The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-29
WALTER cRAxrs Drsroxs.

The collection Of designs by Walter Crane,
the English artist now travelling In this coun-
try. has been placed on exhibition in Brooklyn
In the large. well-lighted gallery OF the Brook
lyn Art Association In Montague street This
is somewhat out OF the way for New York ers
who are interested in the work OF this clever
maker oil artistic picture books and illuminated
wall papers. Nevertheless the paintings and
drawings are worth the trouble OF journey
across the East River.
Mr.. Crane is best known In this country by
MS childrens picture books. such as the
Baby's OPERA" one OF the most popular OF
the serics but In this collection of his works
may be seen. not only tho original pen and
INK, pencil and wash drawings OF his children's
DOCKS. but many OF his moro serious book
ILLUSTRATIONS. designs for wall papers and mo-
saics' and several paintings in oil and pastel
inc exhibition covers u period OF about
twenty-five years. for II was ms long AGO ma
1850 that he began to design toy books for
children In style then distinctly new These
drawings for tho most part are In bold out
lines. done either with the pen or the brush,
and filled In with fiat. bright colors. and they
empody In new and charming forms the old
rhymes and tales Of tho nursery. The lato
randolph Caldecott and Miss Kate Green
away came later with work so refined In limo
ana color as to make tho earlier drawings by
mr.. crane appear barbaric In their frank
strength OF color. but his pen and pencil de-
signs have not been cxcelled In quaint beauty
and grace Of outline.
The designs in black and white. consisting
OF 1rontispieces. sketches for magazine covers.
DOCK decorations. and illustrations, when the
outiines OF MS earlier method are preserved
arc deilehtfui In their grace and ingenuity.
but the shaded drawings. having much the
appearance OF old sirtaopfh
lack tho charm of pure outline. The drawings
In pencil for Tho First of May" fairy
masuuc. and The Sirens Three" arc fine OK
amples OF Mr.. Cranes best work.
mr. crane has done very much for the i'm.
proVement OF our modern wall rapors frieacs
dadoes and ceilings. and some Of his recont
designs for wall papers, and mosaic designs
arc shown in tho original cartoons. They are
all characterized by graceful lines. Ingenious
Invention. and harmonious color: md there are
several nhe reliet panels In gesso. gildcd. and
colored for the frieze panels OF library.
As painter In oils Mr. Crane is not SO VOL
known on this side OF the water. and the sncci.
mems OF his work in this collection, whilo
hlghly Imaginative and decorative in theme
and arrangement are not likely to ploase
popular fancy. His earliest picture. which
In MS catalogue. Mr.. Crane says dryly has
AZ least the distinction OF having been rejected
at ths Academy is an allegorical picture rem
resenting an Amazonian city set in an archaic
landscape of dark blues and green's and Gen.
Cupid and his armorcd forces are represented
as receiving the keys OF the town from tho
queen OF the Amazons while her followers
are expressing their delight ut tho advent OF
the con1uerors by dancing. Europa" an
other large canvas. Is treated in the same
decorative spirit that charact erzes the toy book
pictures. In Ip11a DAM G., ~
Its woman in red and its armored knight on a
black charger. set in a field OF pre- Raphaelite
wild flowers and with pre- Raphaeite back
ground OF gloomy woods. while painfully
naturalistfc. is also Us it was meant to be, dis
tinctly ornamental. In fact. pure decoration
and not nature is Mr.. Cranes theme in nil OF
his paintings.
The largest and most important as it is the
most Interesting of these paintings. is the
large allegorcal picture OF Tho Bridge of
Lie. IN which there arc not less than forty
figures involved in tho tangled thread that
winds from tho boat OF Life up across the
bridge. until severed by Atropos ovor the form
OF Death. The Joys Of maternity and child.
hood. OF life and love. and fame. and the pur-
suit OF riches lead on ovcr to the downward
steps OF the bridge. where the burden aud
sorrows OF age and bereavement and the
grim horror of death are pictured.
MIR. Crane has been engaged n good deal
with what he calls Tho fateful tragedy of OK
istencc" and the mystery OF the unknowable,
and in tho Riddle OF the Sphinx" he has
dwelt somewhat morbidly. in design and
color. upon tho unanswerable riddle. His
Flora" and tho pastel. "A Water Lily" are
brighter themes brightly realized There are
some interesting studies in water color and
in Chinese white on brown paper made for
his painting. Tho Renaissance Of Venus"
that was shown at tho Grosveror Gallery.
London. in 1877. and for The Chariots OF tho
Hours" and "A Torch Race"