New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-30
ART EXHIBITIONS.
TEN AMERICAN PAINTERS"

Artists; yet In the presence Of the pictures them.
scvos 1t Is equally impossible to give this point
much consideration The secessionists from tho
old and recognized artistic bodies OF Paris Munich
and London have explained. II they have not Just.
fed their designations by illustrating one definite
principle or another. The Salon OF the Champ DO
Mars stood In its earlier years at least. for re-
action against the formula OF the Academy In
Munich the same Impulse was fortified By streak
OF mystical enthusiasm, kindred To that OF tho
Salon OF the Rosy Cross In Paris In England IL
was revolt against the Academy that brought thu
newer and more audacious painters before the pub.
lie. The Society of American Artists Itself may bs
said TO have been the fruit OF similar revolt
Now the Ten American Painters have seeded
from the Society grounds far less explicit than
those Of rebellion against Academic rule To
begin with. they had such rule 10 resent
Painters still the rolls Of the Society Of Amer
lean Artists are working along lines unsym-
pathetic-tc say the leastto those followed by the
Ten. II is not apparent. either. that the latter
have cared to emulate the conspicuous secession
lists In artistic history. supporting any particular
idea school OF ideas. The impressionistic idea
is represented. but so Is It's antthess. witness
Mr.. Metcalf and Mr. Simmons, each very In
carnaton OF sobrety upon this occasion II Is
plain. then. that the Ten did not classify them
selves by severing their connection with the So
ciety OF American Artists and in spite OF the
set. believe It is important to dismiss all
thought OF whatever associations the Ten may
have had in times past That they seeded from
the Society must have been for reasons touching
the administration OF the elder organization. and
private to themselves II they are TO be taken
seriously IL is not because they seceders from
anything but because OF the intrinsic qualities of
Il cir work.
While We have noted the absence Of any new
battle-cry In this exhibition there is certain aim
pursued by the artists in common which IS hinted
in their corporate title: Ten American Painters"
1t wells an allusion to the fact that the Ten have
a peculiar interest in the strictly artistic signih-
canoe OF art They are painters. not Picture
makers an old-fashioned slogan after all. which
we refrain from discussing at any length. Argu-
ment on such a theme may be endless. II Is
usually fruitless. This bald fact however. may
be stated. Whatever is beautiful In art. whatever
hears the noble mark Of genius. endures. What
is merely technical passes away II work
OF art has not beauty It must have distinction;
without either It IS a contradiction in terms and
remains no more than the expression Of Journey
mans nature The defenders Of art for arts
sake" may talk till all Is blue Its critics merely
have to point out that IL has never survived. Tho
value Of the present exhibition lies in the fact that
It shows at its best. how much technique gains
when Il Is accompanied by higher qualities, or
when It is, rather, the servant OF those qualities
they would be a bore to every the tech
meal specialist The new cantsis offensive
the old The artist who displays picture with a
request that you glow over the thing he IS trying
FOR" Is unconvincing.~. 1t is not what man 10
trying for that counts altogether. though Il counts
for much; 1t is what he does Mt Dewing ex-
actIy illustrates this contention The thing that a
man is trying for" suppose. Is the effect that
he cannot paint with ease. that he Is not sure hs
has secured 1t may be a matter Of technique or
OF Imagination; IL may involve both Whatever In
Mr. Dewings work comes within the scope or this
definition whether It be the drawing OF hand
the laying on of flesh tnts. or the expression OF
textures. we can feel can admire. can remember
II counts as we have said. for much. But con-
slider the things that he puts into hts work with
authority. with inspiration: consider the grave
tenderness which hovers around the eyes and fps
In his three portraits. the indescribaole "ltchery
Of that scene which he calls Before Sunrise, tne
picture of two women returning from some sylvan
festival with no light guide their steps save
that of the coming dawn and OF a japanese lam
tern Technt. Re is not ignored in the contem-
plation OF tn. Sc things. on the contrary, ono
responds 10 the mood OF the painter as well 40
to that OF the man Of Imagination; one fingers Ions
over such exquisitely searching brushwork as MT
Dewing spends upon his canvas; but the ~nols
glory OF the work Is that IL commands these
sponses. these pauses OF quiet admiration. simuta-
neously and leaves az the last broad impression
OF beauty subtly felt and interpreted with mastery
II might seem Just 10 estimate this fantasy OK
Mr. Dewings remarkable piece OF painting
which 1t is-and TO say OF the three portraits that
in spite OF few errors. as in the fingers OF NO. l.
they show extraordinary deiicacy OF handling but
we have too much respect for the spiritual force
of these studies too much admiration for the
poetry In Before Sunrise" to discuss the work on
purely technical and therefore material grounds
Mr.. Robert Reid is potent In this elevation OF
the show above the level OF soulless haudlwork.
His work is the more interesting. too, because az
any observer of contemporary art can recall there
have been exhibitions In which Mr.. Reid was obvi-
ously trying for" something which he could not
invariably secure. His later work has hrmness
which Is Of Itself concatng. The thin. linear
and pinched character OF his contours disappeared
some time ago. but In the works he now SHOWS
there Is a rich, sensuous quality in the drawing
which Is quite new. He has been attaining II.
obviously by hard work for II he retains much or
his old fondness for the expression OF light and
atmosphere in terms vivid 10 be startling, ne
is forgetful of other truths and his nsures are
modelled with a thoroughness which a stanch Aca-
demican could not disdain Here again. too. the
force OF temperament is felt. and Mr.. Reid, VINO
began by playing thoughtless tricks with MS
paints and brushes. after the fashion ot reckless
impressonists. ends by producing works or great
sincerity and charm. HIS Trio" is not by any
means a study OF flashing sunlight alone, though
such study it is brilliant: IT is also delight
full composition. one in which the grace ana human
significance OF the figures are revealed with somo'
thing very like artistic eoquence. Light hsht'
and always light, would appear TO be this artisrs
great necessity. but the figure moving across inc
landscape in his Breezy Day Is personality ~
we'll as an object on which the winds and sunshine
play; the head is drawn with knowledge tnat
gives the sympathetic observer positive thrh or
appreciation and In his Autumn, tail decora-
tive panel Mr.. Reid emphasizes once more ths
impression OF buoyant radiant life. translated INTO
brilliant and yet very subtle harmonies OF io'"
and color. which 1t now seems TO De MS so''
desire TO convey. The old accent OF tho shee'
audacious experiment is gone. In is place IS IN"
mark OF the mature artist whose work is bound to
provoke serious thought Summing up. we should
saw that Mr. Reds art wakes thoughts or beauty