New-York tribune., 1899-03-25
ART EXHIBITIONS
THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN

The Society Of American Artists h.. '"
US 10 SO interesting standard In 40 man,
annual exhibitions that the Observer a, .r " ''
Of these. finding all his pleasant memo-,s, 'aess
may well be forgiven An exclamation OF ano,,.-'.
and DISNEY Something direful has hapn.re. men,
the explanation Is soon discovered ~" am
the best men have absented themseiv.s
this was 90 be reckoned with in advance r.. y
American Painters" who seeded year 49, le'
held a brilliant exhibition Of their o1, ~, am
been reconcIled; they are n open another .,n' IVY
tion at the Durand-Rue Gallery next rnor,, nN'
where are the leaders among the falthfuio -,
Chase has usually come out In rne fore. ~ -
spring exhibition This year he sends ,uo
landscapes borrowed from their owners. ,hA .NAA
attractive lit'ic fragments. but they are .' ar'
panied by nothing important and fresh r.
artists studio. Mr. Plat. Mr. Moybrav a. ~. rs
Maynard are conspicuous by their absen.AE ~
place OF honor IN the Vanderbilt Gal.r,, Ing
has so frequently been occupied by a ns, Na
strong American painting Is now given ov.- -. "a
religious canvas by VI. Dagnan- Bouvers, -,
wonteL vitality and charm OF The Society OF Ar..
can Artists have departed from f.. We do ~.
mean 10 ne unjust 10 those who remain IN ur,,,
tho traditions Of the past. but naturally IT IA -,
possible for a few Isolated painters 10 Great. -.
same atmosphere Of freshness and vigor whlc, :.
owed formerly 10 A consi lerable group. They ,,v.
GO10 N
hanging committee 70 nh out the space as pau,Is,,
possible.
The ensemble IS. indeed. plausible enough Tier.
is plenty or toIerable work visible IN andscan.,
and figure sketches. in portraits and marines Hr,
toerable work has grieyous way of being ala,
commonplace. We turn with Il feeling o. relief Z,
the long decorative panel which Ilr. KENYON Chr
has executed for the Appellate Court. tn. co,or
scheme is a trhe garish in more than ore pac.
bat design and draughtsm manship are adnirsy.
and the work as whole is dgnlhed and sr.
"Lorenzaccio" a huge portrait of Nine. B.r.
hardt IN costume IS perhaps tho most ambition,
Of the American figure studies. after NJ Cox,
decoration Though the big dark canvas seem,
rather ghostly and thin With its single tral ngur.
and one doub,s the wisdom of using 50 much
space for the presentation Of 50 unimpressly.
subject the painting has a certain breadth ard a
note OF feeling which is romantic ore is thans
ful for small mercies In this show. Thus We are
grateful for the designs sent by Mr. BrysOn Bur
r0ughs though he is capable OF modelling tina, Il
alarming in its badness. The forms in his Work
are excessively heavy. On the other hand. Il q
plain that he is moving toward better things II.
Work" and the "Windy Day disclose trsA
point of view and a sympathetic eye FOR interss.
ing figures. Time and practice viii give Mr Bgr
roughs freedom OF touch. accuracy and svee-
sense OF color. Another artist OF promise Is Ms
A. c. Chase. Her two portraits GO. 2S and No
273) are somewhat crude but they painted st,h
a bodness that only needs 20 be controlled By
study, then II Will serve her well The portra!tgrs
here IS. on the whole unedifying. Mr. ThsyeTs
Young Woman" uneven In technique Is other.
wise a beautiful production. tender. spiritual ari
eloquent and there is clever workmanship In tas
Portrait in Black and Green" By Mr. Taber Sears
who also shows delicate taste in his color. bu.
elsewhere we find even tried hands falling below
the level on which We expected find them. Mss
Beaux is sadly disappointing in Doth the portraits
she sends She does not know how 10 be mediocre
but upon this occasion she shows that she can b
careless and loose in her workmanship. Though
| her strength IL characterization glows in each
| canvas. Il cannot outweigh poor modelling ant
muddy color. Mr.. Isham's Lady with Fan" I,
brisk firm and precise it IS almost good as his
best. But wish it quite IN line with his
| usually nervous forceful work Mr Fowler is
energetic and direct in his "Poytrai, Of Hon. Ros
well p Flower" but the canvas contains nothing
distinguished, and the full length OF a lady in pink
Is even less striking. There good qualities IN
! "A Mans Head" by Mr.. Joseph II. Bosion-thi'
| has character and power-and the small portrait
| that Mr.. Francis 2. Lathrop has painted OF him.
self exerts quiet charm. The only portrait how
ever, which, with Mr.. Thayers imaginative can
vas has distinction. is Mr.. Ssrgent's portrait q!
a
see again. His smaller and much darker Portrait
OF Young Girl" IS characteristic, but OF no great
value. We may note that Mr.. Sargent IS also REP
| resented by A Sketch for the Astarte, inscribed
20 Sir Frederick Leighton and now loaned BY Mr'
L. Gardner II IS illustrative. of course, Ok ore
| OF the chief portions OF the scheme IN the Boston
| library. As a fragment o. complex design II y
| obscure. but The swift brushvork. the deishua
color and the original style all give IL pleasant
! significance I'm the exhibition.
Mr. Whlstler's THE Music Room reappesTs-a
curious composition. not particularly beautiful n
itself but remarkable for the sense OF life whici
fills II and for the strange note OF power and Ind
! yiduality which belongs 70 IL. Not far from ths
| hangs one Of the few admirable bits OF open-aF
work here displayed the "Tree-Fellers az WORK
| by Mr. Horato Walker. The composition Is ds'
| lightfllly spontaneous and the yeraclty OF N.
thing makes itself fclt. along with simple oeauV
that fingers in the mind. The LARGE sunllt picture
Roses and Lilies" by Mr. MacMonnies aeound'
! I'm atmosphere and warmth. and Is really capao'
niece of workmanship hut perhaps because Oh ~
too vivid colors the effect. H. the long run, Is
! little hard Mr. Tryon. 70 whom We look for poem
and original studies Of nature. has put something
of both qualities into his big decorative Landscape
"Farlv Spring in New England" hut his rehnemeh'
| has gone almost too FAR making the painting 'h''
| One wants a clearer more authoritative interpre",
| ton OF spring than this gives. And the plc.0'l'
scheme is not quite felictous NJ MI I'o,
might have made IT, pictorial beauty beng on' =
| his strongest gifts IL will b. observed tna' ""
few II anv. or the pictures in this exhiouon o'nI
rand unouallhed praise. The circumstance Is e''.
! tainlv peculiar Before Mrs. DewnSs May
| floral study OF extraordinary delioacy compose
| q new and striking manner and painted "ltn nv'
| able insight and poetic feeling. we are q
| 10 utter n syllable except IN admiration lHS 20
nerlence however. Is NOT repeated. some,"'He A..
| kept the standard down all along me Hn'' ~.
Low. who promises 10 redeem II by DIS s'1,' .,.-
nuencv I'm THE Sylvan Year" series "a ..,o-
panels. makes the picture 50 seechann' ~ r.,.,.
| that he only recalls the key Of the pop'ISI Wa
mas card and therefore fails Il MS e"'e "a.
value the sincerity in Mr.. Fosters lahose "a.
breezy quality in Mr.. Smells large m',".- -.,.,p,
cIeverness IN Mr. Loebs two panels. the IuDN. s,.,
sky in Mr. Lathrop's Clouds and Hil's' n,
the Jury has rightly awarded the Neoo r,x.
! sentiment and smooth drawing in MI -.
Woodland Maid" which. with equal !u'". .,s
ceIved the Shaw Prize; but nothing can H''I n
4