New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-18
NJ. GAINS PAINTINGS.
AN EXHIBITION OF FRENCH LANDSCAPES.


works which opens to-day at the American AT.
Galleries NJ J. c. Cain speaks Of having sought
on principle to conquer difficulties. This not par
ticuariy artistic ambition Is really not iorceu "
the front in his work. which is before All tnie'
eloquent of a sensitiveness to pure beauty. ~ 10
the distinction of NJ. Cain to have apprehendeu
the scientific methods OF the newest schools anu
~ have nrofited by them greatly without having
abandoned the sobriety and the calm feeling io'
beauty which In French landscape art were Inoie
popular before than they have been since 'he 10y
of the impressionsts and luminists. Like the ia'
ter NJ Cain has truth. and translates atmosphere
brilliantly but unlike Them he has the subJecuV'y
and the intuition for natures mysteries when ie"
panters can preserve nviolate against the reaS''S
movement of the day. He is no reaiist Ill 'i.e
usual sense of that word He Is rather an lueas''S
seeker after the truth, and he finds 1t in a coheep
ton of landscape of which few, If any, OF ni'
pictures at the American Art Galleries Id" "
give a winning account.
The present exhibition contains over hundred pV.-
ures by NJ. Cain. To say that in spite oi '"'' ~
is not abundantly varied is not so much ~ VI -
a defect as to approach the predominatihs 'oi'' "
his work His range is not limited. but MS moou'
are They are circumscribed by the somewhat mar
row and certainly confirmed tendencies of penslVe
melancholy temperament Three-fourths oil HIS
pictures roughly speaking. are night scenes "
studies Of twilight, and the remaining 1o
seldom Invested of the chastened tone 10 "',0" II.
has given most study That this Is question Vi
the artists mood however and not OF MS 'o"'S
% naint any hour in the twenty-four with sue
cess is proved by the way in which ne Treas
strong bright light when he does attack H. i'n'
No lO4 1.-The White Ml'; NO w. a ram III
Holland; No. II. windmill and Corhne'o' VI
No. 49, "A Quiet Afternoon four plc'"res ~ VIM.
we would direct particular attention. Ihey are
al n.irted IN the clear KEY Of daytime, and they
are all sngularly true studies of light NJ cam
still more explicitly illustrates the ACCURACY Vi ms
vision and the power of his hand. III the uiie'''o'
of almost colorless atmosphere. IN TWO pic'uies
No %. Clearing End of a Wet Day. ana No
80 THE Barley Field'-which depict neau'ilu'
,haromenon of nature the CLEAN Of sunshlne-suh-
shine robbed of its gold but still sunshine-beneath
a sombre sky. Just such moment as Is paih'eu
in No % will meet you sometimes IN 'he he'us'
sudden stream of pure. fresh light at the emu VI
even in the middle OF wretcheuiy we, "as' =,
light is invariably lucent. and NJ Cain paints II
with the perfect touch Of master whose great
est gift is a fine clarity
NJ Cain has subtlety without obscurlty ne 80 eA-
ousitey and closely analyses atmosphere that ne
can reproduce it's gossamer-like wells. and while
&c ue have said he Is fondest of twilight ana the
small hours he is far from enveoping his pictures
in mistiness. Real mist he paints admiraoN' DIS
witness No. 49, English Farm with It's hyper
delicate gradations Of tone, but he is too thorough
painter to fall back upon the mist, made so amiiia'
in conventional moonlight scenes, which Is only
substitute for what the brush OF medocrlty can
not reproduce In other words his clarity his crys-
taline TRANSPARENCY follows him into scenes where
the quality is most difficult to maintain as III no
IT, "Elsnore" beautifully romantic work. or NO.
a. "Staright-December," which we are inclined
TO find the most mastery picture In the entire col
lection 1t is great merit of this work perhaps It's
greatest, that it is drenched through and through
with the sentiment Of landscape that Is ndescrloa-
BILE In words; but what gives II pre-sn'nehce as
work of purely artistic skill is the perfection OF the
atmosphere in its furthest plane. The gloom over
the little group of houses in the distance Is
triumph of representative Representations Atnios-
phere in painting reaches this degree Of reality only
under the hands of painter OF genius. Inis phrase
Is to be applied to NJ. Cain. but II is to be APP
piled with the reservations which have on other
occasions been indicated in The Tribune. He Is
never impa ssioned never imbued with the rapture
of landscape art. He is as far removed from the
blithe. lyric animation of Corot the aboundins
poesy OF that master as he Is from the mlpetious'
dramatic accent of Rosseau. His spirit Is persist
emily eegiac and this while precious In ITSELF ar
cues in his case regrettable limitations Reflective
serenity will bring forth great works, as he has
demonstrated but, on the other hand the highest
genius. when In contact with nature. is more apt TO
be spurred TO bold, vigorous acts OF spontaneous
creation. and these are beyond NJ. GAINS reach.
The closest approach he makes TO them Is in such
q rare passage of energetic brushing and vivid
lighting distinguishes No. g. Village by the
Sea-Storm Approaching. or In sunset fash OF
color like that in the sketch of rising land hanging
near the entrance TO the first of the upper galleries.
q sketch Of which the catalogue number escapes us
The normal plane Of NJ. Cain is one on which he
deals with peaceful fields and deserted village
streets looking almost solemn In their solitude.
The stiffness Of his night is of his best
points. There he shows himself TO be an artist
Of the most uncommon cal!bre. II is curious,
though that 1t is always the stiffness of the country
streets and fields that enliss his sympathes. or,
once in a while. in No IA striking marine
the stiffness of the The hills and the woods do
not seem to have appealed 20 him at all He has
painted one landscape with figures. No. 95, which
he calls 'Theocritus." In 1t he misses altogether
the note Of the Siciiian poet, note which 1t is
doubtful IL he could ever catch for his whole char
acter 10 opposed to the graceful conceits on the
poets lips 40 the buoyarcy in his song. In all
the figure studies in this exhibition. some secular
and religious the tone IS subdued and
feeling and this is one OF NJ. Gains strongest
claims upon the admiration of his critics. H. has
much sincerity, so much insight and so much
real tenderness. that his work touches the i'm
agnation even when 1t Is SO deliberate and PLACID
as to seem a little colo. Then. combined with
these qualities. he has original style, sound
s s 81 X S ouS o OF hts
His handling Is extremely smooth. and this gives
eoo s 81 good IN qualify and in sa tie per-
feet arrangement Of values by which IL is marked
Tsss n pssa fvs to- IN
OF lines and masses for their own sake, but OF
5udiclous selection there Is every sign, ana the
Of them than we nave mentioned are worthy OF
being especially pointed out.-No g. The Bridge"
Holland" and others. Enough has been said 70
transmit the essential impression received from NJ
Gains work IL ia the work OF fine nature and
q cultivated artist. The individuality OF the painter
Is shown at fall length Not only from his own
studio. but from the galleries Of his patrons In
America and Europe examples OF his art have been
obtained and there IL side OF that art with
which this exhibition does not make US acquainted
OF course ne has been known here for some years
lection have been from time to time visible to the
public. but never has quite 50 impressive a gath
cring Of his landscapes been shown in New York
There shown with It, by the way. few etch-
ings by NJ Gains that are passably clever
NOTES.
At the building Of the Fine Arts Society yesterday
afternoon the New York Water Color club gave
press view Of It's annual exhibition. The walls
Of the south gallery and of two OF the small rooms
II have been hung with Mixtures OF which