Crownln-
~ now at the Avery Gallery. is the quality Of
The sixty pictures shown are not merely
s..,nsy are souvenirs of but one part OF Italy, OF
- .,s Is envirOns. Mr. ClOwninsheld found
- :, his subjects at Frascati. This place is an
-. ,,ds across the Campagna from Rome, but IL is
,. ,,,hia the magic circle OF the Eternal City. From
,,, terraces OF tho villa Mondragone, or from the
- :, N,her levels OF ancient Tusculum. that which
- the traveller more than picturesque Frascati. az
= 80. Of Ire mountain, than the vari-colored Cam
- r,yealed and then hidden by the ever-changing
rs.s,bsr.. Is the dim vision Of Rome, seen through
I. rast mist on the horizon. Even at that distance
= 0e Roman influence that moulds and colors the
sAons Of the student Of Italian landscape and per
A. him THAT he feels no common glow Mr.
= .,,,slneM plainly felt no common glow when paint
:. ,,eso pictures. They bear the stamp of the true
~. AZ raly OF the artist painting her charms in
-. srthnsiasm Moreover, they depict some Of her
- ,sreeted beauties. Mr.. Crownnshield has sought
:. a, lex groves and many fountained terraces OF
-. ,Ias at Frascatl those monumental parks and
49,, grounds long since fallen from their high
-, hot retaining In their decay q certain strange
,,.gsess wealth OF artistic material has hitherto
..,pA practically unnodced in the old country-seats
s..,hne places and in emulation OF Hadrian. whose
,s AZ Trol made him the patron saint of villa build
a, they planned them in the grand style The villas
,posrspdni, PaIlavicin MOndragone and FacOnien
:, yrascsu and the villa D'Este at TivoH. are records
/, time when tie passion for artistic building and
-,sing reached its height ans when the ambitious
r.oS and prelates permitted themselves TO be baked
X ,ster financial nor natural obstacles. Nowhere
n, rn adorned the earth with the artificial graces Of
.-.ss siarcases ramps, fountains drives and walks
a uressfully as he has In Italy.
n, crownlnsheld has worked omong these fasc-
,,s,e scenes to Considerable account. He has free
IN. broe, and what is unusual in the decorative
~. the power of synthesis. Ills treatment Of
tlses in No 80. The Great Avenue Villa TOrclda,s
I'd II No. II, @Oleanders, Villa Torlonia," is veracous
40, ssstc 10 an extent that is surprising when it is
ssn that Nos. l. and IL. delicate yet free detail
suties Of magnollas and pomegraDates, are here 10
dog how much more sure Of himself Re really is when
Y,niing in the decorative mood. This mood haunts
IN IN some Of MS most important works, vet he has
many Of the gifts Of the approved landscape painter
MANAGING problems OF perspective admirably and pre-
ssvmg the peculiar characteristics OF trees with
Singular skill as he does those Of the stone pine cy
press lex and olive in Nos. IL, %, 90, 80 and 40.
Be has, TOO, very highly developed, the pictorial
sense and selects his landscape subjects with dis
Elimination No. 90, fonte NomentOna,' is com
position owing everything TO the artists eve for
happy combination of lines and masses. The same
shrewdness Ia choice is illustrated in all the pictures
where architectural motives are introduced, in Nos.
l6 %. 90 and g. The one faculty that Mr. Crownn-
shields artistic training Ia, left dormant, il, indeed,
Il his al an IS the faculty of arrestlng the
vas the Vibrations OF atmosphere. In land where tho
sm-god reigns supreme the sungod is The one deity
bs seepitiaie. Tho omission T. serious
jne. Whaling work that is otherwise Of high order.
here are several sketches here of the Roman Cam
8gls Three of them, No. 81, LunghezZa"; NO. As,
From Tor di Schiavi," and No. 50, Lnnghezza"
zn were done in june in the month. that is 10 say.
ben the Campagna fairly palpitates, when the bloom
ne Italian summer is at its richest. and when the
Aang expanse of green, flashing at countless points
IN crimson popples presents spectacle OF warm and
vd life Yet all Of this seHsuoUs delight Mr. Crownin-
ded fails 10 reproduce; he is poweTless before the
nclty of painting Italian sunlight; he leaves his
ok cold One Of the most paintable elements IN
,Bsn landscape battles him. Nevertheless he is I'M
asbly sympathetic, keenly ObseTvant painter
: Is sensitive 10 the color charm Of bright blue
e. as witness No. 20, but is unable TO suggest the
lrDinc heat which beats down from that sky. Again
\ 0, SMonte CavO, from Tusculum," ard No. 20,
l. Peters Monte Mario, and Tlber, from POhte
OLE do not arrive because the essential thing in
e scenes apprOdIhtu INC a4iOHNNlOP4ho pup i0'
left ont.
The absence OF genuine atmosphere is stu more
Be deplored in Mr. Crowninshields three large figure
dhtlnes in oil The first and most consequential OF
Ne a picture representing two martyrs with the
sssal attributes of wings and nimbi, advancing up
\ Via sacra, in the Forum has other faults as weii'
|. composition Is unattractive and the handling Is
.reles. II is performance lacking in visor but
50. @Blrds - and No. 81, " In an olive Grove
= former a study of a nude boy standing ALERT realy
tng stone at flock Of birds, the latter study
nude woman seated under the trees with her bach
med to the spectator are so good in many ways
NJ the eodness pervading the landscape In each Is
euvey Irritating. Both boy and woman nave
ty the pose of the boy especially being spirited
y, finely caught Vet both figures would mt more
Ss1raly into their surroundings were there feeling
soft warm atmosphere realized. 4 word should
: offered touching Mr.. CrOwninshield's hesh-llnt,.
me- are very pinh and panty The cause i PFODapN
q sane as tbst which has initiated against MS
an1ns atmosphere We'll they are the WORN q q
leosOr executing easel pictures 1T Is not pleasant
Y Wle back 10 this 50 often but the faet F1naiis
az laS 10 be IeckOned with. Mr.. Cr0WninaIneiu HiS
paniea mostly indoors and mostly things 70 be seen
nv distance. The present nude studies, seen from
80 sony and attitude, they do not hlnch bdoro
- @ariration the left arm and right foot OF the
v ~ BENG the only details that appear u demand
L ~ feia5n in drawing. - 1885,,
~ ~ agh one more OF his figure studies sholh De men
s DDA No. a. a fine water-cOlor portrait Of "Glo
"a, Narthy Italian model. color ana WORK
W Are all that could DO desired.
L, EVER one who wishes TO buy or rent house In