New-York tribune., 1901-03-06
ART EXHIBITIONS.
PAINTINGS BY MIR TWACHTMAN-GRor-u
OF FRENCH LANDSCAPES-MR
RANGER AND MIR. vOs


OF FRENCH LANDSCAPEs-MR
RANGER AND MR. vos.
For the last three years the new works hror,,.
forward by Mr. ]. Fl. Twachtman have hrrrsd nj,
cpally in the exhibitions OF the Ten Ar,ar5c,,
Painters. Presumably he will share in the disn,.
of that small but effective organization ~ :.
opened on March Is at the Durand-Ruel cave
In the mean time at that place he has show OF
his owr. made up of old and new paintings and a
number of sketches. 1t illustrates that form %
impressionism which seeks first the expression %
facts. and now and then. as if by accident casts
them into a pictorial unit His facts are the stir
airs and restricted tones OF snowy winter scenes:
the DARK yet colorful aspect of water with Ice
breaking its surface: the play of light around YES
sells at their moorings: the delicate tracery mass
by saplings against the fresh Backgrounds or
spring. and the vibration Of young LEAKAGE in the
sunshine of that season All this is the material OF
the landscape painter of nearly every school II
Mr. Twachtman is any mans follower he Is
Monets, and he suggests the preoccupations and
processes associated with the Frenchman's mama
They are fruitful so far they go. The palmer
who starts out TO represent the appearance OF
scene at given moment. with the last refnements
OF light and shade, atmosphere and color caught
as in fash of visual experience. without the IN
tervention of any subjective speculations NAV AZ
least hope 70 depict nature canvas as nature
exists. In picture like Mr. Twachtman's "IIistv
Morning" wherein the trees in the foreground the
rising land in the distance and the stream between
give the spectator refreshing and delightful
sense as OF being in the presence of the scene H.
SELF II seems as II the most Imaginative of paint
ers could not have achieved more convincing re-
port Of the matter. But there strange Hmita-
tons to the art that has produced this picture
IL is an art evidently OF great service to the
gatherer of material but by it's very nature n Is
opposed to the seIective and constructive ideals
which preside over the transformation of raw ma
teral into something more beautiful. artistic
The Misty Morning is not only portrait OF a
place. it is a picture Possibly Mr. Twachtman
meant it TO be But the broad testimony of his
exhibition scarcely ratifes this conclusion; one
feels. rather that when landscape falls into charm
ing pictures under his brush it is because he has
just happened to hit upon a felictous ARRANGEMENT
of forms and colors. and it has struck him as not
after all. incompatible with the notation Of an at
Uospheric effect. of special geam Of light He
accepts the compositions nature offers If they are
good. much the better: if they are poor it does
not matter; the pictorial motive is subsidiary the
notation aforesaid is the main thing. IL might
serve to revive. if it worth while, discussion
OF the old conflict between art for arts sake and
for the sake OF beauty. the old question of tech
niqUe and what technique is for. There can be 70
doubt that Mr.. Twachtman uses on occasion,
great technical proficiency. Only, revolving within
its own circle. unadmonished by any intmations Of
the things in art which technique must always
serve and never dominate II sometimes balks
strangely at the problems by which it is confronted;
and is unproductive OF anything like pleasure for
/ the beholder.
II is valued because il transfers facts to canvas
with such precision and with so individual
touch IN The Torrent" with it's really moving
waters; but II leaves cold before The Cascade
in which land and water seem hopelessy confused.
In Winter. showing house almost buried in the
snow is wonderfully true and attractive but from
'SnOwbOund," a similar study. nothing OF truth OF
charm emerges. In the large UncatalogUed picture
OF a river crossed by a white bridge. which Is seen
through the thin foliage OF IN the foreground
the work seems unfinished but enough IS there to
proclaim the loveliness and freshness Of the sub
ject The bright. almost staccato note OF The
Barnyard'' IS wholly captivating But if the colec-
tion embraces these lucky hits IL also contains
things that amorphous and uninteresting Here
and there picture arrests the eye it IS beautiful
accomplished. But, taking the exhibition a
whole. misses the emotion and the designing
faculty which transhgUre the truth and beauty of
nature into the beauty and truth OF The artist
pauses over technical problems which inter
esting enough in their way. but delay him the
road 70 the making of pictures in which deeper
inspiration should put technique in its place.