New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25


~ SiIIons Mowbray did not think there was any
question that the strongest and most artistic bits
Of work in the exhibition among contemporaries"
wore American. There was also no question that
Sarsent topped every other artist there foreign or
American"
In looking over the portraits generally MI
MoWbray went on to say. IL find the Americans
show a great deal more originality than the
French There is less Of a conventional sort OF
quality about their portraits. In Sargents por-
traits there is a wonderful expression OF lfe Sar-
cents pictures seem b. living the other pictures
while carefully drawn and painted, lack the ere
ment Of vitality You feel that most of the French
portraits are posed figures. 1t was great salts
faction to me- and II must be TO all other Ameri-
can artists to see the way Americans have come
out in the last few years The American pubic
has every right to feel proud or Its artists repre-
sent.d Many of their portraits would take their
place In any exhibition in the world and be re-
markable The exhibition is interesting from an
artistic point OF view and should Increase the in
terest In portraiture very much indeed. 1t affords
an opportunity all cOntemporaneous schools
and 10 compare them, and IS In that regard nov
city and a success. think II Is rather pity,
however that sculptors not represented to
greater extent There are a few examples. but not
enough &c show what Americans have done In
sculpture"
Howard Russell Butler president OF the Ameri-
can Fine Arts Society. thought the exhibition was
br .ght popular idea. and he was surprised 1t mad
nor been done before. He predicted for IT great
success. Mir. Butler favoraby impressed with
the American. in comparison with the foreign
work II held its own so far he able to
judge and he looked for an increased interest in
portraiture. and especially I'm work by American
artists. AS a result of the exhibition
Il think the best American pictures In the ex-
ninit,n" said Kenyon Cox ARE notceabiy
superior TO the pictures by foreigners by reason
Of their quiet dignity and seriousness OF aim and
method II confirmation Wcr" needed OF one ! pre-
vous opinions. It would be- given there 10 the TACT
thlt John ; Sargent i. head and shoulders the
,,reat.st portrait painter alive to-day. His work
Is particularly noticeable from a combination OF
astonishing brlllancy OF method with a quiet and
du.nidei result Possibly no modern painter has
with such extreme yirtuosty OF handling Ater
his work. should rank Thayers PORTRAIT OF MISS
French. which consider a sup"rpIy, MISTY
thing II IL fun OF dignity. charm and restraint
asI has an the merits ~ his best work with loss
o.. The faults he sometimes shows. should say
uat the works hy sAcn men a. ,hase. Myattt
The best American portrait painting.
an short fHc lesson Of the exhibition. II II is TO
hay. any lesson. should be- that people who want
thoroushly good work in portraiture have only 10
address themselves to our best painters to get
artists hay. done but better than they do for their
Am r1on he as 70 one Of o the ODER masters
OF portrature is not thoroughly representative
painting can SIN learn something from the eigh-
tecnth century masters. such an exhibition as
sibutics ~ COMPARISON between ancient and mod
ern ami between foreign and American work. In my
opinion portraiturc Is by no means minor brancn OF
painting. but in Its hg.est form one Of the most
Interesting. There are no masterpieces OF greater
value 10 the artist than some OF the great por-
traits 90 the world. In the OF exhibitions the
portrait IL somewhat neglected and an exhibition
entirely % portraits has therefore an especial ad-
William 4 comm; the manager OF the exhibition,
and to whom great share of It's success Is due.
asked for a statement about the work OF organ
iziug the exhibition and certain criticisms that
have been made in regard 70 IT.
The praise bestowed on the exhibition, said Mr..
conn which has been the most hearty am
cad % say, IN quarters where IT Is best worth
having. has been general and the attendance 50
unprece,lcnteily large that those who have worked
for tho success Of the exhibition feel highly graft
IN rerly TO- certain cr,icisms In the first place.
while the exhibition Is conceded u be representa-
nry to M make '. @S is at ali understood by the
crll public. The pictures We're for the most part
Il was very difficult to get hold Of the portraits
wanted M the time OF the year the work OF
W. ''' rrc In fh miinter season it would
r , NUMBERED consecu,ively on the walls in
depor,lerty OF the artists who painted them. our
grouped torc,h,r-he only disniei way. The gal
i,rl"s are not large. and it is very easy to find a
picture II you know the name OF the artist; The
cltalogiI. was not made 10 serve as society di-
recorv II YOU see picture that attracts you the
number is just as easy To hnd In book made on
the group system as in one made on the wall sys-
Il think the exhibition shows very decidedly II,
.x.,l noe of the work OF American painters. OF
course the nine portraits by Sargent are most i'm
t,,rfanf PICTURES making the hlah average for |
Tho Americans The Frenchmen are well repre- |
scented. and In some cases remarkably well, as IN
r1llrry I'm most cases. however the portraits of |
4 american women are not good as some OF the |
tDrfr,ifs the French painters exhibit in Paris of
the French women Again. some of me best French |
inters haV. never been fashionable in the same
Gems. thai Carolus Duran IL. for instance in this
country 10 not believe there Is portrait In the
I.nit.d states bv either Baudry or Ellie l)elaunay !
hon visitors the exhibition Will not ta to see
how charming some Of the portraits 10y tne earlier |
,,,int.rs Of TN. American school are. There are |
ZOO in the North room by lngham that are |
among the most delightful things III the eAno'-
ton. -, ... 49,. - h,ya arotbar
week n keep the exhibition open. for while THIS adj
ditional week will cause the Academy ana US con |
iirrahe inconvenience. the preparations Tor the
r.e,iar autumn exhibition will overlap our reno |
val the Portraits of Women seem to Eet ia aDo
on every side and no one seems 10 HN'u i'oo"-
venience in such a good cause.