New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-08
cocJETYOF AMERICAN ARTISTS
IT'S RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION.
SECOND NOTICEl


p pssa rich and its exhibitions have never failed OF
p.,o,n racy incsiIehess. They have always FUR
-. nr,ots OF abounding cleverness at least. There
- lack OF cleverness III the present retrospective
t,,,,on Int what endows the latter with its unique
o-,ory Is that 1t marks the substuuon in the fore
--nuna al grave thoughtful work for merely clever
.,,rr We say this advlscdly. The north gallery IS
-a,rdsd with clever pictures that group themselves
ND one splendid work. Mr.. sargents portrait OF
a.. Tvombly, in which clcverness is npotheoSized
..,,ed 10 The point OF genius. Yet. in both rooms
49, General impression received is one OF sincere and
,s,.pt effort 80 it was wien made IL brief
~, y, the exhibition last week so 1t remains after
le,surely and detailed scrutiny Of the unusually
,.rge collection OF pictures. The explanation lies III
=, .et that the artists almost throughout have had
-, 4sdon 10 send their BEST rather than those pro
s,,o,Ions in w.c. they have perhaps satisfied Wnm
=. .vnermentcd with somt difficult problem.
w may discern several pointed Instances OF this GOOD
,uhsnent Instances in which the exhibitors have re-
,d chiefly II not solely, upon their more restrained
"a rsosonablv ambitious performances. Mr.. llassam
,ss small street in his latest impressionsuc
,.,rer No. 1872. Fifth Avenue Mt the Manhattan
Trrh - which only partially reveals his ability. ano
.,orhcr sketch of q similar character, No. l6o, "A
enrw Storm In the Cay, Union square, when docs
moi very much more accomplish that purpose; but
~ sends also a large study of rainy day In Paris,
Va a
$, tho light OF which he can be fairly classified. Th.s
s.,ure dates we believe from Mr.. HaSsam's sojourn
:. r,once three n four years ago, and we recall
.o,nc Il o one OF the Prize Fund exhibitions at the
American Art Galleries. We would not undervalue
Mr. HaSsan's recent open air studies and lie IaN IN
se.d improved In many ways Since this picture was
noined but nevertheless he has not ever surpassed
he simple effective treatment OF unpromisnS ma
dnls the apt selection of elements ana the lusins
Mol. nn4n In
This work painting that IS painting purely can
Aov. merit and charm. but the public demand for
c,cture rather than for O "nOte' or Z" an arrange
nent y for composition rather than for a fragment
=. ,oc,cal and right. Composition in art covers
vast deal The one application Of the word WITH
which We are concerned before Is street scene OF
Mr. Uassam's IS that one touching the fehcltons en-
phasis O, points in scene spread before an artist
wtsout Ms suggesting IT. We fancy Mr.. lIassam
would find II difficult 10 create a dramatic hiustra-
ton. but give him. as the Rue Bonaparte has given
INN. long radway, q b1l-plastcred wall on one SIDE
Nth q line OF cabs stretched ont within It's shadow
a Sidewalk with pedestrians on Tie other. q hawker
ncging his cart IN the foreground, and he can re-
solve these things into a picture. Ihere ne Is II,
Ns hest And The difference between tlaS study OF
ia Rue Bonaparte- md the impressonkuc sketches
Of wlAch Mr. Hassam has grown 50 fond Is that the
sri, which controlled tho composition of the former
neither hurried nor arbitrary. It is not so pre-occu
MED with the expression of atmosphere or any Other
one fixing that Il leaves figures and textures imper-
fctly depcted OF Mr. Chase's iudcious selection OF
works for this exhibition we have briefly spoken on
a previous occasion. The gay. Frenchihed beach
study. No. As, a Sunny Day at SAnnecocR Bay
and the sketch of Central Park, No 40 Lilipuiian
Boat Lake. hang on tIie walls, but they are quickly
and willingly forgotten when we see the "Reauy lot
the Rlde' and the Portrait OF Frank DuveneeA' our
estimate OF Mr. Chases ability rises perceplbly when
We bring those canvases into the discussion II Is
significant that II the "Readv for the Ride with
the head detach.ng itself well from the background
with its simple, subducd color scheme and It's at
traoive lighting. suggests any model, that mode Is
the careful and pre-cmlnenuy true Rembrandt. hr.
Chase is such a sklul bruslsnan that he frequently
turns out portraits in which dash, cleverness IN fact
are principally obvious. But the Ready for the
Ride and the portrait OF Mr.. DuvenecK are goou
deal than clever.
some other comparisons between earlier and later
work are invited In this exhibition by pictures that
ere about equally aggressive irrespective OF periods
Mr. Chase's two portraits leave his other WORKS oht
O. sight but between the picture by Mr. Low, GATED
1876, and the two Or three by him datci WITHIN Inc
present decade the honors are If they incline
a tiAe to one side It is The side Of the Revere
Tine a. the First Empire" which Mr. Low painted be
fore he had shown a decided affection for classical
themes The "Revcrle7 is a remarkably graceful
composition the seated maiden and her hound make a
charming group, and there is traghtforwarlhess
shout the color that miss III Mr. LOWS more RECENT
work Bu the superiority Of the former II superiority
there IS. is determined By It's greater reality.
model In an Empire costume is not far removed from
The sympathy OF an artist Of today but one In me
dress OF Greece must either be very inspiring or ue
Inspiration She does afford must be eked ont by ue
artists imagination. Wthal that he has imaHhauo"
bis Illustrations 10 Keats have shown that-Mr 10"
rarely paints an independent picture OF CLASSIC hguiea
that conylnces Then there Is the poetry 10 heip o
enjoyment Of the Keats illustrations. IL Is poSaO'
to say many pleasant things about these easel pictures
they show fair II not striking mastery OF foFin ana
above all Mr. Low deals with the nude In the ngh'
spirit yet there is intimate. really vivifyns touch
In the figures in No. 2l3, a Woodland Glade ana
No ol5 Dolce Far Nlente.' The gain Mr. Low
has made during the years since he cNecueu uie
"Revene' has been gain IN the expression OF hsn''
This has been, in fact the great gain OF almost te
entire school, If may call 1t that, which MS
these galleries. Mr. Weir illustrates the ADVANCE most
directly, obviously. Observe his two portraits III
the south gallery, painted iD studio light, ana then
turn 10 the full length outdoor portrait Young Nan
With Gun" hanging in the north gallery. Admirably
executed as the earlier works are, more reserved
more satisfying In an allround sense, than the ialc
study the latter has sll the advantage in beng awe
with atmosphere. The aim OF the sculptor Is 10
produce an effect b. form bathcd In light. Nova
days that Is the aim Of the painter much moro
generally than 1t formerly. And 1t Is not ex
clusvey III outdoor pictures that positive light Is
sought. With william Hunt there not much di!-
ference between the Hight In picture dealing with an
indoor subject and that In one dealing with an open
ar subject. Compare IN this cXhlDitloh his
Marguerite his Portrait Of Lady, NO. loI'
and his Boy and Butterfly with his Portrait OF
Lady, No. l7S The goddess Of the last is
repeated in al the Others though the Portrait OF
Lady, NO. ISL, has stroke OF his fine colonsuc
Instinct In the broad sash that almost warns the
canvas into nie How much kecner feeling Tor
light would have added % the pcrNasive charm OF
The Marguerite, with rs comely figure!
With the younger men there Is a marked difference
between indoor and outdoor light, but what Is hoced
even Is that their being In touch with current
IDEAS relating 70 the latter has reacted benenclaly