The sun., 1901-05-20
AROUND THE GALLERIES.
Paintings BY Arthur n. Davies at Macbeth

II Mr. Arthur X Davies were exhibiting in
Europe the pictures he has on exhibition ~
Macbeth's Call ry, II ia probable that he would
be reckoned among the symbolsts, The latter,
however, represent a breed that We have not
developed in this country. toward which
We are apt to be unsympathetic, 80 let us
avoid the term on this occasion and class the
pictures as allegories They arc for the most
part. renderings OF the nude in combination
with landscape. the motive being to express
some abstract conception through the medium
OF color and form There is a subject, for
example. entitled "Earths Secret" and the
concrete presentation Is a slim, soft-lImbed
boy with a girlish face poising dove on the
palm OF his hand. The mind Immediately
starts on along two tracks, on the one hand
dissipsting itself in conjecture ~ 10 the zig
nlflcance Of the allesory. on tho other scru-
tinizing the actual facts submitted
One has respect for q man whose thoughts
seem To swim on plane a little higher than
the level Of our ordinary imagnauons' out
II he Ia addressing ia he should leave BEHIND
some clue by which We may follow him. In
telligibility Ia perhaps the test of true aIe-
CORY In the Pilgrims Progress We are
ueading an ideal path, yet are always con-
scious of terra nrma: and an artist VINO VIII ss
his fight upward might take example OF the
ak ylark. which leaves trail OF song pehinu'
leading up TO his exatation. One OF the fauits
OF modern symbolism OF allegory IN paihuhe
Ia that Its leap into the abstract If abrupt
IL leaves no clue 70 It's own goal, Ia 40 entirely
sub Iective az to be unintelig gible and In mere
defence Of our own self-respeot We shrus the
shoulder and conclude that II means nofhlnR
There il lust this diflculty Of forming an
estimate of Mr. Daviess motive stepping
out Of the actuslity Of Fifth avenue one Is
suddenlv confronted with theee sllegories
Do thew mean much or nothing1 Much. no
doubt. TO the painter himself; but that Il
scarcely the point. for he Ia addressing us
Have they meant enough 10 him 70 enable
him to give out something OF this much TO
ourselves7 Here is picture. called diamond
Dew" II represents a landscape with trees
IN the centre and behind them suggestion
OF brilliant light, shedding itself in rays ana
.prinkling the grass and foliage with Jewel
drops and In the grass Ia a herd OF red-bac cked
hogs What 10 the painters thought 10 "
nature scattering her pearls before sVine'
IL 40, we sympathize with them' inceed, are
willing 70 Identify ourselves with the swine
In our disregard Of the charms OF this par
ticular sort Of nature For we cannot help
being reas onin swine, and the representation
OF the light "a 80 childishy naive in its literal
ness Of radiation and so entirely without
mbtlety, pervasivs luminosity or focused
brilllanoe that we arc confirmed In our swim
.hness The pearls are taste; beech nuts
and grass at least are nutriment
Here we fnd ourselves on the other track
,crutinizing the concrete facts; and n Is In
escapable that their rendering Is unsatis-
factory. The landscape part ia arbitrarily
devised, apparently studio-made and out OF
the painter head; seldom suggesting the real
charm Of nature. for which perhaps We ought
, not TO be searching. but also falling as a
decorative background to tho figures The
latter are not particularly well drawn, their
pose Ia nearly always awkward. the colorins
often untrue and not In itself desirable. Yet
these are the elements through which the
abstract appeal must be made. And think
ing again Of those swine one reflects that a
,lk purse cannot be made out OF sow's ear,
In fact, in default OF concrete charm and
Of sbstract beauty made intelltgible. we find
our admiration narrowed down TO the painter =
intention 10 produce imaginative work; and
intention 10 poor equiv valent for realization.