New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-24
NOTES FROM LONDON.
MR.. SARGENTS ELECTION TO THE ROYAE
ACADEMY-MR. BUCHANAN AGAIN.
PRESS CENsORsHIP-MISS FLORA
SHAW

ACADEMf-MH. BUCHANAN AGAIN.s,f
PRESS CENSORsHIP-MISS FLORA
SHAW.
London, January H.
The election Of Mr.. John s. Sargent the Amen
lean painter, to be associate Of the Royal
Academy, long predicted, was accomplished on
Tuesday Of this week. Public opinion in the end
forced the hand Of the Academicians or perhaps
1t should be said the public opinion Of the art
world outside the Academy, and Of one section
inside. Popular. in on. sense Mr.. Sargent Is not.
acceptable to the average Academican he GER
tany is not. But he las finally come to be
known as man who can paint. a master Of
technique and as one of the most brilliant artists
Of his day, with no equal among the men Of his
generation. He has never cared for mere story
telling on canvas. What interested him were
the secrets of line. Of color, Of manipulation, and
of effect. He is one of that small band Of pict-
ure-makers who have set themselves, not to
evade. but to confront and to overcome the diff
culties Of painting. He has shown the most ex.
traordinary power. and n courage and confidence
IN himself which nothing but success could have
justified.
With such ideas Of art as have long held
sway in Burlington House. Mr.. Sargent has ABB
solutey nothing in common. Every picture he
pei haps a menace. That is just true of pict-
ures which gained large degree Of general adj
miration like the "Carmencita,' and the MIRA
Hamersey at the new Gallery, as Of pictures
which, to the average British beholder. were
mere perplexties or establishments, like the car
nation and lily canvas Of some years ago, or the
portraits Of the three Misses V. Of about the
same period. The English. while doing justice.
some Of them. to Mr.. Sargents gifts. remark
little reproachfully, that he is doubly foreigner
being American by birth an French by educae
ton, with NJ. Carolus Duran for master.
But this is far from being the first time that
the Academy has looked abroad for members.
Their most accomplished painter at this moment
is a Du,chman, Mr.. Aira-Tadema, and one OF
their popular successes, Professor Herkomer, Is
a Bavarian Copley was an American l am not
sure whether between Copley and Mr.. Sargent
any other American has interviewed. Mr..
Whistler was never even a candidate. AS for Mr..
Sargent's education. no doubt he learned to paint
IN NJ. Carolus Durln's studio. but of the direct
influence of the great French portrait painter
there is very little visible trace in the Americans
work. Perhaps a rule he models rather less
soidly. and he still lacks thirty years or so Of
NJ. Duran's experience. II he Is not exactly
recluse, like Mr. Burne-Jones. it nevertheless re-
on at the Academy. Mr.. Burne-Jones resigned
his associatcship last year. thinking. no DOUBT
that he had dwelt long enough in that pro-
dictionary or purgatorial stage. Mr.. Sargent may
have to wait longer than he likes for full Aca-
demcal honors though presume he will not. as
did Mr. Burne-Joncs, withhold his pictures from
the Academy exhibitions. The profane are never
supposed 10 know what passes within the pre-.
ci, ] OF that solemn and rather heavy building
which frowns on Piccadily between Bond-st ana
Sackve-st. And all outsiders are profane.
leading daily paper of London. commenting on
Mr. Sargent's election. says that two years ago
II would have been a graceful act. whereas now
Il had become inevitable Nothing IN the
Academy is inevitable except death and the COM
monpace Another observes forgetting for
moment the austere decorum which forblds per-
sonalities Except political personalities ana
sundry others) in it's editorial columns informs
the world that personally. Mr.. Sargent is good
fellow That Is no news either. But taxing inc
two together and bearing in mind that the Royal
Academy is a club. we may look to happy ana
not too distant future when sir. Sargent, ~. II.
A. will be permitted to drop the hrst o. these
letters. and shine forth as Royal Academican
ful-grown and fu-winsed lie VIII i!iumihats
the place when he does. He eliminates the
III
carmencita' hangs with Mr.. whisters portrait
of his mother opposite-two American pictures In
one room of the finest modern gallery Of living
and recent painters in all Europe. Not an
Englishman Is there.
1t appears from Mr. Robert Buchanan's latest
letter that he has been misunderstood. lie -
not an admirer IF Zolasm. He believes IL an
ugly, a corrupt. and an evil influence on h'era-
ture generally: that NJ. Zola's ears Which might
have heard the still small voice OF humanity ara
stopped with ordure"; and that he Is writer
whose search is chiefly for the Execrable' whose
experience of life Is gained chiefly among the
sewers" As an opinion, that is very well. but 1t
is. unhappily. a pious opinion ana nothihS
more For Mr.. Buchanan expressly approves
the full and free manifestation OF this ugly.
corrupt. and evil influence. He demands fuil
freedom" for him. That means. II II means
anything, that there ought to be no legal re-
striction upon the publication OF NJ. Zoia most
ugly and corrupting books.
1t is Mr. Buchanan's opinion that no such re-
striction now exists in England. He says:
There is no power In England to prevent a man
writing exactly as ne pleases. II he has the
courage and the strength" He MEANS evidently.
that he may both write and publish what he
nleases with impunity. 1t would be trusm
and a platitude to say that a man may write
what he pleases. The question whether he may
publish what he pleases is. however. question
Of law, and I never heard that Mr.. Robert
Buchanan was a lawyer. His legal opinions
are worth just much, or a. little. as the
opinions Of any other layman His critical
opinions have perhaps an equal value, and are
EXPRESSED In a jargon such as no other writer
employs It is hardly critical to say o: Mr..
Hardy's Tess that 1t is 1.-The very quintessencs
Of vulgarity. banality. ineptitude" or to speak
of "Zola's smutty finger smudged over the fair
face Of Mr.. Hardys rustic Muse" II. however.
Mr. Buchanan was merely trying to be disa-
greeablc, he succeeded very we'll.
In any case he has detained us much longer
than his position warrants. But did not wish
to do him injustice. The same reason leads me
TO add that Mr.. Buchanan has made something
which he seems to intend as an apology for his
impertinence to the memory Of Mr.. Lowell. 4
IN assured no saws ''that the writer In