New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-29
ART AND MORALS.
MR. WHIsTI-ER's INTERNATIONAL SHOW
IN LONDON-L-ICHFIELDL LIVING UP
TO DIR. JOHNSONS PANEGYRIC.


Mr.. Whistler's protest against commerciaiism
In English art takes a more eloquent and per-
suasive form than controversy this year. With
half dozen Scotch artists to help him and
with the active support OF score or more OF
Continental painters, sculDtors and etchers, ne
has organized a real art exhibition, which Is
not a lumber room Of pot boilers 1t is known
as the Exhibition Of the International Society
Of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, and 1t APP
peals strongly to genuine artistic opinion in
London The sheds Of a skating-rink at
Knightsbridge have been noored and parttioned
of and converted into airy, well-lighted gal
leries, where every picture can be properly seen
and where there can be no suspicion OF favorit-
ism. At Burlingto, House it is necessary to
provide Academicians with conspicuous places
and centres. even II the portraits OF M. Carolus
Duran are shifted into an inferior room, or one
or Mr. James Mariss pictures Of Amsterdam are
lifted high In q dark corner. pair OF Mr.
Alfred Easts landscapes are hung either side
Of a doorway in a remote gallery At Knights
bridge there is impartial justice for articles OF
every school and nationality Mr.. Whistler
himself must have superntended the hanging
Of the pictures and the decoration and arrange
ment OF the rooms. SO harmonious and varied
the effects
Inere are oS| OIL paintings ana ABOUT as many
drawings and water-colors. with ifty-six works
of sculpture. 1t Is a small exhibition In com
parison with the Academy and many OF the
works are borrowed from private collections OF
Mrs. Fisher Unwin and others, and have been
seen before either in Paris here; but every
wall there are signs Of freshness of Imagination
creative power and masterfu vigor and vitality
There are nine Of Mr. Whistler's own works
n except one old Dicfures hst all inatiDcf uit
genius So accustomed is the London public to
Mr. Sargents Mr. Shannons and Mr.. Orchard
sons portraits that the exhibition OF these old
works has the effect Of new revelation. Rose
and Silver" with the lady In Japanese costume
was painted generation ago, but In what
recent portrait can softer flesh tints be found
or . richer scheme Of color In the draperies or
finer effects Of light?
Close by are the superb Rosa Corda." with
Its harmonies OF black; the brilliant Thames in
Ice" the beautiful valparaiso Nocturne." the
subtle philosopher and THE Little Blue Bon
net one of his daintiest works Among these
fine examples Of his earlier art Is the newer
Gold and Brown" with its colorless but fasci-
mating face peering weirdy out Of the gloom.
This is the finest collection OF Mr. Whistler's
works which has been exhibited in London for
many years II there were nothing else to be
national Exhibition
There two Manets. vivid In their realism
~Vagat ond Musicians' and 'Maximillan's
Death" each a triumph Of impressionism There
are drawings by Degas, Hans Thoma and
Puvis de Chavannes veterans whom England
has forgotten, II 1t has ever known them. There
are portraits by NJ Blanche and Mile. Cecilia
Beaux, with characteristic distinction OF style
There are three beautiful works Of the Dutch
painter. Matthew Maris from Mr. Burrelrs col
lection The Walk" "Montmartre" and But
terfes' Zorn. Van Toroop Sauter Van Uhde
Toulouse de Lautrec. Segantni Breitncr, Fan
tin Latour, Ludovic and Claude Monet are rep
resented here by paintings and drawings so dis
unctive In composition and expression and so
fresh in observation and treatment that they
seem to have come from another sphere Of ar
tstc influence with which England Is not in
touch. The art OF nearly every Continental
country is displayed here in its least convcn-
tonal form These are not galleries where the
visitor lisuessly wandcrs about, noting the
facility with which artists repeat performances
already familiar. He makes the tour Of the
rooms and goes out with "A sense OF having
learned what Is going on in the world and Of
having widcned his horizon.
Is Scotland essentially foreign country in
Its art? one is tempted to believe that il is
after surveying the vigorous work Of the new
Glasgow school, which has been trained to real
ism In Paris There are portraits here by Mr.
James Guthrie and Mr.. Lavery which are OF
great strength and refinement and there is
vigorous work by Mr. Robert Brough Mr.
George Henry and Mr. ID. Y. Cameron These
Scotch Of