The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-02
arr xorxs.
NJ. Mossr.,.s Picture. .. Kno.si.r...

A prominent artist aud . well-known In
structor at the Art Students League, Mr.. II.
Siddons Mowbray. Is q rare exhibitor. He is an
Academiclan and q member Of tho Society Of
American Artists. A pupil of Bonnat, he came
to New York In 1885, after q residence OF seven
years in Paris, the first four Of which were
spent In the school. During the latter part OF
his s%ojourn he painted pictures, most of which
were sold to English collectors through q Lon
don dealer. A nude figure. THE Young BAG
chus," and q portrait or two were shown at the
Salon. In New York Mr.. Mowbray has sent two
or three pictures to the Academy exhibitions. He
received the Clarke prize at the spring exhibi-
tion of 1883. At the Worlds Fair In 1898 and
at the Atlanta Exhibition in 1895 medals were
awarded him for pictures AMI drawings. Dur
ing the twelve years Mr.. Mowbray has been in
New York he has beon busily occupied with his
art. His illustrative designs are familiar to
magazine readers. but this is about the only
part of his work tina. 10 familiar TO the public.
His pictures have gone from his studio to the
houses OF the amateurs who bought them. He
has done q considerable amount OF mural
painting. This 10 In private houses also. So
that an exhibition of works By Mr.. Mowbray,
we'll known as he Is here. 10 almost like that
of some man whose name 10 now to us.
Such an exhibition, comprising twenty pictures.
seven studies for decorative panels. and twelve
drawings In black and white, or slightly tinted.
10 now open at Knoedler's Gallery. Moro than
half Of the pictures are Oriental subjects. That
Is to say. they have an Oriental character. Mr..
Mowbray seems to have imagined = little world
of his own in which 1.-the figures OF young girls
| clad in dellcately colored stufYs. embroidered
silks and .satins and pauze. dream away the
hours idling in dlmly lighted Eastern palaces.
lie paints pictures Of the Arabian Nights"
Here 10 "Abou Hassan. or thu Sleeper Awak-
ened," here are Tho Calenders," and horo
are "Scheherazade.' 1.-THE Entry Of the Last
Favorite." and The Song of Circassia."
In these compositions there is pretty color
and graceful. finished drawing. There 10
something decidedly imposing In the figure In
1.-THE Entry OF the Last Favorito," and this cam
vas may serve as an example OF the artists skin
In arrangement. In others the figures give an
Impression Of charm. for there Is no DRAMA, no
episode. being enacted. The subjects consist Of
scenes In uneventfui lives, where time Is killed.
as well as may be. listening to the reading Of
fairy stories or watching the sinuous move
ments of q dancing girl. These scenes are de-
picted with an art that includes very good
drawing, agreeable and sometimes distin guished
color. and atmospheric %onvelop. In other pic
lures the subjects are ~fanciful and decorative.
"The Evening Breeze" uhe Clarke prize pic
ture), 'Florial." and "ottar OF Rosos," re-
veal airy, rather palely colored landscapes
VAt ohAAhv ~
are devised to harmonic with the ethe-
real character OF the personages or
TO set Off by some effective contrast the
decorative aspect Of the compositions. In one
It Is a harmony OF green and rose. In another
green and yellowlsh white. Entirely different
from these canvases is u small portrait OF n
lady, three-quarter length, seated, and with the
head in profile. II has no color In gown or
accessories but black. The head. chest, arma.
.,l b.aA. 49,. sha anly pla.aa ..h.r. .sI.t ~
color is offered. In the painting OF these parts
OF the portrait the color Is subtle and refined.
The hands and arms are subordinated in
value. giving more brilliancy to the head
and shoulders. The blacks arc excellent. The
head and figure arc admirably drawn. This
beautiful little canvas shows tho artists most
serious and most artistic qualities. Finally
passing over the black and white drawings,
which are characterized by fneness and grace
OF limo and simplicity of rendering, and the
decorative sketches. which show how we'll Mr..
Mowbray succeeds In the composition of panels
with single figure subjects. with this mere men,
tion, there Is q picture called Destiny" IL
represents three young women bending over u
tapestry frame on which they are weaving the
story OF life. Peace and war are seen pictured
In the woof. and the three maidens hold
threads which lead upward to the hand
OF II shadowy figure Of Fate. who appears
NJ tuo cttrciuo rlSut u tuo COmpOsltlOH.
At the other end of the frame q fourth young
woman. who holds a pair of shears In her hand.
turns from the tapestry to look into a crystal
globe In which she reads the horoscope. The
setting for the figure Is a grassy terrace. aud
beyond tho white marble balustrade which en-
closes 1t appears q distant prospect Of meadow,
woods. and mountains. The sky shows the
fading greenish yellow OF evening and pink
clouds lie In masses near the horizon. Tho at
trntion given to detail. the care with which
the minor things In the composition are
painted. and the general aspect OF the cam
vas show an influence on thu painter
derived from a love OF the sincerity of
tho Italian prlmltives." On the other hand,
in tho color-schemo he makes no effort
whatever to initiate tho int faded tints OF the
early pictures. Figures and landscape are paint
ed with the frankest and freshest OF ~aalettes.
The picture. aside from it's showing q now de-
parture In subject. presents a great deal o. In
teres, In Its treatment. The heads OF the figures
arc delightful characterizations. The painting
Is throughout OF a very skilful sort. and tho
drawing. as might be expected. is graceful and
correct. There Is great charm In the picture,
sufficient reality In tho rendering to escape the
charge of "idealism" which good painters
shun. and there Is sufficient Imagination To
satisfy the demands of those who appeal for q
subject and n meaning In the art Of to-day.
An exhibition OF twenty-sIx water colors by
Percy Moran is on " at KnOedler's In q room
adjoining the gallery where tile Mowbrays arc
hung. Mr.. Moran. whose work is favorAbly
known In both oil and water color. has been an
infrequent exhibitor at the current exhibitions
for the last two years. his health having re-
CURED a journey and change Of climate. The
new water colors present many pleasing fancies.
quite a number Of them being heads OF pretty
women, and are washed In with the artists
usual skill and lightness Of touch.
Syndicate BuiIdiag Foreclosure.
Another foreclosure proceeding was begun
yesterday by Ming q lis pendons in the County
Clerks office against the real estate. SO to 80
Nassau street and 60 and bS Liberty street, on
which the syndicate building Ia. This Ia TO