New-York tribune., 1902-03-05
ART EXHIBITIONS.
WILL H. LOWS GARDEN-PoRTRAITS BY
WILTON LOCKwOOD-H. w. RANGERS
NEW LANDSCAPES-THE ACCOR-
RAMBONI COLLECTION.

RAMBONI COLLECTION
Mr.. Will Fl. Low has on exhibition at the Avery
Gallery collection of twenty pictures. painted.
with one exception in the garden of the house
which he occupied at Giverny last year from early
in the spring until late in the autumn Monet. as
is well known has long made his home in that
neighborhood but ii play the part of
devoted follower of the great impressionist that
Mr.. Low settled there. No doubt he has proited.
as so many latter day painters have profted, by
Monets example. There pictures in this eX
htbition which show very clearly the influence Of
that "plcin air. movement to which Monet gave
much impetus. But Mr. Low has all along cul-
tvated line of his own he has sought should
imagine. to reconcile the claims of the new gospel
of atmospheric analysis with the old Of con-
servatism. in which the value of a studio light and
rather close representation of tree forms
sturdily upheld. Thus the two best pictures in
this collection. AN April Morning on the Terrace
and The Terrace Walls" are charming studies
Of light of doors, but are strangely lacking in
the breadth necessary to make them first rate
works of art. Again and again are dsap-
pointed by this ambiguity of effect. We admire
the lucent atmosphere in the first of the pictures
just mentioned, we rejoice the quality
in half dozen other paintings. and always
are captivated by the garden sentiment which Mr..
Low interprets with obvious feeling But never
does he willing let himself go 10 handle
his brushes with freedom and vigor.
His trees and flowers are too closely analysed;
in place of spontaneously formed ensemble of
tone get a scheme of color that while har-
monious enough, is indubitabIy the cold result Of
a laborous piecing together of so many little
fragments. The harmony is built up though
by countless nigEng touches: il is never firmly
grasped and boldly painted a whole. Partly
th's is due, doubt, to the artists way of look
ing at nature: he sees it in little pieces not in
its larger aspects; but partly, also. would
to come from lack of elasticity in technique.
Pomona is the only figure piece here which
shows any fexibity in the modelling at all. and
even this IS not entirely free from the hard
draughtsmanship and nerveless brush work which
we find generally charact cteristc of the show. These
defects the more regrettable because there
is so much in Mr. Lows work that is attractive.
His garden is beautiful, the landscape all around
it is full of charm and as one enters the gallery
the appeal Of all that is sunny and picturesque in
these canvases is immediate and, for an instant,
almost convincing. But closer scrutiny the
faults TO which have referred become
and more disconcerting, until the first emotion OF
pleasure has quite evaporated.
At the Durand-Rue Gallery there are forty-nine
paintings and eight notes" by Mr.. Wilton Lock-
wood, one of the younger of the day whose
work in local exhibitions favorable reference has
often been made in these columns Upon the pres
ent occasion Mr.. Lockwood confirms the impress
sion hitherto received of cleverness ana taste and
yet falls short of making the effect which might
not unfairly have been expected Of him. The gall
lery Is sadly overCrOwded; and though this fact
in itself Is not necessarily calculated to do
artist harm. II happens in this case to reveal in
peculiar vvidness certain serious limitations Meet
ing portrait by Mr.. Lockwood now and then. the
decorative quality which il is bound TO possess
might easily withdraw attention from the arti-
fetal atmosphere in which the sitter IS enveOped.
But in roomful OF such works the essentially
hammered style of the painter leaps to light Two
precious qualities he can claim in addition to that
Of decorative significance, which allusion has
tlgr haan made ffrr, ,g,vfya h1
sure and fluent with individual touch that Is
very engaging and in the preservation of = like
ness he Is instinctively accurate. In those in
stances where the personal test has been possible
We have been impressed and delighted by Mr.
Lockwood's success. The portrait of Mr. La Fargo
for example. IS wonderfully eloquent. not only in
the face and head. but in the hands Yet with all
his gifts this painter seems unable tndispOsed
to shake off note Of color which becomes through
repetition irtoler&bly nonotonOus. and trick OF
lighting whCn is lifeess and meretriCious
Nine-tenths of these portraits are wrapped in a
tepid grayness. duh mist. in which forms lose
just shade too much of their solidity. becoming
Just a shade TOO decorative in their relation TO
the background. So welded Is Mr. Lockwood to
his convention that even when he goes little be
yond 1t. IN the full length of a woman out OF
doors or in the portrait OF mother nursing her
child, the blight OF essentially artificial way
OF looking at life follows him and vitiates a prom
isng piece of work. Why he should remain thus
handicapped 1t is difficult understand; IL seems
wilful not necessary, because there is not a can
vas here which does disclose ability Unusually
sktlful; rich in intelligence and extremely delicate
though narrow I'm taste; with OF artistic
vitality visible everywhere in his work. Mr. Lock
wood remains though in "A secluded and dimly
lighted chamber. through the heavy curtains OF
which the light of day never penetrates. One longs
TO see him turning his back the manner which
he has cultivated effectively, but whose faciIe
charm he has now exhausted, and plunging into
the sunshine. there 10 attack motives In a
mood more human and more robust. This exhibit
uon presents the curious paradox of an artist who
can give you portrait first filed with the char
acter of the sitter and then manipulated that
the juice Of life seems squeezed Of It. For a
painter of Mr.. Lockwoods powers to retard his
own development In this is nothing less
than loss TO American art in general
MT. II W. Ranger has opened another ex hibftiOn
at the gallery of Arthur Tooth & Sons bringing
forward htteen landscapes Some of these illus
trate the unduly sombre key of color for which as
MS previous exhibitions have 9hown. he has per-
haps too keen prediction. But there are sev-