Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
BOSTON'S PUBLIC ART.


SarEents Decorations Exhibited NJ
the Royal Academy.
London Letter TO the New York Post
Perhaps the greatest surprise the Acad-
envy has to offer is the prominence accorded
10 MT. Sargents decorations for the Bos-
ton Public Library, hanging them not
merely well. but in much the same position
they will occupy eventually in the building
Tor which they are designed. In every way
MI Sargents is the most important work
OF the year. important not only as ar
Interesting new departure of an artist
who has so distinguished himself I'm
another branch Of art, but because of
It's own viSor and impressiveness The
compositions shown are for lunette and n
section Of barrel-vault ceiling lin the en-
trance hall or the special library hoor)
which is to be entirely decorated by Mr.
Sargent.
The religions OF the world give the sub
Ject. or motive. he has chosen for the whole
design. or series of designs. The one por-
ton now completed represents the oppressed
children of Israel In the hand OF the
heathen.-Psalms cT, p, ct sea-, being the
text he prints as explanation in the cata-
loSue The lsraelites, naked and martyred
are crouched in the center OF the lunette
OE ole side Is an Assyrian. the figure bor-
rowed from ancient sculptures, and the
conventional Assyrian lion. On the other
T.
emerging from what is apparently an ar
rangement of wings. is the army of the
Almighty who regarded the affiction of
His people when He heard their cry
On the ceiling are the idols after whom
they strayed; to the right, Astarte, yelled
and terrible in her beauty; to the left, a
horrible colossal monster, meant, imagine
for Moloch; between are the signs of the
zodiac and strange allegorical figures. 1t is
su1ncient 10 look at the composition to
realize the amount of research and study
necessary 10 enable the artist to undertake
II. 1t suggests patience and delibera-
ton with which, judging from his usual
brilliant and rapid methods one would
scarce have credited Mr.. Sargent.
And not only this. he has also adapted
bis technique to his motive. His treat
ment is as archaic as his subject; only in
the children of Israel is there something
of realistic rendering-a realism which,
truth to tell, seems to strike discerdant
note In the prevailing conventionalism
barbaric splendor is produced by the
gold of the armor and weapons and orna-
ments, all modelled in high relief and set
on the canvas as nimbus and decorations
are in the old Italian altar pieces by the
stones and jewels glistening in the robes of
Astarte, by the brilliancy of the red wings.
No doubt this was the effect Mr.. Sargent
sought. Otherwise it would not be easy to
account for what seems a want Of harmony
in the color scheme The wings are so
many unattached spots of red. The filmy
blue gauze-a marvel of cleverness in the
painting-that envelopes Astarte, Is in al
most too violent contrast with the more
sonber adornments of Moloch. But, as
say. this probably is Intentional. color har-
monies not being characteristic Of archaic
art,
Besides, until one sees all the designs to-
gether in their proper place-there Is
frieze of prophets. believe. to go under the
lur ette-it is too soon to speak Of the
decorative success of the general scheme.
The comparatively small fraction exhibited
amazes, by the knowledge revealed, by the
vigor of drawing, and the virility and
strength and fearlessness Of the compost
ton