New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
ENGLISH ART.
holiday SHOWS IN LONDON-WATEH.
COLORS FROM MANY HANDS
ETCHINGS OLD AND NEW.

re hest public and private collections is co--
,s,ced that the grand style of English voter-
oolor painting cannot he rivallcd ny workers ~
,hs present day. The water-color painters ~
,hs English school are not thinking deenlv
.nout the mysteries OF their art. nor are ,be,,
s,-,yinC earnestly to emulate the achiAvenente
:, those great masters. They are content n
mint in their own way. and are not on their
uard against the danger OF acquiring manner
Tens Whoever visits. season after season the
annual exhibitions in London learns to dispense
9Th catalogue. because every drawing zen he
identified al sight from its distinctive STYLE
The titles and scenes may vary. but the lines
q, treatment and methods Of brushwork remain
unaltered The effect would be mono.onous ~
there were not evidences OF Improvement in
technique and development OF resources as
colorists.
IN these two respects the winter exhibition
y, the Royal Society Of Painters In Water-Col-
ORG which has opened this week. is unusually
strong and effective. The society has about
seventy members and associates and their work
alone is exhibited. The number of works 10 be
econ al single show seldom exceeds SO and
since certain standard Of excellence is essen
,sl 10 membership there are no crude sketches
nv amateurs While fresh talent is excluded
the seventy numbered among the elect are free
70 employ and disport themselves as they
nlease; and the spectators who make the rounds
q, the pleasant room in Pail Mall East year
after year are enabled TO watch the develop
rnent Of their powers and resources. There are
few surprises yet many daring and interesting
experiments. and there is fine variety of sub
ec.. with much solid and some brilliant work
After Sir John Gilberts death there was a
sharp struggle over the succession to the presi-
dsncy Professor Hubert Herkomer was de-
,eated and his interest in the fortunes Of the
society has evidently declined Instead Of be-
.ns one O, the chief exhibitors this season he is
represented by a single sketch on serena
study Of an old mans head His successful
rival Mr. Ernest a Waterlow has been under
Obligations 10 justify his election by sending to
the collection choice examples Of his art His
four works among the best seen on the
walls. Although they are modest and unpre
,entious sketches. they have the simplicity and
directness Of pure water-color painting. One is
a Berkshire village scene. with drove of sheep
and a cluster Of cottages: another is fine study
Of Hight and atmosphere in a Suffolk pasture;
another IS an evening meadowland effect, and
the last and best is a French sketch in Pic
srdy. with turf and trees in the early glow Of
a refinement Of style and subtle balance Of
values
DARING ARTISTS
The most daring artists are Mr.. Melville and
Mr. Goodwin. one an extreme and capricous
and the other a deliberate impressionst Mr..
Meville's most "blottesque" and consequently
startling revel OF INSPIRED blobs'' is "A Rosy
City Half as Old as Tme"-a fantastic glimpse
har Cr1ic COlOriug
not unbalanced in values. In "Aberdour" he
has an ingenious combination Of browns and
olve-greens in sails and foliage and in THE
Sign Of the White Horse" and The One-Eyed
Calendar Of Bagdad" he has quieter examples
his carefully calculated impressionism. Not
,,e Of these equals in daring and brilliancy his
s.s-ch of 1.-The Bul-Fight'' OF two years ago.
and his work as a whole. leaves a less marked
,rnuression Of inherent strength and originality
than MI Goodwins. whose art is revealed on
these walls In fine variety. He is painter
capable of struggling with ideas and OF dream
ing dreams. and II he sometimes falls in exc
cu;on he always succeeds in revealing MIND
sensitive 70 beauty. There is series OF Visions
Q, Westminster. oxford. Canterbury. salisbury
Hastings and other famous places. and. wSle
the composition is sometimes odd and the color
schemes are almost japanese. there is always
delcacy Of method with the fascination Of orisi-
naty
One ~ the loyeliest water-colors in the room
IS Mr. Peterson's Rus in UrDe." with its glimpse
Of Edinburgh. gray and cold, through screen
Of trees and yerdure The method is most
artistic and the picture is at once a landscape
refined IN feeling and an example OF decorative
art. Mr.. Herbert NJ. Marshall, who paints river
side London better than anybody else. and VINO
also has a sympathetic touch for characteristic
Dutch scenes has a new series Of sketches anu
drawings Of his favorite studies. MI Malthe"
Hale solves anew in his thoughtful sketches the
intricate problem Of fading light; MI Napier
Henry has several examples of water PANT
nr below his average; Mr.. Robert W. Ai'an
has six or his broad-daylight river SCENES
clearly and sharply painted, after MS manner
Nr Robert Little has a good sketch OF sius
gish river with fine effects Of atmosphere H''
Aningharn has her vine-clad farmhouse o'u
Miss Montalba her usual series or venetian am
Swedish sketches. with their pecuIar
Of tone and mannersms. and Mr. Thorne waite
Mr Lloyd and their associates IN the ie"",
ar, OF pictorial landscape, disport theHlSeiNe 90
they please The lamented Aired mum '
left no successor in the Royal society Ou' ',
,s good io,dsco,a ART on these walls possibly
there Is too much Of II and 100 niue "e
painting.
Mr.. Carl Haag has a well-modelled inquire Vi
Syrian camel-driver. and also a coHee- pe"'e
and other examples OF careful but ha'u ""u
cold draughtsmdnship. Mr. Hughes mas
series OF draped or half-nude hgures' WHY"
ss-ye TO remind the spectator OF greater
cssses achieved by this ambitious arts' !"
cent years Mr. Brewtnall has oraii'a.. "
depreciation Of Christian and Evangelist No"
Bunyan, and Mr. Henshall girl lost III rev
whom he names Alice in Wonderland Nj
George Clausen, continuing his studies Vi -
snt life. has two wel-modelled figures III W.
Threshing." which suggest Milets ART "''"oU'
equalling II In technical excellence. Ihese arc
almost the only conspicuous fgure-p'eces III
collection heavily stocked win Mnos0"p'
There Is also small loan exhibition Oh '"e