New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-25
ART EXHIBITIONS.
THE MANCINI PICTUREs-sOME PoR.
TRAITS BY MISS CECILIA PEArrx

TRAITS BY MISS CECILIA PEAUX
There is something peculiarly dishcartening IN
the disappointment offered by the exhibition at the
Fifth Avenue Art Galleries Of some ten or twelve
oil paintings and handful of pastels by Antonio
Mancini That Roman artist has appeared but eel.
dom in collections here. When he has been repre-
scented II has been invariably by piece OF vigorous
painting a piece Of brilliant color. The canvases
in the present exhibition are In every instance b.
low tile standard set By those rare works. The
explanation is not easily to be discovered. How Is
1t that the who has done such good work
should now leave an unfortunate impression? The
answer may be left to his biographers. We are
concerned regretfully with the qualities he now
reveals They are sometimes good; that much may
willingly be admitted. All these figure studies have
a broad decorative effect. they contain some rich
color. and the style has delightful holiness But
these merits will not diminish the bad effect OF
SIonor Manciris heavy npasto they will not
atone for the gr.my texture Of his paintings and
the cross OPAQUE quality Of his so lavishly spent
pigments Here and there conciliating passage
of execution will appear. In the race OF the boy In
No r. boy with Red Flower FOR example But
these small touches are lamentaby rev. on the
whole the pictures strike the eye as being 50 many
sheets Of thick paint, coarsey iaid on Inc tur'
buent strength Of this artist 1t would be Idle to
danv He handles his brushes with authority. But
M needs to handle them with more deAcacy with
moro taste before his work Will be worth bringing
all the way from Europe In so many examples
restful contrast Is supplied by the collection OF
Dutch water-colors shown in the ADJOINING room
To turn from Mancinrs Nude Model to the suave
and capabe painting Of the barred arm IN the
"s,udv,' bv Willy Martens is to turn from rough
bravado 10 discreet and charming skill There Is
much good work in this Dutch cohecCon Inc
familiar artists Of the day are represented III paint
,ngs illustrative Of the rural lie ana oohlesuc sen
.,msnt Of the Low Countries; there are captivating
l..
ard altogether the pleasure afforded by ne WORK
., 60 true and doep that one feels indebted to the
anc,ni exhibition for bringing one to the galleries.
Mic, C.cuio Reoux has had hung at the American
Art Galleries a collection OF twenty-five or thirty
nortraits. some Of them new to THIS CITY, Others
familiar through having been displayed 81 moro
than one OF the annual exhibitions N''tci'hi VI
her art at It has been from time 10 time Drought
70 notice has been almost evenly taVoraoVe'
verdict rendered in the presence OF al 'hese can
vases is II anything more cordial than ever MISS
poaux bos one quality which alone would make
hcr Interesting and valuable to American art. II -
hard IN define No single word expresses that at
rnosphere Of not only the real but the !huIse"ous
which means the difference between aoHHiHs '"o
artist for her skill and admir!ng her Tor her u'h
She js more than veracious. She gives to perfec-
ton the note Of people whom one might nave
known people whom we have surprised without
The fatntest trace In their demeanor Of sitting Tor
thoi- portrait" II 20 find II In Degas you CAL u
the duintessence OF impressionism IL you mo
In some others whom we will not name-out they
are numerous-you call II Photographic accuracy
With Miss Beaux It Is neither IMPRESSIONS" no'
photography 4. Is a compound Of sincerity OF In
tegencc Of absolute freshness Vi iee''''e' " ~
entirely healthy taste.
These are honest portraits. They SAVIOR Of no
tricks OF no raining after decorative eneoe OK
no mere love OF art for arts sake. And AL ths
time they arc beautiful That Is where they o.
come brilliant Miss Beaux's other qualities might
almost be called commonplace they seem % oov''
ousy the qualities OF just conscientious WORKER
bu. the personal side Of her art coming to the front
AZ this point raises all the commonplace virtues
10 a higher power. good Illustration ID p1oV'oeo
f., the portrait Of child, "Ernesa" In other
hands the expedent OF cutting the nurse on ~ tne
waist and leaving only her skirts for background
for the child would have come perilously near to
the theatrical Miss Beaux avoids that sp>cions
note She concentrates attention on the CHILD, ana
paints her with strength Of hand ana renns-
nent OF feeling which recall Mr.. Sargent. uh'u you
observe that the essential charm OF the proouotioo
is really expressive Of no one but MISC beaux one
has an especially feIcitous touch in the portrsiturs
OF children, though her studies OF women ar~ -
good that Il seems captious to draw any distino-
ton. Tho masculine\ portraits are, psrhap@ tns
lea 81 satisfactory. But that Is not severe oonoe'
nation The portrait Of Or. Grter may not b 20
winning as the portrait called Tho Dreamsf the
youth In the background OF Mother and Son" may
not he so we'll painted as the figure who comes 70
the fore but in all her work. no matter who the
sitter may be- Miss Beaux has power ana an
originality which give her high rank. Perhaps she
Will go higher when she has simplined and purified
her color when she has given TO it a subtlsr rich
ness and a more transparent quality. Perhaps
TOO the handling Of outlines might be moro precise.
the drawing OF contour moro flowing and secure.
not asserted that these portraits Inn
peccabe. But they head and shoulders above
he conventional work Of to-day; they reveal . new
and a delightfully."- taking individuality Ten years
hence Miss Beaux will be one Of the foremost
portrait painters here or abroad, and to-day she
holds her own with uncommon ease.