New-York tribune., 1899-12-17

Il
IL work that equals that Of Alfred Hunt
which once the chief attraction In this gal
lery; but there signs that many Of them
have varied their processes with impulses of
creative energy and trying daring expert
ments, and there also not few fine exam
pies Of pure old fashioned water color painting
Mr.. Arthur Melville by sheer force Of impress
sionist audacty has won his way in the course
Of few years from obscure positions in corners
at the further end Of the room to a central place
Of honor. His Bravo Toro" is a startling bit OF
what his admirers call inspired blob work
and crude and rapid as are the touches OF color
there is remarkable effect Of light. air ana
dramatic feeling in his picture Of the bullring
at Madrid. 1t Is the spectacle as a whole on
which interest is centred. and the bull with the
tormentors is only incident; and there Is
imaginative power in the work with true sense
Of color. "Tobt's Mill' is another study from
the same daring hand, with evidence that Mr.
Melvile's art while losing none OF its original
ity, liz acquiring sureness and technical SKILL
There are mpressonist effects also in MT
Robert w Allans drawings, which usually are
examples of too vivid and realistic outdoor
scenes painted in too strong a light. His 'Flow-
er Market at Mentone" is q spirited sketch fuli
of movement and ife without careful drawing
managed. His "Mentone" is also strong bit of
work. with the full glare Of Riviera sunlight
upon a picturesque group of houses. Mr. AL
bert Goodwin continues his Turneresque series
with drawings of Cairo. Windsor, Lincoln and
Holyrood in which daring experiments or rose
gold and blue are made with refinement OF feel-
ing; but delicate as the work is his pictures lack
atmosphere. His best drawing Is one OF boats
at Rye with a glimpse Of houses clustered on
a hillside
Mr. Brevtnall has a series Of venturesome
studies Of color, of which the Last Days OF the
Sea Rover" Is the most ambitious; but ne tails
in composition. and is not always at MS pest III
drawing. Miss Montalba perseveres in her
Venetian studies, but while her combinations
of grays and yellows subtle she conveys an
impression Of the growing force of mannerism
IN her art
The older methods are represented by MT
Ernest A. waterlow, who uses water color WIN
exquisite albeit labored, finish and elegance Oh
style His "Wlndswept Hilr' has the elastic
atmosphere which the early masters or tne
English school considered essential 10 lanu-
scape. and his Hampshire Hillside Is hhe
example of elaborate composition out even
richer in feeling and more charming IN restlui
beauty is his September Evening MI. MAT
thew Hale paints IN the old fashioned way ana
does not leave the air out of his pictures. His
drawing Of "Niorte Point" one Of the most pict-
uresoue headlands of North Devon. is perfect in
tone Equally faultess in composition ana
drawing is Mr. Robert Littles Path TO the
spaniards Hampstead Heath" good example
OF pure water color paintings, defective only IN
tone. The best water painting is in Mr. Napier
Herv's marines in which the veteran is al
wavs strong. Mr. Carl Haag has two fine
works, but the figure pieces are few IN NUMBER
and not noticeably good. Mr. Alfred Parsons
has three minor works and the Princess Louise
O nrett,, study entitled "Dawn-Medterranean
What this exhibition lacks, IL anything. is
refinement Of color and that is the pre-eminent
feature OF the collection Of Mr.. II. b. Brabazon
at the GoupiI Gallery near by This artist tries
experiments in frankly initiating Watteau'
Turner and James Maris and he also paints
dainty pastels: but his water color DRAWINGS
are chiefly remarkable for their refinement ana
delicacy Of tone. He loves Venice as MISS
Montalba does but he does not idealiZe 1t ana
paint in exceptional lights and conditions Win
artificial devices, but as every traveller sees H.
His drawings OF old houses in Venice are mas
terly In tone and composition. and his art IS
full OF tenderness. Very beautiful too. are MS
sketches OF the Riviera. the italian lakes and
Anime scenery Restful is the afternoon hour
which is passed in that tranquil gallery. with
its glmpses Of sunny Italy; but when the return
Is made to the maddng crowd In Regent-st'
,he newsman Is at the door with the latest
casualty list OF the Guards who are fighting
and diving like heroes under Metfuen-"theirs
not TO reason why"
Mr. Stephen Phillips for a new man In let
ters has succeeded in making a reputation IN
q short time He Is the son of the Precentor OF
Peterborough Cathedral, and, although born
near oxford is not university man, having
been educated In the grammar schools ana
coached for the Civil Service. Unlike other
eminent literary men-Mr Austin DObson ana
Mr. Maurice Hewlett are shining examples-he
lacked the patience and executive ability re-
ou,red for the routine and drudgery OF the civil
Service Mr. Dobson IS content TO work all day
IN the Board of Trade and to spend his evenings
In dreaming Of the forgotten figures or the
eighteenth century. and Mr. Hewlett Ia Keeper
y, Land Revenue Records and Enrolments and
ma NJ the busiest officials in London, yet he Is,
also ike Mr.. Dobson, a true artist. who loves
NJ. art for its own sake and disdains TO make
q commercial use OF It by writing for a living
and increasing his literary productiveness MT
Phillips got far enough in the Civil Service 10
dislike IT, and 10 scuttle out betmes Mr. Ben
son cast his spell over him. as he has over other
enthusiasts and enticed him to join the Shake
spearfan company which was making the rounds
~ the provinces He acted minor parts in vari-
OILS plays. and II ne did not achieve any strik-
ing success he at least served an apprentice
ship which equipped him for the stage business
of writing plays in classical blank verse.
Mr. Phillips left the stage in order to become
army tutor at a school for six years and to en-
ploy his leisure in writing poetry. When two
volumes had been published he received the !
first prize awarded by The Academy" for the |
best book Of the year How these prizes are |
awarded by that excellent weekly journal do
not know Mrs. Craigie may be responsible for |
the literary Judgment required, for her father, ,