The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-22
ar Norrs
Psvtrnit. sy nsi,. Cecilia Beasz-Ths steNnrt
eileetien-Fnste ~ Kenneth REnaier.

FeFtrnita ~ Ntn1 Cec1tin BenuN-Hho utoNnFN
C~eiisctisn-fasteia ~ Kenneth Ernsier'
IN exhibition of works BY Mics Cecilia
Beaux, almost Fall Of them portraits In oil,
closed at tho 81. Botolph Club in Boston on the
18th Of this month, and os the pictures were to
be sent from there to Philadelphia, where tho
collection IL to form part Of the annual exhibit
ton Of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
which opens on Jan. 10, II occurred TO some OF
the painters many friends In this town that IL
would be a good idea to havo the pictures
shown here in tho interval. Tho project TOOK
shape and has been carried out, so that begin
ming to-day the collection of twenty seven works
will be on exhibition daily until tho 31st OF Dc
cember In the galleries Of the American ART
Association, No. 8 East Twenty-third street.
Miss Beaux, who Is q Philadelphia, has been
a regular contributor to tho annual exhibitions
Of the Society OF American Artists for several
years and Is a member Of the society, having
been elected In 1893. She also exhibits at tho
Academy Of Design and Is an associate men,
Der Of that institution. At the Academy exhi-
bition of 1893 she was awarded the Dodge prize
of $500 for the best picture painted by a woman,
and she has received from the Pennsylvania
Academy the gold medal awarded by the d.
rectors for high achievements In tho fine arts.
A few years ago a number of her portraits were
exhibited at the Champ de Mars Salon, and
DhO WOO hh uoSotiubo vi pAohA
mary grade to tho full title of societaireD of the
Soci6t6 Rationale des Beaux-Arts. Recogni-
ton of her talent has been quickly accorded
In all artistic circles, and she has won
o high reputation as q painter. At least
eight or nine Of the portraits in tho
present exhibition have been seen at the So
ciety Of American Artists. but the others arc
new to New York. The collection, as q whole,
Is one Of prime interest and should be seen by
every one who wishes to keep track Of the devel-
opment and of the various phases of the art Of
painting. .
Miss Beaux's painting has long since passed
the stage at which, by the way, the work Of
many women artists stops short and finally
withers, where II is fitting to speak Of 1t as prom
Using. 1t is fully developed, completely settled
as to style apparently, and Of 30 high a degree
OF facility that it can only be treated as the
achievement OF a mature practitioner. In this
view 1t is not difficult to point out some Of its
faults. It Is impossible to avoid seeing in these
portraits a good deal of weak drawing. in heads
and hands in some instances, and loose con-
%struction in figures in others. Nor can one be
blind to the fact that while the artists sense Of
color is acute and refined, she at times loses
the note Of the local tint, particularly in her
treatment of light masses.
This may be seen in the otherwise excellent,
lifelike. and realistic Portrait of Mrs. Thomas
A. Scott" No. /, where II Is impossible to de-
termine whether the color of the gown is
white, pale gray, or mauve. The fine atmos-
| pheric effect seems to be obtained by the sacri-
fee Of some necessary facts. In the Portrait
of Mrs. ]. Fl. Richards" No. ID, there can BIO
no question as to the color. 1t is Enthusiastically
q study Of whites. But in this case, while truth
Of tint is preserved, substance is lost and the
general effect of the picture is ewh pa
perry. In the portrait of q gentleman with
white side whiskers mo. III tho treatment
Is sketchy, in another portrait Of o gentleman
mo. q character is seriously studied but both
head and figure are without relief; in the largo
full-length portrait Of q lady mo. 22) the faults
far outweigh the merits. and In "Sita and Sa-
rita" No. 2, q picture Of o young woman in
! white with q black cat on her shoulder. charm
ing though 1t is in general aspect, clever as 1t Is
in handling, there Is a lack Of construction in
head and hands that must grove the spectator
who wants to like It very much. Cynthia"
No. 8, percy" No. 6. and Catherine No.
"a. are three quickly painted heads OF children
which deserve high praise for what they give
and what they suggest. "Cecil," No. 10, 10 a
striking portrait of a little boy in brown cloak
and skirt, excellent in every part except q neg
lected left hand, and "Dorothea in tho Woods"
No. 6, is Q pretty picture of q girl at the foot of
o big tree, very good in out-of-doors effect AID
charming in general aspect.
Then come some other portraits in which the
execution is less exuberant than in those named
above, in which there is moro reserve force and
greater restraint, more sobriety Of aspect and
moro serious and self. contained endeavor. The
Dreamer" No. @, Is one of them, and stands
in the present exhibition, as 1t has in many
others, as one of Miss Beaux's best titles to q
high place among American painters. Quite as
good, though different in conception, is the
Portrait Of Mrs. Eliza S. Turner" No 13. q
quiet piece of painting with good, careful draw
ing. portrait of Mrs. James Hopkins" No. IT,
Is another. canvas that contains none but good
qualities save a little over.accented color in the
hand, and that possesses q fine, nfelike look.
Still another that Is very good and impresses
by its seriousness Is Portrait of Michael Cross"
No. 10. The exhibition as a whole must i'm
press the intelligent visitor with the fact that in
Miss Beaux We possess an artist of genuine
temperament and Of surprising skill Of hand.
Tho opportunity to see 80 many Of her works in
one gallery will be appreciated by many who
have heard of her and do not know her work,
and those who have followed her career will be
pleased to see in this comprehensive group evil
dence that without losing a certain brilliancy
that characterized her earlier performances,
she is imbued with the feeling that the most
simple and restrained qualities in painting are
the best worth striving for.
Tho managers of the American Art Associa-
ton announce that tho private Wow" of tho
William H. Stewart collection Of pictures will
be held in their galleries on the evening of the
Gath of January. Tho public exhibition will
begin the next day after and continue to the Sd
of February. On the evenings of the Sd and 4th
this celebrated collection will DO sold at auction
in Chickering Hall.
Mr. Kannnfh FrnZiar n VnunD arffaf who
studied in England and France, who is q mem.
Der of the Society of American Artists and a
regular contributor to its exhibitions OF pic.
lures that have attracted attention by reason
Of individual qualities of composition and color,
Is exhibiting fifteen pastel sketches of landscape
at Wunderlichs gallery. 1873 Broadway. The
motives have been found for the greater part OF
the pictures In the valley Of the Hudson neal
West Point, though two or three depict effects