The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-11
SOME QUESTIONS OF ARR.
Tho Water Coiors OF Mr.. Hopkinsoa
Smith,.

Smith.
Do you dislike frost and snow. hato hurry
and hustle, and think New York distresslngly
prosaicp Turn into tho Avery gallery some
day There Mr.. Hopkinson Smith stands
ready to convince you that the sun shines and
the flowers blossom. that tho world is plctur-
esdue. and that its citizens may loaf and in
vite their souls on marble steps. undor red
striped awnings. or in cushioned Hondolas. as
they prefer.
Venice has been painted and drawn more
often than any other spot on earth and tho
accounts fher beauty have varied as widely MS
ono artistic talent. II it Is u genuine talent
must vary from all others. A hundred names
could be cited as those OF her interpreters:
but IL we say only Canaletto and Turner.
Whistler and Rico and Zien. We recall inter-
pretations so strikingly unlike that tho stay
at-home observer VOL may ask whether thcre
Ia any real Venice at all. whether the name Is
not merely n time-honored imaginary Dog
upon which every man Is at liberty to
hang such pictorial dreams rs may
visit him. 1t would be amusing IL
some ono would condcnso and comment upon
ali this varying testimony and bring together,
even in black and white reproductions. score
Of these ALTERING portraits. Not merely the
mutable charm Ct Venice would be- illustrated,
but also the protcan scnsitiveness of tho hu-
man eye and mind For every picture OF Venice
which Is not stupidity inattstic must be true.
No man who knows how to paint dcll erately
paints lies. IL he says something that others
have not said, it is simply because he has seen
something they have not seen. or chosen to
emphasize what they have chosen to omit.
But In tho mean time. while waiting for
some consensus which will reveal tho City OF
tho Sea from many artistic points Of Wow. we
have the chance to study her from Mr.. Hop
kinson Smiths. This Is not one Of the most
strikingy individual points OF view. or one OF
tho most subtilcly poetic. that have becn hold.
even in recent years. Butt is very faithful, very
charming. personal enough to inspire fresh
interest, and spirited enough to show that the
painter was thoroughly in tho mood OF his
subject. In only ono respect can we feel TINT
Mr. Smith falls short Of telling us the full truth
about Venice in sumIner. He does not
make it look quite hot enough. Light no
gives us. tho pure. keen Adriatic light and
air he gives ue. too. the fresh und salty, yet
soft and luxurious Adriatic Cir. But it does
not warm the blood to look at his sunlight as
1t does to ait in the sunlight which actually
falls on Venice when summer Is at its height.
With such motives to choose among, it
seems as though any painter Of Venice must
needs compose his pictures we'll But by no
position. like other pictorial qualities. resides
more in the eye that sees than In the subject
ITSELF One Of Mr.. Smiths chief merits we
think. is that he composes with exceptional
skill: always we'll and sometimes with the ut
most grace and effectiveness. as. for example,
in No IL. Along tho Grand Canal" where
the long curve of tho quay has been most deli
cately felt and vigorously rendered: in No. 10.
Under tho Rialto." where the sweep OF the
bridge is tellingly supported by the upright
lines OF the square columns in the foreground:
and in No. B. ASeptember Day" where the FORE
ground of marble stairway is beautifully con-
trasted with the wide stretch OF quiet water
and the distant mass of the Salute. This
September Day" indeed, Is in every respect
tho pearl Of tho collection. 1t Is wholly charm
ing in tho delicacy yet vitality OF its color. in
its rendering OF the perfect placidity which
broods over the scene. and in its expression of
the very slight mistiness that softens the air
and tempers the white light: and all these ex-
cellences blend in that air OF perfect pictorial
repose which is ono Of tho most attractive
characteristics = picture can possess.
No. 4. "A Sunny Corner in Venice" is to be
especially remarked for dclicacy in color and
feeling. and No. IL. Behind the Public Gar
den.' for color which is stronger. yet very
true and charming; while No. 35. "A Main
ThorouGhIarc." No. 81. Under the Salute"
and No. ~. "A Quiet Canal" may DO cited as
among the best Of those which remain where
almost all are very good. This No. 20. by the
way. looks quite as though painted in pastel,
so vigorous has been Mr.. Smiths employment
OF body color: and there are other examples
which make more tho effect OF pastels than
OF aquarelles. But. Of course this Is not
said In tho way OF criticism. Tools are
nothing: results are everything: and the man
who can show us u bit of Venice or OF anything
else with truth and charm. will never need to
explain or to apologize for tho way he has
done it. Perhaps tho most insistent thought
which we take away with us from these Veno-
tian views is thought of the supreme dignity
and importance of the Salute. This is the
snme thought that We take away when tho
railway carries us from Venice itself. And SO
We sec that while Mr.. Smith has been yeracious
in each individual piece OF reporting. he has
also been truthful to tho character and soul OF
the city as whole.
A few pictures OF other places are hung
among the Venetian ones. and some Of them
nre extremely good. Indeed. We are inclined
to think that No. o. The Old Rathhaus. Lu-
cerne." 10 better than anything In the room
except the September Morning." Perhaps
this Is because we see that the sky Is gray and
know that the air must DO COOL and SO are not
tempted to wish that Alr. Smith had a little
fuller mastery in tho way Of expressing heat
No. "a. The Flower Market. Paris" Is per-
haps tho most brilliant picture in tho room.
and. with its banks Of bright blossoms and
green foliage relieved against tho pale gray
mass OF the palace beyond. and its dellcately
gray and blue sky. it gives us the characteris-
tic quality Of tho northern city as faithfully as
dozen others give - that OF Venice. One
wishes only that tho action OF the two figures
in the foreground had been made q little
palmer. But tho Boat Landing. Lake Lu-
cerne." No. 81. and Morning ON AIaggiore,"
No. 40. might well have been left out Of the
exhibition. They arc by,no means up to the
level Mr.. Smith has elsewhere attained. and
tho latter especially Is soft and conventional
and British In effect.
Bishop I.0ughiin's Humor,