The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-01
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ExhsSstlsas at vavssss 0ai1ersss.
| Mr.. Hopkinson Smiths display Of Venetian
/ water colors has been followed ut the Avery
| Gallery By collection OF fifteen works In oil
| by Mr.. W. I. Picknell. This artist was FIRST
| introduced to his countrymen some six OF
| eight years ago by q large landscape painted
| abroad and called Le Ronte de Concarneau."
| which now hangs in the gallery OF the Penn.
| sylvana Academy OF Fine Arts: and few pic
tures in any Of our public museums better de-
serve their places In freshness Of concep.
| ton. distinctness Of aim vigor OF treat
ment. and tho admirable expression
Of hot atmosphere and burning sun
| light IL Is very remarkable work.
Since that time we have frequently had inter-
esting. serious. and excellent landscapes from
Mr.. Picknelrs brush. but In mono Of them. per-
haps. including thoso which nre now on OK
hibition. has he quite fulfilled the promise
given by tho Philadelphia picture. Now lie
shows us a series OF landscapes painted In tho
vicinity OF Ipswich. Mas. There Is none In
which fathfuness to personal Impressions.
sincerity. and conscientiousness do not reveal
themselves. but somehow there arc few from
which. to those who know that part OF tho
country. its peculiar spirit will speak. Tho
character. the individuality Of such a district
is rs clearly marked as the personality OF a
human being: 1t Is quite as difficult
to render with paint: and when It is
not faithfully rendered. Its absence from
tho result is quite MS unfortunate. Mr.. Pick.
nolrs color is not too bright. but It seems too
deep and strong and heavy. md he has not
perfectly given the peculiarly thin and crystal
character OF tho summer atmosphere OF the
Massachusetts, coast There 10 . rnrofed
quality IN this atmosphere. which. II VIZ let
imagination spealk, seems the physical coun-
terpart OF the intellectual atmosphere in
which tho sages Of Concord lived: and it gives
q singular clenrness of tint to local coors. No
ono could paiut this Sky aud water too blue.
these trees too green. these houses and clouds
too white: but nature seems to have laid on
hor vivid colors with light. quick hand. cnr-
ing more for brilliaucy than for depth. for
sparkle than for Intensity: and the artist
must initiate hsr II he would be her
true interpreter. OF course. New England
seas and shores and fields are often gray.
but Mr.. Picknell has painted thcm when they
were bright, and his hand has been little over
heavy. The best Of his works in tho present
collection. we think. are No. 3. Early Morn
Ing" No. 4. In Late August" which shows
broad meadow with q glimpse OF the sea be.
You'd and No. IL. Sunday Afternoon" With
these landscapes no exhibits two figure paint
ings which arc somewhat less interesting.
One. called Tho Return Of the Torchers,"
toward homo. while tho basket torches
used in tho nocturnal setting Of their nets
hang out with dying embers over the stern.
The other represents young woman in
black playing on q piano: and although jt
contains much good painting. It IL not
sufficiently brilliant to compensate for the lack
OF interest which springs from the fact that no
more than the girls hair and bit Of her cheek
are shown. while the conspicuous left hand
might have been moro carefully drawn.
There are. however. certain American plc.
lures in this gallery Just now which are more
remarkable than any OF Mr.. .icknells. Two
were painted by Robert Eichelberger. whose
wonderful portrayal Of fog on the Long Island
coast shown at the exhibition OF the Society
Of American Artists two years ago. Just after
his sudden death. will always rank among the
very finest Of modern pictures. Both OF these
smaller works arc very individual and beauti-
full but the one which shows q distant
glimpse OF the city OF New York. seen across
the Harlem flats in winter. is almost as fine in
its way as the Sun and Fog" Nothing could
be more truthful than It's portrayal Of
the wide swampy hats half covered
with snow. OF the cold green eky
fecked with white clouds. and the clear
yet darkllng atmosphere OF q chilly twilight:
and with these seemingly unpromisinc ma
wrought. Near by We may see Mr.. Collins
Rain" which won the Webb prize at the last
exhibition Of the Society OF American Artists.
Like Mr.. Eichelberger's Sun and Fog" IL
Is one Of the pictures which have most clearly
proved that American landscape painters may
hold their own with the worlds best as regards
individuality OF impulse. poetic temper. and
skill In execution. Notable. too. are Mr.. Ocht-
mans small landscapes In this same gallery:
and then. after remarking q charmingly deli
cate and yet vigorous Cain. an interesting
Sisley. and brilliant bit Of Partisan street
painting by B6raud. We may 60 to tho Reich.
ard Gallery and see still another American
painter who will make us glad that we. too.
are Americans.
This Is Mr.. Winslow Homer. who exhibits
two pictures Of the Maine coast with the gray
skies. high wind. and foaming sea OF winter
In the finer OF the two there Is rather high
foreground Of dark sand and withered grass
beyond which the tossed gray clouds and the
tossing gray sea sweep away to mingle on an
horizon which the thickness of the air brings
very close. while where tho water meets the
shore are swirls and upheavals OF snowy foam.
Never have such air and water and such
effects OF light boon more faithfully
painted. and We are made to feel the
GOODNESS OF the scene as we'll as the dual.
ity of Its color and the passion OF
its mood. Nature has as many tempers as
man. Her idyllic movements have been more
often and more successfully painted than her
dramatic. but there is an almost tragic vicor
and intensity in this canvas of Mr.. Homer's,
The single figure which. in tho middle dis.
lance. turns its back OH us and it's face to tho
water. Is well subordnated to the pictures
main motive but greatly assists the expression
OF this motive. showing the force of the wintry
blast and accenting the savage loneliness Of tho
coast. In the second picture we have fiat rocks
ON our right hand and tho foaming edge OF the
sea on our left. while two women stand in tho
foreground and watch the waves with a pur.
poseless. half-hypnotizcd air that has been
very intelligently caught Thus. when tho
wind blows and the waters rour. purposes are
forgotten individuality is almost lost for a
time, and the loitcrer becomes scarcely more
than passive. If senticEt. portion OF the land
scape. Strength is the main technical churac.
teristic OF these two pictures MS veracity is
their most prominent quality in another dlree.
tion. But in spite OF their vigor and soemnity