New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-19
-. .,r doing something darling than for

,,r doing something dazzling than for
a,,v a work worthy In every respect o' ms SOHO
s,v,,.. Bravura not necessarily art
no' cha, flares Is not necessarily condemned
po''. :, us sa-irc either. But In the work
o' @ ,'..ussion Mr. Sargent fats 10 justify the
ssre ,,., .,o, ,,v nr,,,,,,
A, least Mr. Sargent can ciairn 'nh, MS o''Vu'a
, 80 couorerng than the restrained ART OF otner
Give his star" portrait the weight OF every
M, ,,u,, regard II IN It's most mere,rlcious as
p I'D s.ul :, dominates the things around H.
pee .ut,-. &, other rooms II is not that among
'."'' ...r Az eighty portraits IN this exhibition
- are no examples OF considerable skill Iherc
-, ,sversl put there Is something hil-conpu'rh.
-. Nv Sargent. II is the element OF genius IN
18th makes him. ~ his worst. man
h''" T., ,,,,oss,hle 10 ignore. The significance Of
,no-ious strain IN art Is borne in uTon las on
NJ - .he other portraits IL tho exhibition
,,-.,-o no spark az genius exists. no matter IN
~ snail = degree. tho work Is persuasive ana
,..-.s.rr Dscerned remotely ard faintlY IN
~, ,nbo,, Thayer's portrait % lady. II some
= comes FOR all his faults. The hgure seems
ma V :, s seat. thc grecn shadows on the
-. avs -eousive tho workmanship ia scafnpec
- ,,rins'ri,tcd yc; tho personal 'orce Is 'heie'
~ something tina; Is part OF true arus' y
,,,,,en, ,Ac something that carries man on 20
- commission ~ splendid deeds In art. when MS
'"V 80 svrnrnetriscly developed. Consider
-, .ha. &c without elemental genius ana tho
yo,,rc IN ~ its strictly material virtues proves
, tar 'ess exciting ;asE
.,eL with some pleasures though. and We
- ~, class tho urinsprod portraits with me
II. min ;crcstnc paintings. Many o. thos" cever
e.. :, dies are wi Of color. picturesQueness
- no The mere arrangement % frou-frou IS
-.ser, OF course and makes brave SNOW DIV
~. let of serieus portraits Is \ long one Inc
xo-k Is exceedingly refined almost excessively So
a. ,ha portraits by Mrs. Frances Houston Nj So
Is vowhray. Mr. Louis Loeb or Miss Mary
c-oers. f. Is severe and solid In the portraits by
w. rohn = Weir Mr.. Nieneyer and MI Beckwi'n'
{. "a flowing elegant and individualized IN the
r,-,raus BY Mr.. Wilton Lockwood and MT j. w
Alexander; ii is quaint and polishe" with MI
Rush. T. IS nervous and little restless Win MT
r,nn and NJ Fromkss; II is graceful with M w n
WIDE and Mr. William Thorne ana all along the line
- ire art Of these painters and Of others SUCH as MT
Herman Murphy. Mr.. Clinton Peters, Mrs. freH-
W.T. Nj Hopkinson and Mr. lsham, there Is
sense Of character seized with alert intelligence OF
decorative possibilities exploited with tact ana IN
r.-u,tv But II must be admitted that further
merits are neither great in number nor OF much
,sniAcance when they are found Perhaps MI
Sergeant Kendall tried 10 emulate the Englsh
natnters Of the last century in his portrait of
lady seated. and he has certainly come near 10
winning 4 striking effect; perhaps the color in the
Portrait O. Little Miss Colgate" by Mr. Paul
Noschowiiz demands special need OF praise and
/; Is legitimate pause upon the deftness Win
which Mr. Lockwood has painted the leaning att-
.uds cF his Master CT Inc f1oulldS loH', WHY" a.
has been said that possibly could be said in praise
tho PORTRAITS in body force the observer 10 this
question is y tho best that might he expected o.
ro-traiture7' Candiiy Go not believe that 1t IS
the best and perhaps the most serious reflections
provoked by this exhibition have reference 10 the
portrait painters. They clever. so Astounding
in vitality. painstakng. so eager TO put their
stters into effective compositons-why is 1: then
tha, they do rot strike fire. For one thing. they
are not rlch in imagination. For another, they
have less insight than at first glance would seem
70 ~ tire case They know their st,ers. 20 some
extent but they do not know human nature in the
large II they did their work would show IT, as the
work OF all the great masters shows II. Porraiture
In the hands OF q Titan o. an Aibrccht Durer or
O. a Eolbien. profound arr the art
which gave the Sistine Chapel. Portraiture as
we It In the present exhibition is pleasing but
shallow To sum up. II is without deep. hunanized
knowledge. II Is without authority.
Tho figure compositions are headed by one
weighty and beautiful decoration designed by Mr..
la Fargo for public building. The semi-clrcular
canvas represents Minerva making the first sketch
from nature. and II contains but three figures
grouped with almost bald simplicity within the
space. OF the dignity and power Of these figures
the spectator is conscious hrst but almost immedi-
stely the beauty Of the design whole declares
Itself beauty which will undoubtedly become
even more impressive when the painting has rs
proper architectural surroundings. In color this
decoration splendidly warm and rich. The en-
sennole is opuent and stately. Destined 70 symbol
Ire sthe civilization OF Athens in the sequence Of
mural paintings 20 which II belongs. Il has the
breadth and nobility and repose which are in
sv!tably associated with the classic ideal The
large study fo- tapestry by Mr.. Frank Brangwyn
which faces this panel o: Nj La Farges across
the gallery has certain picturesqueness. which
Will be observed again in the painting by the same
hand in the south gallery. but IN both cases this
English artist produces a scattering effect His
figures lack relief and his color Is too deadly
raonotonous Mr.. Van Ingens sumptuous varia-
ION on an old Venetian key OF color, Sunset and
Moorrise" makes a radiant spot above the line IN
.hA Vanderbilt gallery. and aware OF pict-
ures ike the Grief" OF MI Breckenridge. the
pretty Summer Shower" OF Nr. Hinton. the aca-
dernic "A.ala" OF M Lucius Hitchcock. and the
suave fancies OF Mr. Church and Mr. Curran but
The agure subjects in the show do not count heav-
Ny They are sometimes diverting, but generally
unirn2ortant. Like more than one OF It's prede-
cessors in fact this exhibition maintains most
encouraging average without bringing forward
nanv individual works OF signal merit. That the
average IS adInrab bic Is the point upon which We
wish 70 leave unmistakablc emphasis IN terminal
ing this survey o. the galleries. The latter re-
main when all deductions made. 50 bright and
stimulating that Il Is impossible 10 leave them
wthou, regret. They open 10 the public this morn
!rg and close on Saturday. April %
4. NJ. PALMER SEEKS A STAY.