The sun., 1901-12-11
IN THE 0ALLERIEs,
Drawings by John La Fargo At the Mont-
ross Gallery.

To those who know and admire the art OF
John La Fargo the very informality of TINS
little exhibition will make 1t additionally In
teresting. 1t lays no claim TO chronological
SEQUENCE or to q complete representa-
ton OF the artists periods OF work; being
simply a small cleaning from drawers
and portfolios full OF studies that have
accumulated through the years, selected
not by the artist, but by Mr.. Montross.
Yet, II you choose to search Tor them
you will And that they include several in
dications of the milestones In the artists
career. There Is pen-and-ink drawing
Of the head and bust Of man reading and
an oil-sketch portrait of himself, done
about the time that he went 10 Paris or
little before: a drawing Of head made
during his brief stay In Conture's studio;
several landscape studies drawn mainly
for the sake Of recording the values in
black and white and some heads that belong
10 the period when he had returned from
abroad and was still hesitatng as To whether
he should follow art as a profession
Then, four years later there are indications
that his mind was made up, for few OF
the drawings point to close anatomical
study Of the forms and there are also re-
ninders of his earliest work in illustrauon'
followed by examples of his well-known
work in the same direction those haunt
ingly suggestive illustrations TO some OF
Browning's poems. Then one singles out
a little sketch, quite likely TO escape a casual
eye, but full Of significance to the artist,
for It bears the date 1879, an epoch-making
one In his career, since its marks his first
opportunity In extensive mural decora-
ton. This little bit Of paper, with its brief
indications Of what he had In mind TO do
on some portion OF the wall in Trinity
Church. Boston, is like the grain OF mustard
seed that subsequently grew into great
tree, so that the fowls of the air roasted
In the branches thereof Naturally the
greater number Of the remaining drawings
recall phases Of the decorative work which
has mainly occupied his life since then;
some OF them, preliminary lineal studies
Of individual figures others showing the
frst impression in his mind Of the color
problem that was TO be developed later
in some window or altar piece.
But IL is not only a. indicating the prog
re,s Of Mr.. Ia Targe's art that this gather
ing of studies il Interesting. They were
never meant for public view and We're made
so entirely because of enme impu 50 or
necessity Of the moment, that they have a
very intimate relation TO 'he artists per-
sonality, little Indications OF personal traits,
preferences and even mental comments,
all the more Interesting and convincing
because unconscously expressed. ] can
not forbear 10 mention ono because it is so
deliciouslv suggestive. II ia a nude study
Of n woman shown "a far as the waist,
nn'itlrI "Ariadne, and perhaps intcnted
for an illustration, as it was submitted T.
magazine that regulates its editorial policy
with certain primes, Pencillcl on the
margin Of this beau;fIl drawing in the
minute nervous handwriting Of the artist
H. thr subscription, FOR tho ------ maga-
zine, Aria1no. refu sed " And the last word
is delicately underlined. What eloquent
breVitv'