New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09
LONDON ART SHOWS.
GALLERY-PAINTINGs BY SARGENT.
ABBEY AND OTHER AMER1-
CAN ARTISTS.

ABBEY AND OTHER AMERI-
CAN ARTISTS
London April %.
This years exhibition Of the Royal Academy
can hardly be regarded as equal to last year s.
and certainly 1t is unworthy OF the pomp ana
glory Of the Queens second Jubilee Inc oes'
men are not represented by their best WORK
and the average performance Is below the lever
II last year 1t is a large exhibition. comprising
1.OS3 oil paintings. 32i watercolor drawings. 115
miniatures $50 etchings engravings and aren't
tecturai drawings. and 172 examples OF sculpt-
ure The Hanging Committee. Of which Mr.
George n. Boughton and Mr.. Alma-Tadema have
been the leading spirits. have done their arduous
md thankless work with exceptional Judgment
and taste placing all the strongest work where
II could be seen to the best advantage. But
even the most Judcious hangers cannot create
great art where II does not exist. They can only
recognize what is best and most original among
the thousands Of pictures and drawings ac-
cep,ed. and so we'll have they done their work
,hat tho rems OF the collection may be identified
with certainty by their positions on the walls
The Mace OF honor in the largest room has
been allotted TO what is undoubtedly the picture
Of the year This is Mr.. Sargents portrait or
lady and two children. Mr.. Sargent IS nominahS
an Acknowledgement. and 1t has not oeen GUS
ton,ary to assign the traditional place OF honor
TO a member before he has compiled with the
requirements and secured his diploma regularly
signed by the Queen. In this instance etq0e''e
hos been flung to the winds, and with the con-
cant ~ the Council the best work has been put
In the best place.
This portrait lacks much Of the saucy swagser
-hravura Is perhaps pleasanter term-of MT
carpen,s picture Of Mrs. George Swinton at the
New Gallery. vet it has more vitality and Is en-
,;ro,v free from mannerisms and self.conscions-
ness II Ia portrait Of Mrs. Carl Meyer, scatter
On a divan with her two children behind looking
over the back OF settee. A book mas peeh
tossed asid. ans one OF the children mas been
taken by the haul. With the otner hanu She
holds lace fan and her face is illumined oy
,raciou. smile So intense is the impression of
vitality that the spectator is persuaoeo tia'
there ha, been no carefully calculated studio
pose. but that the children have suddenly en-
tered the room and that the book mas peeh
dropped The lady's sensitive, happy race re-
veals delightful personality. and the arms are
pulsating with life. the pink fingers showing .he
furthest reach Of the blood current Inc PINK
dress with a texture and lustre revealing subtle
changes Of color Is painted with those ooio
strokes Of brush-work OF which this artist aiohe
appears to be capable This IS not however d
nortrait which has the semblance Of having been
dashed off by a master who can work rap'oN
because he is certain Of the effects to be pro-
dnced II is a masterpiece Of modern portrait
ure completed with arduous labor as well as
full knowledge.
There are good portraits on the same wall
with Mr.. Sargents. but they are painted In
conventional spirit and have the self-consc1ous
air which his lacks The works OF MT. Ouless'
Mr. SAINT and Mr. Wells are placed In direct COM
petition with the lady and the Children ou'
while their art has resources and strength IL Is
deficient in that gift of vitality ana personally
which seems TO be his alone. Other artists pant
portraits, but Mr.. Sargent imparts the breath
of life TO his fair ladies in their wonderful gowns.
His triumph is so complete this year that Sec
ond portrait might have been dispensed with.
but no visitor who sees the old-fashoned MAIDEN
the Hon Laura Lister with her childish race
ana demure innocence. would be willing to nave
the work removed, 1t is charming portrait OF
a child painted more quietly than is Mr.. sar-
gents habit. Only ore other chiid portrait III
the galleries can be mentioned in comparison
with it, This is Mr.. Wattss portrait of Dorothy
Eleanor MacCaurl-a fresh and beautiful work
characterized by his Venetian fonduess for color.
MR.. STORY PAINTS THE PRINCE.
Mr. Julian Story has portrait OF the Prince
of Wales. which was sent to the Academy AFTER
the hour for admitting pictures had sounded
The regulations and traditions OF Burlington
House are supposed to be like the laws OF the
Modes and Persians, but the Queens inte'ces-
sion was asked and granted and the picture &C.
cupies prominent place Mr.. Story is Amer:-
can like Mr.. Sargent and he has painted good
portrait Of the Prince of Wales. bringing out in
dicfin cfio Of n
ner There are other American pictures in the
show, and all are well placed by virtue of down.
right merit. The two most important apart
from the portraits are Mr.. Boughton's and Mr..
Abbey's, but Mr.. Mark Fishe: has Large, we'll
handled farmyard subject, Mr.. w T. Richards
has series of fine marines, and Mr.. Wetheib ee
is improving as usua, in his work, which is filled
with poetic Imagination. Mr.. George Hitchcock,
of whom great things have been expected hard
~ fulfls the hopes Of his friends this year He
has a st George treated In a conventional
way. and disclosing little evidence Of the SUI
perior art which he has learned in Holland.
Mr.. Boughton's After Midnight Mass is the
best work which he has painted for many years.
II is a large canvas representing a fifteenth cen-
fury scene Service in the cathedra! has ended,
and great lady with her attendants, torchbear-
ers trainholders and other servants, Is emerg-
ing from the porch under the eyes OF motley
gathering Of worshippe:s. The ground Is COW
cred with snow and rich mists OF moonlight are
floating over the sacred walls. ana the radiance
Of the torches produces curious play of cross
lights upon faces and costumes. 1t is work
of great interest and charm and occupies a
prominent place near Mr.. Sargents mastery
portrait One does not need to be told that Mr..
Boughton has spent much time In studying
effects Of light at Westminster Abbey and
Rochester Cathedral and in his researches in
fifteenth century costume.
The other prominent American painting Is Mr..
Abbey's Hamlet" 1t is the scene from the play