The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17
BBIEF APPROPRIATIONS or SOME
AMERICAN PAINTERS.
Y.-NlnsloM Homer.

~
distinct mark thar Winslow Homer
The foreign critics seemed to be conscious
OF a fresh note In his pictures; one not trace
able to European influences, still less sug-
gestive Of Partisan technique; a note OF
unmistakable force and independence
Could IL be considered representatively
American?
Almost for the first time this question
appeared to BE- asked with a real interest
In the answer. Foreigners had long been
acquainted with painters from America
who came over in increasing numbers and
showed a remarkable faculty Of quickly
assimilating the teaching and influences OF
Europe. But we're there any distinctively
American painters? Those students who
remained in Europe. though many OF them
were individual and forceful men, merged
themselves more or less completely IN
their new environment. What, then, be-
came Of those who returned to America
Presumably they carried back with them
the Europeanisms they had acquitted. SO
far as could be Judged from the showing
made by American painters at previous
expositions. they were but rejecting the
influences Of Paris or o. German and English
painting. Was there. in fact. as distin-
guished from ar, in America any American
art? Aud with a lang,iid interest in a
| matter so far detached from their personal
knowledge the foreigners had answered
the question for themselves, negatively.
However, the Exposition OF 1900 contained
an American section which revealed a great
deal OF motive and character hat could
not be lightly dismissed as but a reflex OF
Europe. il might have been made even
more representative Of the difference which
the American environment il steadily i'm
pressing upon the work OF Americans who
live and paint al home; but notwtthstand-
ing its shortcomings in this respect, the
exhibition undoubtedly gave evidence that
such difference already existed. The evil
dence was largely of the circumstantial
kind. to be gathered not from any patent
facts so much as from a collating OF various
hints of motive and character and a com
parison Of them with those exhibited in
the pictures of other countries.
Then one gradually became conscious
of more sobriety. earnestness and sim
nlicity. in fact, Of a more obvious con-
viction. in the American work than in that
Of the French section as "A whole. III
Americans did no, seem 20 be painting
III DDftll''llit W WIN N'h''' VIZ 49, "'''
the purpose Of creating one; they were not
thrashing around for motives which should
electrifv. hv shock or thrill, and prove
a brief sensation, nor, on the other hand,
did they seem TO he bent upon exhibiting
the particular advantages Of this or that
method Of technique. Their work for the
most part was unassuming and straight
forward, penetrated with realism and
often tempered with poetic feeling, not
less suggestive of the true painter-like
way of conceiving the subject because
il was executes with 80 little desire TO
exploit the mere painter-iike facility OF
brush work. and vet showing a sound and
advanced acquisition in technique. In
deed. il was in this particular that the
American work showed superior TO that
Of Norway. with the fresh, vigorous spirit
Of which i Otherwise had 50 much in cOm-
mon. These qualities If earnest force,
of directly independent vision and strong,
straightforward treatment, so conspicu-
Gus in Homer's pictures. drew the foreign
critics TO a conclusion thai this yirile per
Souality might be really representative
Of American an.
And 80 u f. ira the sense that il pmbOdles
the qualities and point II view for which
all our most Individual painters are strlv-
ing, though It's power and depth place
him abOv" any direct comparison with
other painters. unless n he with Homer
Martin. Like the latter his art has grown
out of and into the circumstances Of his
environment the mo.t reasonable and
fertile WAY II growth both IN plant life
and In the life 80 nan A. a boy az Cam
bridge. Mas m" led tLr true hoys life.
Interested h. animals. fond - fishing. OBJ
servant al-n 81 the character and forms
Of nature. early recording lh- lmpreSsiu ms
~ pepper iu % long series 81 Intellectually
careful drawings -, from the start he
I.uuIrl tl feel things and 10 see hinge FOR
himself and tu expires them NJ thev afeCt"i
Niw Tie a'.iIou' Of M advertisement ia
aIpctI pHr"t landed him iu aNfhiRrlrh'r'-
Wufk-hop. whorr Tor tNu yeur- hi lilIf-
n m'fIpdi"al application Wrf" ,~puhIu,ai
l,a,.ug him u th" cud o. lr.. ',lr,-t
tnI rufll-iu-rlD a. a student hui d,fri.
nluri that lrurrfurtl be- would huU fhr
ur.h tu uu ,lr Aer % ur'f Pol IHyru 90
q Is -'au studio. duTug rlI"h Bee r'n.
triuf.i dfasIug- fu Hs'rrr \ hrH-
I, ,aur Up IL. nov lort r'iu-lts a. nn"r
I. 'nr,r iur 600 ai atfulrut ~ luu-r luh.
I.-H,.- nf aH'ufluF 900 appointment
T tlu uuthfral .f zoo var |H friIr-'ni
I..u. of t.r f..f M.huNlH.r hr bad
i-ru ]af'nau. i.r u.sh. -uY.l ~ ti"
500 1900. A.aI... arI .atUs l,--l- 900
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ms. ...u u.. I.I.t.r rplIr a- - p.ln'ri
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