New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07

often established between a mans styl" ana MS
medium Of expression. the latter strengthening
and developing his art in all the relations which
most give II Individuality and distinction Fitch
ing Is essentially a linear art. a proposition from
which occasional rebels seem tempted to recedc.
But for one master who through clever manipu-
lntion ~ the etchcr's to. comes near 70 selling
the tone and breath OF mezzotnt there are foz-
ems who only prove the truth of tho maxim they
have essayed to dispacr Mr. Flat WAS from the
beginning content to keep within the limits ~
pure etching and that he wise has not only
been proved by the in;rlncic beauty ~ his plates.
but by the way IN which his experience as an
etcher has reacted upon his experience as
painter. In the latter capacity he has been IN
nnonced by the imprcssionists but he has never
aba ndoned the truth which etching taught nm
- preserve. As an ctchcr he saw nature organi-
cally, and was compelled 10 reproduce her In the
same mood with a vcracity that would have been
forced upon him by his medium II he had not In
silnciively found the clear linear equivalents OF
his masses Of color and form. As painter he
has continued his eaAy method RE does not
paint In lines. but he draws superhly NTH the
brush and builds his landscapes with an ctch"rs
rightnets OF draughtsmanshir and conference OF
form and design This is the most striking fact
which energies from n consideration Of his work
n
tegrity OF Mr. Patt's etch!ngs has never made
him In the slightest degree less of n painter
etcher. that f. an artist gaining with the needle
the fulness ~ form the richness and trans
parency Of color. the varied play Of light and
shade which are more obviously the prerogatves
Of the brush. The illustration which we give
from en- etching done In 1857 will emphasize this
quality Of balance in hts work. II has linear
charm In the treatment 0f the rigging and other
ropea In the handling Of the further shore and
the family indicated horizon at the vanishing
point OF the perspective. There is also In this a
delightfully."- panter-like balancing Of masses ana
in the original plate the hulls OF the boats and
their sha lows the muddy fats In the foreground
and the embankment on the right are all pitched
In such effective gradatons Of tone that a lively
Of color Is conveyed. To have achievef
such fusion OF qualities as this. and to have
achieved 1t with uniform celebrity and complete
ness in long series Of plates IL no small tri-
umph. and 1t has doubtless caused more than
one observer Of Mr. Platts work to wonder why
he has not more persistently cultivated his gifts
as an etcher. He has the technique. the power,
and though ne has seemed at times to work in
vein which has also been followed By Mr..
Stephen Parrish there has never been any con-
fusion Of the two styles. The subject Of pres
ent examination has been a personal force In
American art from first to last. All his plates
picturesque. showing the seective taste and
skill OF a tactfu designer They have more than
picturesqueness, they nave pictorial beauty OF
the sort which springs from feeling az we'll ms
from sensuOus linear charm. and their truth Is
always OF the spontaneous, emotonally appre-
hended sort. Possibly 1t Is this very strain Of
emotion in him which has turned Mr. Plat
ha Trio ~ ~
the wider range of painting Certainly his
paintings have reflected a more ebulllent spirit, |
a more energetic power. windy freshness
which the etched plates. with all their high
qualities. still stop short Of possessing. In them
the impression IL always invIgoratIng always
compacted OF things which could only have been |
grasped through study out OF DOORS but neither
the scene nor the mood seems often to have been |
informed by the blithe movement and fragrance |
OF the hills and streams. by the last nip OF a |
winter wind or the caressing softness OF sum-
mer breeze. The atmosphere Is vitalized. but |
Mr.. Plat could deal with 1t on the copper |
as he can now on canvas. His recent perform |
ances have shown that In the mere filling OF |
his compositions with penetrating air and q:iv- |
ering light he has taken a long leap ahead.
The impressionists might perhaps aver that
Mr.. Plat had been assisted in his leap by the |
example OF their school, and that he Is one OF |
them In the distinctive elements OF his painted |
work. But 1t Is at this point that he becomes |
most interesting to the follower OF no one
school, for 1t In when you begin to analyze his |
impressionism that you discover the ingrained
individuality OF his W. rk. He has prohted by
the fermentation due to the French Impression
lists; he has shared In the impetus toward more
light. and more truth and sunshine with It. than
that which was inaugurated by Monet and his
fellows. At the same time he has cast In his
lot with the moderates and has avoided the half
truths and eccentrcities which dsngure 30
much Of contemporary American painting. In