New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-06
PART IL.
TWELVE PAGES.
LONDON NOTES.
AN ILLUSTRATORS PANoRAMA-AcAD-
ENVY ELECTIONS-MORE CHANGES
IN QUEENSLAND.

,.,o,os 70 accept his resignation as presi-
sen, o. the Royal Society Of Painters in Water
Co,ors When It was returned a third time
,Ae veteran. crippled with paralysis, remarked
qrirnly. They are going TO keep their King
e,ork" Loyal TO him during his closing years
~ inNrnlity and failing powers. his colleagues
have been prompt in rendering tribute 10 MS
memory after his death They have ordered
special exhibition Of his works at the water
Color Sooiety's gallery in Pail Mall. the cor
,orat,ons Of London. Liverpool. Birmingham
s,s Manchester. which We're enriched by his
gifts. have contributed some Of his most I'M
nortant pictures. and a collection Of l6O paint
,,rs drawings and sketches. mainly in water
color and black and white. has been filed out
nv Ny. George Gilbert and from private gal
leries While not TO be compared in variety
~ quality with the splendid Millais exhibition
a. the Royal Academy. it is a most interesting
collection. which jusuhes Sir John Gilberts
reputation as an illustrator Of exceptional
pictorial skill and excellence.
No visitor can make the tour Of this gallery
without being impressed with the vividness
with which the painter told his story. lie was
an old-fashioned draughtsman. with genius
Cor composition rather than any marked talent
for color. on these walls armies are marching
IN battle array. with banners waving ana
arrnor flashing; horsemen are charging or rally
Ing around their standard bearer; artllerylnen
are bringing UP the guns; Don QuiXote Is set
,i,r his brain in a maddening vhir with Wis
ions OF knight-errantry; ST John Is preaching
:, the wilderness: Joan Of Arc is witnessing the
coronation Of Charles VII or entering Orleans
Miss Jenny IS swapping her fingers at Captain
weasel: shylock. Fals,aff the Shrew. Hotspur.
Richard II and Malvolio are revealed win
rictorial vlvidness; gypsies are tramping
through forest glades: consprators are whis-
nerinc In secret: banditt are gambling; min
s.rels are singing; knights are challenging and
Citing The coloring is monotonous, but the
action IS always spirited. and the story is clear
y told The battle-pieces have the most Visor
and movement. and no other illustrator has
shown equal skill IN arranging costumes and
handling armor.
ci- Iobn Gilbert was a self-taught artist,
n,,bou, training IN any school, but he had
s,vle OF his own. 10 which he adhered closely
throughout his long career. Between the Ar
rest OF Hastings" which was the first drawing
exhibited by him. and the unfinished Return
from the Raid" on which he was at work i'm
r,ediateiy before his death, there was work
ing period Of sixty-two years, yet the manner
n, treatment Is essentially the same. For this
reason any attempt, such as has been success
fully made in the Millais collection, 70 repre-
sent every year OF his career would nave
been super7uous for there were few varia-
tons in his style and method. and no transition
stages and processes Of evolution IL wouId
ba,A besn an equally futile undertaking 10 aim
g, a complete exhibition of his work. for his in
dystrv was phenomenal. his drawings for books
and Illustrated journals being roughly estimated
rs exceeding seventy-lve thousand. What might
have been more satisfactorily done was an ex-
bibition OF his universal talent for art. which
was his most remarkable characteristic. He
could paint In water-color and oils. he could
draw on paper. wood. copper or stone; he could
engreve on copper or etch with acids. and he
could model and work with wax, clay or marble.
In this respect this exhibition is defective; 1t
does not reveal the extraordinary versatility Of
the veteran illustrator
THE ACADEMY HONORs
The first series Of Academy elections has dis
closed several close contests and much cross
voting The Academy is notceably weak in
landscape painters yet Mr.. Alfred East. who
has won distinction in this branch Of art has
been rejected as an associate. Two painters OF
open-air scenes have been preferred. one an i'm
pressionlst and a French resident, Mr.. Lionel
smythe and the other an English follower Of
Millet with q characteristic talent for modelling
peasants and idealizng harvest incidents Mr..
smythes promotion is q surprise, but Mr.. H. II.
La Thangue's election has been earned by strong
work at recent spring exhibitions. Mr.. La
Thangue paints farming folk and field scenes
with less poetic feeling but with greater bold
ness and vigor than Mr.. Clausen, and his pict-
ures are always artistcally lighted and power
tul in their realism. His Travelling Harvest
ers' was one Of the most noticeable works at
Burlington House last year, and forced his
candidature for the earliest vacancy IN the
Academy.
Another picture at the same exhibition deter
mined the choice of an Academ!clan. This was
Nj Gregory's "Boulters Lock, Sunday After
noon" with Jam Of pleasure craft at the gates
and with n brilliancy OF colorng which was
wellnl-h startling No other picture except Mr..
Sargents saUcy portrait Of Mrs. Carl Meyer at
trac;ed so much attention and the painter las
been rewarded by promotion 10 the uppc~ level
Of ne Academy. M Gregory's success in OBJ
tanning the coveted distinction which so pains
taking and Industrious a painter as Mr.. Leader
has not received. illustrates the worldly wisdom
% exhibiting pictures .nfrequenuy and Of COM
rnandirs attention by tour de force. Mr..
Gregory has been an illustrator Cor The
Graphic" and rainter OF water-colors for the
Institute and his work has seldom been seen
a. the Academy But when he had a canvas
there II was one Of striking originality and
was remembered. Mr.. Leader. on the other
hand has allowed the public to become almost
too familiar with his characteristic scenes and
methods Mr.. Gregory is the son OF an engineer
IN the P. and O. service, and began his career
a draughtsInan IN the southampton Office OF
the company. Largely owing TO the encourage
men, Of Mr. Herkomer he studied art at South
Kensington, and began 10 draw wood for IL
Illustrated journals
The other new Academican is Mr. George
A!tchson, who was elected 70 Ill vacancy
caused by the death Of an architect. His prin