New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-19

l'ioW Duskln are Ill tnls cNnlpilioh' nc
difference between these and the portraits by
Sargent will throw light upon the freedom OF both
artists from any unhealthy influence of their
master. rgcnt is represented by nine canVlh,.,
from which it i not easy select the most inter
csting. One full length study Of a nude Egyptian
girl may be separated from the rest as showing
how this artist can dispense with the psychology
and the tour dc force" OF costume painting which
will combine to make any of lis portraits OF
aristocratic ladies fascinating. and still compel
admiration for tine victorious ease and power and
charm Of his mere method That method can be
best studied for its own sake in the single
picture from the nude he exhibits, but il is Of
no less significance in the portraits wherein il is
associated with his inciSivc analysis of character
and his remarkable treatment Of textures. Inc
portrait Of Miss Terry as Lady Macbeth-the sem
sation of a Lon lon scason-and the group in
which the young son of Augustus st. Gaudcns is
the principal figure. thes" perhaps the most
pussant illustrations of Sargent's art 1t is an
art which comprchends every technical quality
the beauty Of color, intellectual if not emotional
or imaginative feeling, and comprehcnds them all
under the dominating tone of a distinct indi-
vidualhy Re Enforcing the attraction of his
style, Sargent has the advantage OF a perfect
command over his medium
This is also a source Of Whistcrs power. II is
not especially so in the Princess of the Land Of
Porcelain" an early work which was not handled
with fiuencv and nervous energy, and which is in
tcrcsting mainly from Its originality and its fine
decorative harmony. But in the two portraits
in dark tones. The Fur jacket" and 1.-THE Lady
with the Yellow Buskin" there is reflected
the full measure of Whistlcr's peculiar gifts. an
uncning sense Of the relations Of kindred tones
and an equal strength in translating them into
pigments with precision. If Sargent stands for
the triumph of bravura in painting, Whistler
stands for triumph of its antithess. II not
likely that he obtains his effects with any less
rapidty or certainty of pIcsclence But there is
vastly moro subtety in his adjustment of the
values in his tonal schemes. In his portraits this
is 80, and in those arrangements of color by him
for which nature has furnished The excuse in
marines like a certain Harmony in Blue and
Silver" which has been lent to the exhibition.
II is impossible TO ina CINE him searching for any
vein of sentiment or character IN scene or in
human figure Mr.. Sargent searches. But in
the determination to make pictorial unity of
scnsuous quality ont of a subject he and Sargent
are at one. and both in their different ways, are
such masters that they alone would make the
American section a centre in the Art Building.
SOME SPIRITUAL AND IMAGINATIVE WORK.
is seen to have lively human interest, but both
illustrate more particularly the Interpretation OF
realities of form and color into painted equiva-
Tents which stir the emotions without reference
10 any questions but those Of style and technique
and scnsuous feeling With the others who figure
on the same distinguished plane there are super
added the divers attributes which give our school
% extensive an interest. To Lafarg"s few pie
tures-most unfortunately few. for he Is man
whose larger cooperation would have added
greatly to the value OF the section-therc belongs
Il deep strain of religious tenderness h"ight'nlnS
the power Of by far the greatest coorst we have
among painters of the figure. \ spirituality less
ecclesiastical as II were. in lis envelope, than
Mr. Lafargcs, extraordinarily rarciicd, ana i'm,
acinativc IN way that "lud"- analysis, j. loin'i
with the fine styl" of Abbot Ihayrr &c mt MS
Virgin Entlroncd' above the defects OF IT.
execution Dcwinc, who l. 4 coorlst OF ln9lVld-
ualitv and extremely refined charm. besides being
z; craftsman of dclicately strong methods puts
also INTO his work Il feeling which II not notably
imaginative, but j. yet responsive 10 whatever II
vaguely poetic in the grac" of beautiful women.
runs through the dainty work Of !. y. tnurch
The powerful though slightly hammered droushts
manship of Ncd0er and the imaginative D"au'N ol
his designs give them the charm which their poor
color would deny them. In fragment Of ms
decoration for the Boston Public Library IN" huge
panel describing the reception CT "aIahad az NJ
thurs court, an episode in the quest OF me Hoy
Grail, l.. \. Abbey appcars n the inventive com
poser and picturesque archacolo2,t. a. th" color
ist, he has been known 10 be and manifest. ai,o
a feeling Cor the cNigcncics of mural painting
which was unexpected There Is nothing IN III"
decoration by HIM III the Hotel Imperial IN New
York TO foreshadow the breadth ana grasp wii'h
are found in this beautiful work. NInsloW
Homer. in hi- pictures of fishermen ana hunters
treats his models and the scenes along IN" sea
shore or in the woods in which he has placed
them, with truth and with peculiar originality.
The portrait group by George Der crest brush II
quaint in conception. and it, execution, polIsh'u
10 degree yet never hard, is touched by strong
personal accent.
INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH SCHOOLS.
II is one drawback to the estimat" and th" tax
ing of stock which such exhibition as this one
at Chicago invites that classification runs the FISK
Of appearing invidious Some classification, how
ever is inevitable if the proportions of the vari-
ous tendencies are TO be ascrrtalned with any |
thing like an approximation 10 the truth. mus |
there need be no hesitation in selecting IN" artists
who have up 10 this point been touched upol' az
those whose works shed the lustrr of wholly orlgi-
nal impulses upon the American s"ftloh ha'
of course does not IMPLY suFil1ilN III ,N'lN 'Hi'
ton. 1t would b" absurd 70 "irVat" The work o'
Vc,ldcr tending always 10 b"coin" lnonorlioiha'n.
above the work Of c0loIi-t like tee rye il'chcock
But the men referred 10 prior 10 the latter ar" al
artists whom foreigners would find il difficult to
account for by reference 10 any OF tinlr own
schools or 10 any cOtcrlc III America. lhcN are
isolated Their number seems small. l}ut II |
must be added that in no other section III the Art
Building il the proportion of strenuous IndlVIdh-
aitics more encouraging. The nest step IN th'
survey is Of even greater significance. II dl--
covers that of the OF artists who do not fal
naturally into line with such personalities rs
Ncddcr or Church. though a. "Nerutan's ana Color
lists they may be the supcriorS OF IN" latter, me
Greater number are not hv any means the 'opNHtS
which a ha,ty reading of the classification might
imply Here is approached the question of cont
mental influence Without doubt II has been lar
reaching and lasting. But il is one thn2 10
have passed through an at"lrr abroad ana
~ have retained the ccan-cut, excessively |
clever and yet mechanical style. which feeds |
the yearly Salon Of the Champs Ely~ces. II ~
- mother 10 have emerged from the training OF
Enrnnc with a method whose source i not TO
Ne disguised. and which is, nevertheless. 80
manipulated by III" talent of il; pps'rs S tnat
Konvon Cox. W r. Dannat. Gcorg" llitchcock,
Gyi Nolchcr- T.. J.. Wcek"s, sargent Kendall,
onis Kronberg William Chase. Carroll EEK
yi,L and Alexander Harrison are men OF ms |
latter class There Is name on the oth.r tlie