New-York tribune., 1902-11-05
ART EXHIBITIONS.
SCULPTURE AND FLowERs-THE ARcHI-
TECTTRAL LEAGUE-A RAIN


lh, exhibition .t the Madison Square Gar
tel, held under the auspices Of the National
sculpture Society and the New-York Florists
cub leaves decidedly mixed impression.
sculpture is, IN nine cases out Of ten, seen to
better advantage amid plants and miscella-
neous greenery than in an art gallery Of the
usual sort, and the present exhibition is there
lore. al certain points. an Improvement upon
most Of the other shows in which the Sculpt-
aye Society has participated. But the effect
80 the whole is not altogether satisfactory.
The floral exhibit has neither the natural charm
.f ordinary garden nor the stateliness of a
rorrnal scheme worked out according to Italian
.r English ideas II IS. in the first place. over
.rqwded, and, secondly, II recalls in most of its
'.etails nothing so much as a mere shop One
-1atue alone can be said TO have really gained
.'refhine from its environment. This is the
large equestrian statue OF Washington, by Mr..
French and NJ Potter which looms impress
sively at end Of the Garden. and is rem
dere5 the more effective through the abundance
Of vines and plants out Of which it rises For
the rest, We md the statuary gaining only as it
might in studio any gallery from the deft
arrangement Of its immediate background and
Surroundings. there is nowhere any Of that
effect Of space and broad color which we had
looked forward TO fnding when this affair at
the Madison Square Garden was first talked
about
The collection OF nearly two hundred pieces
shown By the Sculpture Society includes a con-
siderable number Of things already familiar,
like the equestrian statue just mentioned, or
MT. Barnard's colossal recumbent Pan" but
there are divers new productions. Conspicuous
among these is Mr.. Wards monumental pedi-
rnent for the new building of the Stock Ex-
change. Even in the plaster this composition
iunpresses the observer by IFS combination OF
variety with balance, and by its dignity and
style The idea that this suggests. that Ameri-
can sculpture is ca pable Of very elaborate and
impressive things, is brought out at several
other points IN the exhibition, though not al
ways with equal success. There is Mr. Karl
Bitters Model for Henry Willard Memorial"
. work which might be better, but is at all
events characterized by deep feeling and con-
siderable technical power. AIr Herbert Adams
leaves a fine impression with his big statue Of
William EIlery Claiming, work of great SIM
phcity. with some admirable linear qualities
in il: and there is much interest, if there is
not much to excite enthusiasm in the ambi
tious productions. on large scale, by John J.
Boyle, H a. MacNeL Bella Pratt and Charles
h Niehaus. Mr.. Barnard sends in addition 10
the Pan" mentioned above, a Female Fig
ure" which is unexpectedly suave in modelling
and winning in spirit Mr.. Borglum, Mr. Bart
lett Mr.. Martiny. Mrs Vonnoh and Mr.. Proctor
contribute suggestive works, and there are
others who. with new things or old, beguile the
stroller through the labyrinth OF statuary and
floral decorations, but found nothing espe-
cially memorable in the exhibition. This, how
ever. need not be discoura ging. The show wears
an experimental air Its chief purpose is to
ihlow light on the possibilities of an enterprise
If the sort. While the result is disappointing.
II will At any rate, have served TO show the
scuIptois Uha1 TO avoid upon another occasion.