The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25
LESSONS OF THE PORTRAITS.
TIE Comparison they AHord Hetweer
ArerIra- .rd Foreirn Psiutsrs.

Y ~
To rHE EDITOR OF TnE sUN-Str: At the
Academy OF Design Il undoubtedly one Of the
most successful exhibitions Of pictures which
has been held In New York in many a yeTE' II
We may Judge by the attendance and amount OF
public interest manifested. OF course the inter
est Is not simply one OF art or OF charity, IL Is Tar
more one Of curiosity. n wish TO see noted ana
fashionable women as they themselves have
chosen to he seen. But it Is rs a collection OF
portraits that we must Judge of 1t. since IL comes
in under the banner OF art, and art in one OF us
most fascinating directions.
The great painters Of the world have undoubt-
edly made their most pronounced successes In
portraiturc. not alone or always in portraits OF
women. for the great portraits ofthe world have
not been those Of women. The element OF force
and Of possible tragedy which we find In some
Of the examples OF the old masters places them
far above the uncxcitinR pictures OF the historic
and even OF the beautiful women who have star
red the centuries.
Nevertheless portraits OF women have In mod
ern days decidedly the advantage, as FAR rs COS
tune lie concerned, and certainly they monop-
ollie the efforts Of the most successful modern
painters.
One experiences great satisfaction in seeing
that this exhibition puts American portrait
painters really ahead Of the French and English
painters whose names are prominent In the ART
Of the time. and II is greatly to be hoped thaS
the fact will result in better patronage OF our
own painters. I am not one Of those who clanior
for indiscriminate purchase OF American pic
lures, but IL Is q fact that the reputation OF
many a foreign artist has boon made by the deal
ers In art, simply because the work OF . clever
painter, without already acquired reputation In
Europe affords the dealer q larger margin OF
profit, and profit which he can control for a
much longer time than would be the case with
an American painter. Many q reputation gained
In this way has resulted in prosperity Tor tor-
eign portraitists. while men who are their
equals in skill. and who have the advantage OF
familiarity with character and conditions here,
are constantly passed over and neglected.
The point Of view of the foreign painter is, and
must Of necessity be, foreign to the average
American character. and in almost every case
one feels that It is untrue. The woman disap-
pears entirely, while q well-arranged wire dress
model, with n beautiful coiffured or becrowned
or befeathered or bejewelled head in wax seems
to have been the model. One can see that the
painters mind comprehended all the details Of
dress, and felt tho Importance OF o proper pre-
ehn Tptton Witch. though temporarily obscured
by the yanities Of the world, still. existed ana
should have been dragged from behind the vail:
do not mean TO say that this achievement
has In all cases been successfully ACCOMPLISHED
In the portraits by American painters. but 1t has
DftH ulltIlDltu III nun lnbthhttb hho v
plished in a few. and I can also gladly point out
the fact that In most of such instances there are
also harmony OF color and simplicity. OF detail.
OF course it would be unfair TO take the work of
our one or two best men-men. who. Like Sar-
and call his or their characteristics the charac,
%teristics of the American school; but, the fact is
that the American school, follows the lead OF
such men, and profits by their successes: 1t Is
e eiIsy'aGsis o sqr the French eway Practice raSm .a and f%adoptinks
has come to greater simplicity in his work
through a gradual process Of elimination while
ration for the Effects OF Whistler.
But with all the posing, aud painting. how few
modest expression. and how many carry an air
ofindiGerence which in the original would be
which ono expects to find In a portrait OF a
beautiful woman is so rare as 70 make one won
der at the persistence with which women have
been willing TO sit Tor their portraits.
OF course, all the world knows that having a
P rinss' and 9 more, far ai G So mas since e the lSet world II IS m fali
Of good men and women willing TO make each
S sbhfi . sTpT rem ayr happy inn IN % az aaSs SaS wno
able to make a supremely true and beautiful
portrait, OF even the best endowed Of mortals
any human being on canvas, requires ability
second only, 70 that which made man first, in
There are painters, and many of them. who
car draw the human figure correctly In any Pose
flesh, and eyes that might see. and Clothes
which might have been spun and woven, as far
as the effect upon the observer is concerned;
and yet these things do not make up a satisfac-
tory portrait. Perhaps because the artist thinks
too much, OF, them. and his ability to initiate
them, TO think much about the man or woman
And yet they are there all the time. waiting to
be painted, and 1t Is just that central person.
Atty which most OF the painters miss.
Or course there Is always the possibility OF
50 8 s %ach t ana fashion iaSps are th Pa' e dist MnSSf Test th rs
original to possess a portrait which Is even a
failure; Some OF them may amount TO not much
more than a study of still life, but painted tapes
try, and gilded furniture, and shimmering satin
and Jewels. painted by such, a painter are no
ones own name. it even adds to the value OF Il
Tor the possessor. Among the modern portraits
value, but the stuarts and Trumbulls and Peales
and Copleys have intrinsic value as well.
a bit Of "stiiI life" ii With IN a ih face add.d anf Tb het
are individuals interested in the world, too. and
one wonders whether the generally bored or to-
tally indifferent look OF modern portraits Is an
effect of the life and time as well as want OF
insight in the painter.
modern portraits. That OF Mrs. Millet by Sar-
gent Is really not only interested in life, but AS
gallery had cGmo In by her own front door.
The portrait Of Miss Chanler, by the same
artist. Is as intent in expression as IL the soul
were on an exploring tour, looking at and trying
10 reconcile the mysteries OF the world.
These two p%ortrAts make one wish 10 see how
the same painter would deal with a masculine
face, lined with competitive effort, and thinned
with half realized ambitlons-such faces as we
tind among our successful public men, editors,
bankers, and politicians. such faces az
Titan and Nandyke would have liked TO paint.
There are a few portraits OF such men in New
\ ork, but the type has not Ms vet found its
Bonnat has dealt with some. and not
nngratsfully, but he is after all a painter OF sur
faces, although he can deal with them 10 a hair,
lust the Kind or external painting he has be-
slowed upon No. %, the lady with a crown.
Rut after all, no matter what exceptions we
may take To the faint suggestion OF masquerade
in paint of all these ladies', IL Is a noble array in,
for the most part, b'autiful clothes. and there
Is no reason why we should not be content and
with IL. Indeed we are, and grateful
INTO the 6argain.onlY we cannot help wishing,
trying 10 make every painting look as II It were
lone IN "A hall hour, with the brush marks left
is proof, and give us ISw and then a specimen
Df art, instead Of mat eriAlity. an effort to can
lure the beautiful which lives In every human