The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-13

acceptable. The irresistiblenees. such as
Raphael gave to his st. Michael, Is wanting
To him: he moves rather as a dream figure
impelled not from within but from without.
So he scarcely touches our sympathy,
especially when he leaves Blanchefeur
on the threshold Of their marriage. II Is.
in fact, In the subsidiary parts Of each pict-
ure h a the CONTINGENCIES and beauty
OF the conception are chiefly felt. Note,
for example, the figure Of the monk who
hands the key In picture No. 8. II Is TO him
that again and again the eye Is drawn In
admiration. So. also, in the death OF
Amfortas Qi). the old man., dying, is the
most arresting. most appealing, feature OF
the composition. But 1t Is when women.
or angels are introduced that ones interest
IA most distracted from the hero. How
beautiful they are! The alluring purity
Of expression. for example, in the faces OF
the Virtues Is Irresistible. Their heads,
fragrantly pure. sway like a row OF lilies in
a gentle wind. Their notionless bodies are
arrayed in costumes Of delicate richness,
| each one of which il differently exquisite;
| the expression Is mostly signifed by move
ment of the hands and head; along the line
there Is a simultaneous act of unwilling.
diversified by separate traits of modesty.
Perhaps the most captivating of all the
figures Is that OF the one who holds the
young knights left hand. She draws back
and yields at the same moment with a gest-
ure in which there isa most subtle mingling
of confidence and hesitation. The touch
Of man is 40 now to her, yet who may doubt
this youth?
One Of the gems Of tho whole series is
tho anraaanta.ipn ~ Rlanrhanapr sitting
in her dove-gray wedding gown; rose
wreathed and holding roses in her lap;
gazing before her with a look Of surrender,
50 infinitely spiritual. In her as in the
Virtues the painter has made purity ador-
able; neither ascetic nor ecstatic. not at
variance with the humanity OF woman
hood. but represented as its choicest flower
Ing. Again, in his rendering Of the angels
he helps US 10 realize that they are creatures
Of the Imagination; especially in the last
picture, where their form is vague and
they are felt rather as presences. And
to this detachment from mere humanity
spiritualized corresponds the expression
of their faces; the wrap. alteration Of beings
raised above the stir of human passion,
in an atmosphere Of calm where passivity
is action.
The intellect that has conceived these
designs is not Of the kind that leaps to an
inspired result: its quality is choicencss and
delicacy of imaginativeness that wins us
BY persuasion, representing in their fulness
of maturity the same traits which capti-
waited in the artists old English drawings.
Here the theme is infinitely greater and its
amplitude has been compas=ed with a clear
ness Of realization and a fair sufficlency
Of Interpretation thai make its significance
able very truly to be appreciated, In
modern art it would be difficult to name a
series of illustrative designs more noble
in character and suggestion.
A corresponding maturity is noticeable
In Mr.. Abbey's method. The tentativeness,
inevitable in his early essays in oil paint:
the difldence natural at the commence
ment of 80 big a work as this, nave disap-
peared in these later pictures. The artist
seems to be sure of himself. has attacked
the various problems bravely and with
gusto: while the brushwork reveals a pleni-
tude of intention and power that is admir-
able throughout and In very many passages
most mastery. How fine, for example.
are the delicately sumptuous masses of
drapery upon some of the Virtues; not only
composed with dignity and elaboration Of
beautiful folds. but PAINTED with such
quiet and broad assurance; with compre-
hensive confidence. but no brayado' Lovers
Of eloquent brushwork. again. will COM
pare the forcible simplicity Of the monks
figure (s) with the gracious one Of Blanche
ieur 0O). no less surely painted. but en-
veloped so tenderly in Swallowed atmos-
phere. They will note. too, the rendering
Of the dying King. where the shrunken
form is 80 pnthe,ically suggested beneath
the ample folds Of his white robe: and the
knecling figure Of the woman lin ~ ,o fl,ly
modelled, with such an interesting move
ment ia the carriage Of the head and shout
ders and that too. so expressive Of the srnti-
ment. and they will note also in the picture
Of the chip az sea with what success
Mr. Abbey has come through the ordeal
Of painting his first marine How beluti-
ful the color II the water and how satis-
factory the rendering Of its movement
Thcre l. some uni~ntelligibiity In the
construction q the boat toward it,
Stern. but II rides and moves on
the water, and on" can hear the thud. AZ
IL %--t'lr. m the trough VERY expressive
h. the rc]vrreutial absorption ~ The angel
il rhr prov aud very clover me vay IN
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