New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-05-16
PART II.
FOUR PAGES.
LONDON ART.
vELAsQUEZ AND sARGENT-Two GREAT
PORTRAITS 90 FEATURES OF THE
ROYAL DEAIY-SCULPTURE.

The English portrait painters are subjected
to a terrible test when the Academy Is opened
q few days after thirty-nine works Of Velasquez
have been exhibited al the Guildhall How MANY
OF them can endure comparison with the great
master q portraiture in Individuality distiuc-
ton Of style, perfection OF draughtsnnanship IN
Ainching realism and absolute knowledge Of
gradations OF tones and relations OF values?
The greatest among them is Mr. Sargent. with
seven portraits on the walls OF the Academy
and two o. them splendid examples Of his art
He is a realist with a wonderful mastery Of
technique and expression and he has su-
preme talent for concentrating his attention
upon what is essential in the character of his
subject He makes a closer approach 10 Velas-
Quez than any other living portrait painter ex-
cept Mr. Whistler but he is long way re-
moved from the oldtime master. He is less
successful in keeping himself out OF the picture
Uses more colors. is less academic in draughts-
manship and lacks the Greek gift Of creating
statuesque figures and combining realism with
idealism. II he has been true TO himself and
made no affeCtation OF painting Ike the Spanish
master. his colleagues in the Aesdsmy-for he
has no rivals there-are too remote IN spirit snd
method TO endure comparison with VelaslueZ
Of Ny Sargenrs seven paintings in the Acad-
envy. TWO are family groups with children. one
represents Mrs Cazalet in a black gown, with a
boy in red beside her and a younger child in
wEite standing on red chair. The other intro
duccs SIR Charles SitweU. Lady Ida Sitwell. q
young daughter and two children at play the
aoor with a black dog. In each Of these groups
the personality Of the painter is strongly felt,
II never is in a Velasquez. He is posing and
showing off the members Of each household. and
arranging his color schemes by various devices.
IN the Cazalet group the children posed so
as 70 reveal different degrees Of infantile help
lessness and Unsteadiness; and o red back
g1ound is provided for the black and red cos
tunes and the red upholstering, relieved by the
wtite dress of the younger child. In the Sitweu
household with the Empire furniture. the paint
er is again Snowman and stage manager. with
an eye for balancing reds in the girls dress the
piUmes in Lady Ida's hat, the flowers in her
hand. and the toy soldiers and bookbinding
the floor. Vitality is impaired by realism and
close observation. but the painters hand is not
concealed. and his eye seems 70 be surveying
the scene and arranging the colOrs and access
SORES. With Velasquez there was no personal
management of the figures and costumes: he
remained outside the picture; and there was
neither device for balancing colors nor fussiness
over backgrounds.
The portraits OF Sir Charles Tenant. Mr.. c.
s. Loeb and Professor Ingram Bywater may lie
passed over as subordinate works: but there are
Two Sargents OF superior power. One OF them
The portrait Of Mr.. Wertheiner's daughters Is
a great picture. in which realism and technique
triumph audaciously. The TWO figures, one in
dark red and the other in white evening dress
are marvels Of vitality and health. one has her
arm around the other. and both seem TO be
hurrying forward and on the point OF stepping
out Of the picture frame. The room is full OF
air. with wide foor spaces. but the figures are
thrown into the foreground beside a large blue
jug; and a fan in the hand OF one. by a daring
feat Of technique is opened outward directly in
the spectators face Marvellous is the brush
work IN the toning OF the red and white satin
gowns: overwhelming is the sense Of vitality:
but the painter himself is felt IN his work The
other portrait is more like Velasquez. .Irs.
Charles Russell, painted al half length on the
opposite wall. has come out Of q mysterious
background like a Velasquez figure. and in
her white dress. touched with dull pink, she
needs neither Interpreter nor Snowman The
color scheme is merely incidental; there are 10
accessories beyond the metal work Of q lamp
stand. and there is a free circulation Of air
around the figure. The lips are compressed; the
hands are lightly clasped; there is an expression
OF intense longing in the sad, wistful face and
an almost piteous glance IN the searching eyes.
Other and more beautiful faces on these walls
are easily forgotten; but this one haunts the
memory and leaves a vivid impression OF
unique personality ard character. Il IS a work
worthy Of a great master in its simplicity. vi
tality and power. There are no artificial effects
OF posing-no obvious studio devices. The same
light which touches the FURNISHED metal OF the
lampstand reveals the pallid throat and the
bloodess hands. and there is flesh painting OF the
same transparent quality which is 10 be seen
in VsIasquezs Spanish ladies. This remarkable
character study offers proof that Mr.. Sargents
art instead OF weakening. is becoming more
mature and refined as the workmanship grows
frmer and broader and the shadows are soft
ened.
Royalty can clear the spaces on each side OF
NJ Observation-Disclosures portrait Of Queen Vic
toria bur il cannot divert attention from these
mastery works Of Mr.. Sargent That is an es-
sentially unreal picture Of the aged sovereign,
designed primarily as interior Of corner OF
the House OF Lords with the light beating
upon the throne and an atterthought the
Queen with her blue Garter SASH seated in
state robes. The light is cleverly centred upon
the sovereign's face, but IL is theatrical pict-
ure without the stately simplicity Characteristic
OF the Queen. The galleries are filed With Tor-
traits by NJ Ouless, Professor Herkomer' MI.
Solomon. Sir Laurence Alma-TadeTna. MI Or
chardson MI Wells Mr.. Fildes. the Hon. John
Collier and Mr.. Jack; but the best group after
the Sargents is that painted by NJ. J. J. shan
non There are six OF them; Lady Barron,
Miss Kitty shannon AIr. Henry Pelham Cl.:-
toms Young sons. Lady White, Mrs Walter
Fenv-ick and Flower Girl" The last Is .
really brilliant work a sympathetic study Of
maternity for there IS a child in the flower
girls arms with background OF foliage and
mass OF bright bloom IN the foreground The
portrait Of the painters daughter Is a'So