New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09
I |.

| COOL refreshing central corridor and Its three
| large rooms where the eyes arc not overstrained
| by gmpses Of works hung too high or too low.
| 1t was not however, so much for promoting the
| comfor. OF visitors as for nvIgoratng their
| minds by the revelation OF individuality in art
| that this gallery opened ten years ago. 1t
| was designed to offer vigorous competition with
| the Royal Academy and to enlarge the inner
| tance OF the Grosvenor The rivalry of the
| Salons has been grea; force In French art ard
| the influence Of competition has been equally
| needed in London. But the prestige of the Acad-
| envy is invincible It is there that the younger
! men like 10 be brought to the front. 1t is there.
| too, that the veterans prefer to surprise their
friends with fresh revelations Of the vitality and
progressive character OF their art 1t Is there at
any rate, that individuality is proclaimed this
year.
THE NEW GALLERY's SUPPORTS.
The New Gallery is dependent upon Sir Ed
ward Burne-Jones and Mr.. Watts for ideast ar.
OF creative force: and, Industrious workers as
they are, they have not founded a school nor at
tracted swarm Of imitatOrs. Without their
characteristic work the New Gallery would be
conventional a collection Of English pictures
as is seen in Burlington House. When they are
at their best one is tempted to believe that Eng
lsh art in the future will be something essen
TALLY different from what IT is now. This year
each is represented by inferior work, and conse-
quently the exhibition as a whole seems to be
| lacking in original force and without promise Of
any radical reaction against the present tenden-
cies of English art.
Sir Edward Burne-Jones has large canvas,
and consequently plenty Of space for bringing
out clearly the dreamke story of THE Pilgrim
of Love; but he does not succeed in making IL
wholly ineligible. A young man crowned with
flowers and with dart In hand is pursuing a wan
and melancholy maiden through a thicket OF
briars and thorns, and little birds are around
them in the maze. 1t is allegory only half re-
veaed. Everything is ideaz.i according to his
habit, and neither the thicket of brambles nor
! the birds among the thorns such ever
seen; but the two main figures have the charm
OF idyc grace which he invariably imparts 10
his gallant knights and ladies sad. There is also
beautiful color scheme of harmonious grays
and yelows which is restiul to the eye. The
picture is distinctly inf9;:or in design to either
the Aurora the 'Launcelot' of last year.
and the draperies of the figures have a metallic
sheen which seems to stiffen them into mail Mr..
Watts has small work. Paris Ida" which
is deficient in vigor and not good example Of
his art and also a charming portrait OF mis- wife
"a head painted with simplicity and tender feel
ing.
There are other works which are intended 20 be
either imaginative or emotional, but are not tri-
um2hs Of inspired ideasm. Mr.. NOVEL; has a
large canvas descriptive Of the Expulsion from
Eden" but with all the excellent technique it is
cold and lifeles9 work. Mr. Walter Cranes
"Britannia's Vision is decorative, but lacks the
free and graceful fancy which he ordinarily re-
veas illustrator. Mi Philip Burne-Jones
has both a more ambitious and more success
full picture. The Van pire,' for which his cousin.
poem. beautiful woman with cold. triumph
ant face is gloating in moonlight over bed
where man with wound In his breast is either
sleeping or dying. 1: is a strong work, which
offers promise OF greater achievement from the
sarlc painter in tie future. Another work of i'm
aginative power is Mr.. Alfred Easts IAN Idyl ~
SPRING with water nymph on the bank Of a
river. futtering swans, blossominG trees. wild
flowers and butterflies. and lovely. misty land
scape. 1t is a picture fairly vibrating with the
quickenirg life of early spring and it is painted
with refinement of technique
Mr.. Sargen: has portrait Of Mrs. George
Swnton, which easily trumpas in style over al:
other portraits in the gallery, although It is not
great a work as his LADY in white Of last
year That was the Countess Aldrngen. who had
risen suddenly from a settee and was standing
with lips parted and face lighted up with &
smile-a perfect embodiment Of vitality and ar
rested movement. Mrs Swinton is also standing |
bu; the poise of the head and figure and the r. |
Taxed convey no intimation of suddenly |
suspended action The impression of vitality Is |
less Ike IN although there is no lack of personal
ity and character in the face. and especially E !
tia eyes The command.0; style is there accom- |
panied by bravura which is well-ngh overpow !
ering.
There are man. other portraits. bur few of eS- |
Ceptiona excellence. Mr.. Shan lOrs art seems I
to have declined temporarily, and reveals less !
mastery of technical resources In his portal: of
Lord Ross, son of the Marquis of Granny the !
child is sacrificed to the dog. which is brilliantly |
painted with convincing realism. The most beau |
tiful picture of a child is Mr. Boughton's |
"Esma Roh5' In seventeenth century costume. |
which is conspicuous for its daintiness of exc |
cuto1 and soft. silvery tones. II has the fresh !
Less AMI simplicity of childhood. and the painter |
has known when to stop not to harden II |
by over refinement Of finish. Mr.. Alma Tadema |
has two small postraits. one Of them Maurice /
Sons with violin. brilliant in execution. Mr.. Her
bert Schmalz has fine subject which ought to ,
have inspired him. but the pose of his John !
Oliver Hobbies in sumptuous evening dress. too |
with its curious restless glance, Is sacrificed to |
the handsome clothes.
THE LANDSCAPES
Among the landscapes Mr. Leslie Thomson's !
Blue and Silver and Cold Is conspicuous for /
harmony o, color 1t Is a moonlight scene with !
bright river. clump of fir trees and a group OF |
nymphg bathing Mr.. Alfred Parsons has three |
pictures. In two Of which there Is very beautiful
flower-painting, while the third is one of his |
characteristic landscapes. Mr.. Wimperis who |
reveals invariably the influence Of Constables |
art. has "A Rough Heath full Of fresh air and |
the breath of the soil. The Hon. John Collier has
u Queen Guenevere on white horse riding with |
May blossoms in her hands through a eafy !
glade-a good picture painted with knowledge OF |
costumes and painstaking Mr.. Wetherbee |
has his usual series OF pastoral poems. and Mr.. !
Watcrhouss repeats himself in Mariana" with |
a womans face reflected in mirror Mrs Alma :
Tadema has a charming picture. "A Ring al the |
Door" with lady In a white dress glancing |
critically at a mirror before her visitor enters !
and with a half-open lattice window and brill |
liant interior setting. Mr. La Thangue's Autumn !
Morning. with girl in shaded alley breaking
branch OF dead wood across her knee is an ad-
mirable picture.
There IS work by new men, notably Mr. Stew
arts "IullabV' with a woman nursing sclr