New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-20
ART EXHIBITIONS.
SOME PICTURES BY MR.. ROBERT REID
AUCTION SALES OF ETCHINGs AND
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Mr.. Robert Rcld, which was closed within twenty.
four hours. SO fugitive appearance seems per.
haps to warrant next to comment at ALL and
the fact that some Of the best things In the col.
lection had been included in the display Of the Ten
American Painters In the preceding fortnight
would further justify, under ordinary clrcum.
stances. abstention from any discussion. Yet Mr.
Reid has never In times past held an exhibition Of
his own, and his art has to-day such interesting
qualities that It is impossible TO let pass the oppor-
tunity offered by his all too brief exhibition. Had
the galleries not been previously engaged to
other artist the show might have continued. The
public would have been that much better OF. II
showed It's appreciation by crowding the galleries
while they OPEN
Mr. Reds work has this peculiar s!gnifo ance-it
illustrates an unusual faculty for taking from
new movement all that is good. and leaving all
that Is bad. One has only to recall the effect Of
the impressonist movement upon dozens Of Amer
lean artists to realize how very rare this faculty
u.s. Mr. Reid was Influenced by the impressonlsts
at the start. Some Of his earliest contributions to
the exhibitions OF the Society Of American Artists
were marked by the excessive accent In which
nearly every follower Of Monet Is apt 10 Indulge at
the beginning For some time, too, 1t seemed as
IL this artist more interested In technical In
genuites than IN anything else. There were
pictures of his which were indubltably clever. and
lust as Enthusiastically lacking In charm. BY de-
grcrs he has changed all this and his recent work
has illustrated complete detachment from mo
Inferte spirit OF his past experiments that one 10
puzzled Mt his ever having cared for them Pres
entity one Sees however that great deal Of tho
old technique-the best or II, in fact-has gone TO
make the pictures strong
~ there is anything IN Mr. Reds art now that
suggests the mpress!on.sts 1t Is present merely asa
subordinate element. as something when he mas
mastered and treats merely as a means 10 an end.
That the mastery is not final would seem 10 be i'm
nlIed by the color IN OF his big landscapes.
which cannot
regard as unnatural and unlovely. bat there hung
beside this a spring picture. 1.-THE Hickory Tree"
which showed that Mr.. Reid could hold himself
well in hand when he chose. The artificial key Of
the "Valley at Moonrise' are forced to consider
a momentary lapse. Fortunately II had pract.
calv no companions. In THE Hickory Tree" IN
"The Trees" and in half dozen other Landscapes
Mr. Reid emphasized his possession OF that faculty
10 which we have referred above. and ezempiAed
all the subety Of tho impressionistic Idea without
repeating any Of the untruths which have been
fathered upon It. We have always held that ths
fundamental principle of the impression!st was
sound: that a picture which accurately reproduced
a visual impression, no matter now meeting the
latter might be. would inevitably be convincing
and In the right hands might be beautiful; but
that I'm the transferrcnce OF their vision from hfe
TO canvas many impressionsts were too confused
intellectually and too unskilful OF hand to give US
true report OF nature. They sec beautiful scene.
ard even feel its beauty. but they have only tbs
obscurest idea Of the pigments they should use or
Of the manner I'm which 10 use them. Hence they
Inv on colors that in no way eqilValent 10
what they have seen. and they are either too ex-
cited or too ignorant to modify by good drawing
tho effect OF their bad color. Mr.. Reds great
charm les In the sobrloy and selfpossesson OF his
work IN the intelligent Interpretation OF natures
hues which he gives. IN the skin with when no
combines draughtsmanship and color. His color.
IN fact, melts into his contours. and Is part OF 'hs
Fa~ fvr1nr n
tries for this and fails. producing work that 10
homeless and untrue. Al OF Mr. Reds figures are
solid bodies surrounded by light and air and. IS
in actual me- the observer realizes the sondy IS
much By virtue OF the play OF light and shade as
by virtue OF the mere density Of the figure.
This Is the true test OF the impressonstic hea,
10 render the last. most subtle and evareseent
osnect OF a subjec, but TO take nothing from rs
reality How happily Mr.. Reid has answered tan
test we know now. even more Thoroughly tnah
when his pictures were shown IN comoihalo, WI"
others Tho large Autumn" which Will 10 re-
WONDERED as figuring conspicuously In tho cAn''
bition OF the Ten, lighted better. for example,
I'm rho show OF last Monday and could observe
mora closely its finer touches. Ope OF these alone
we will mention. namely that IN the hshtlhs OF
the woman's ripping auburn hair \ glance was
sufficient 70 discover the sensuous beauty OF ms
passage but a longer study brought out the reaHy
hran, modelling OF the mead beneath the ha'r'
much more than a decorative color scheme; II was
obviously fragment OF lie put on the canvas with
tho utmost vitality. In his treatment, OF 1aNo'
scape and tree forms. OF the human hgure MI
Reid has laid hold OF the same honest ana con-
attractive prnopes In all his paintings no mas
handled the elusive lights OF the open air win
amazing Nnesse importing into his work some OK
the very terGerest and most vibrating effects OF
nature but nowhere does he seem to have oeen
working from theory. that imp OF the perverse VITA
which many painters especially the impression
lists seem content 20 reckon. His truths appear
10 have been acquired through loyal ana sca'oH-
ing analysis OF nature and through the most care.
ful workmanship It testifes 10 tho virtue OK
those methods that they have not robbed his a."
OF any Of It's spontanelty
There Will be sold tonight at the Fifth Avenue
Art Galleries a collection OF etchings and ensrav-
,ngs formed by Mr.. +. J. King. Tho eo"ee'''n
contains much popular work OF an excellent char'
acter the plates etched from modern masterpieces
OF paintings being from celebrated hands ana Id
perfect condition. As an opportunity for coec'ors
OF modest aims this salo Is strongly to % conn
mended
with the hes, will in the world 60 not ind II
possible to commend the pictures now on we" a.
tho American Art Galleries. and destined 10 DO SUN
at auction next Thursday and Friday eVeh'hsH
Some names potent In American ears arc ny
resented and Thomas Buchanan Reads ho'e"
picture, "Sheridan's Ride" looms aggressive" w
tho very threshold Of tho show but the interest
this picture is anecdotal purely. the "o1Ks %
Emanuel I.eutze have only mild HISTORICAL sS
nihcence, and those yards and yards OF eah'".
which inspire amiable memories OF Dusseldorf an"
the enthuslasms Of past generation are d'ncu..
10 take seriously The catalogue runs 70 AZ
numbers and some copies OF old masters josie 'ne
rc,,cs OF tho Continental painters OF the ftes ana
sixties The collection leaves cold
Tho chief exhibition In prospect Is that OK wv
Sculpture Society which will be opened at the rms
Arts Building nj the end OF the month. but one OF