New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-17
ART EXHIBITIONS.
MR.. ROBERT BLUM'S DECORATION FOR
THE MENDELssOHN GLEE CLUB.

The task Of decorating the hail of the Men
delssohn Glec Club. in Fortieth-st. upon which
MIR Robert Blum. has for time been
gagged is now two-thirds completed The long
panel On the left wall facing the stage put
In place nearly three years ago. The panel to
occupy the same position on the opposite side
OF the hall has just been finished and has been
visible this week a. the Academy OF Design.
1t will be taken thence on Monday and put In
Its permar ent place This leaves only one more
space in the hall to be painted. the space over
the proscenum arch. The hail IS small ana
we'll lighted 1t is designed with great sim
plicity. and Mr.. Blum's paintings have rehned
we'll exc@llently proportional surround
inss We know of no interior in this city at
any rate In which the spaces left for the mural
decorator go admirably into the scheme Of
the whole. Mr. Blum has ratified this symme-
try by giving the two panels thus far produced
exactly the character required
Neither Of the two bears a concisely descrip-
tive title, but both are illustrative OF musical
feeling manifestng itself in definite ways.
hence each leaves a distinct impression, ana
each may be tested as the Interpretation Of
certain IDEA. The panel already in place is ded-
icated TO the elusive side Of music. and the COM
pany Of advancing. swaYing figures, while fall
ing into something like the rhythm Of a dance.
nevertheless typify quite much the dreamy
medtative. poetic and even metaphysical eie-
ments in music. The eyes are ravished by the
sensuous charm of the color. the mind grasps
the strength and artistic beauty Of the compo-
stion. the first impulse of ones brain is 10 rec
ognize the Joyous maidens for dancers pure and
simple but almost instantly the subtle inspira-
tOn which animates the whole takes firm hold
Of the Imagination and launches upon the
1igob, h{Cb &c tim
and too complex 70 be crys;allized In a single
emotion In painting the second parel-the one
now az the Academy OF Design-the artist has
sought to substitute the tangible for the
evanescent TO be more plastic and explicit. 1t
might be said Of the first panel that II is imbued
with the spirit Of Mozart andante. The new
panel one would be disposed 10 liken 10 a piece
81 Wagnerian programme musc-f the note
not A little more delicate. little purer,
little more classic. than the characteristic no'e
Of Wagner. Perhaps the contrast may he more
effectively elucidated by noting that the earlier
decorate has a background Of trees while inc
later one contains an abundance OF architectural
details Against these details. against massive
marble pillars. which rise white and cleaning
into an italian sky. q procession Of priests ana
bacchio jewellers marches across the mosaic
pavement toward what We may assume to be
the entrance 10 q temple. AT altar is IN 'he
centre Of the composition, and the Instruments
OF sacrifice observed near the end OF inc
oolonnade but the moment is without any san
culinary Significance Mere delight IN Ire seems
TO animate tn. entire body OF laughing worship
rers Some Of the women are dancing 10 tDe
sound Of their own timbrels A youth clad In
q leonerd.s skin leaps from the ground In sheer
cxuterance Of feeling. and the people who watch
the pageant from either side reveal suhtly the
tension Of excitement which holds the whole
scene IN its grip Here are the sights upon
which one might look In the midst or operhuc
music and never feel the slightest jar between
the two 1t stands for the passion and glow and
sensual worldly pornp Of music, while us com
panion celebrates the tenderness and mystery OF
the dvnest OF all the arts.
How Il may he asked has Mr.. Blum sue
ceeded In binding these two differing compost
tons together7 The question can be answered.
with moro confidence when the decorations race
| one another in the hall In the mean time IL ID
nos,,ble 70 analyze several important elements
| IN tho scheme will finally stand. Earh
| picture represents a procession. Thus the ex-
| tended groups are harmonized at the outset
| Furthermore the architectural background IN
! the newer panel while massive IN character. IL
NOT too massive. nor is It obtrusiva The ng-
| ,res screen IL TO q certain extent. and where
thev do no. screen II they break and animate
| tn sustere lines The white marble provides not
| alone a linear motive. but kind OF swimming
! tone against which the flowing draperies or
| violet and orange. OF delicate green ana ta"hy
| yellow count with the utmost refinement
Where Mr. Blum has struck precisely the key,
| however. which will bring his two decorations
into a satisfactory balance is. we think IN MS
conception Of what procession on canvas
| ought TO be. This is one OF the most olHlcuit
| things TO accomplish in art. II classical prece-
dents are followed too closely there Is the dan
ger OF securing immobility where one wants
movement ar Sir Ere lerick Leighton found
when he painted his famous ''Daphnephoria
A rornsnt,c or q realistic treatment comes peril
ously near turning a procession into crowd
Mr. Plum, seems TO have found the golden mean
| and 70 have made his marchers orderly without
making them stiff. They cross the stage art
| lesslv. and yet there is a guiding instinct come
where in the procession; II moves freely but
at the same time II has a goal. and Is conscious
Of it's SURROUNDINGS 1t is classic picture, WITH
ONT any OF the artihciaty which belongs TO so
many modern revtvals OF the classic IDEAL Ihe
| oorono.,tion wears It's learning lightly as n
eower. Il combines strength with grace; II Is
imposing and It is full Of charm.
| This decoration is extremely interesting as an
| .vsrnpIe OF the way in which an artist OF gen.
nine gifts will wind himself around problem
and trent II with a perfect comprehension OF
all its parts Mr. Blum began bis career In
vein Of complete vivacity. He painted exquisite
fragments and most brilliant In his
sketches His pictures Of Venice were skilfuly
| composed: there was never anything superiiu-
ous in them but they were so spontaneous that
thew seemed more Ike appropriations than
carefully pondered designs. The spontaneity
remains now. you feel IT in the style, In the
keen clear treatment OF the contours In the
swift suggestive brushing OF the outlines OF a
Giving robe TIE old fr >shness is visible too IN