The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-02

Of the spiritual - wen ~ Oh "e pnS'
Among the landscapes b Charles n.
Davis's Last Rays, lent by the Union
League Club OF Chicago; a truly hne picture
representing q stretch OF coarse yehow-
green grass bordering on gray-blue water
with hills upon the vapory. horizon aha
with a large rosy.white cloud lowering
near the centre. 1t Is a picture OF very big
intent; simple enough In the actual choice
Of subject, but extraordinarily stimulating
owing to the masculine force with when
nifcanoe Of the far-reaching. firmly
grounded earth and Of the spacious, airfui
sky. In another gallery, forming part
Of the permanent collection OF the Penn
sylvania Academy. Is Mr.. Davis's pt ture
OF meadow brook, and, again, hanging ny
Academy exhibition Is his Summer Clouds
a THO Of large canvases that place him
among the strongest landscape painters
Of the day. Especially Is he strong In draw
Ing and construction, In rendering, the
freedom and strength Of nature; and the
very absence Of any usual devices to add
to the attraotiveness Of the composition,
his almost ascetio choice OF the barest ele-
ments Of the simplest kind OF landscape,
increases ones admiration. He compels
US to feel the grandeur OF simplicity through
his own power OF co~mprehending and OF
expressing IL. Not that his art casts any
| glamor Of Illusion over our senses, Tor It's
| Just such aspects OF nature that readily
appeal 70 the true lover OF the country.
| He needs no exceptional objects OF pictur-
| sequences to stimulate his Imagination, find
ing all the needful stimulus In the mere
| evidence Of natures boundless strength
and s~paciousness.
The same large qualities. allied however,
10 human labor and to q restricted CON
| dition Of It, appear a. we know. IN Horatio
Walkers pictures Of the agricultural and
pastoral life Of the peasants In the Province
| Of Quebec. He Is represented here by sew
eral examples, among them the large pct
ure, 'Ploughing-the First Gieam, ana
| the smaller ones, "A Milk Yard and The
Narrower These are probably familiar,
but pictures, like ourselves, are affected py
environment, and / a never seen the
.~Ploughing" TO greater advantage than
on ths occasion. Well placed In the large
gallery and seen In u norinal light, some
suggestion that one had felt of garish-
ness In the splendor of the rosy light, mount,
ing up behind the backs Of the men and
oxen and, as II were, firing them WITH
strength for the labor OF the day before
them, vanishes. The bold colors inse
into the general harmony. and tins har-
mony one discovers Is not q mere tour
de force of splcndor but n 30 strongly
interviewer that It yields even a suggestion
Of sobriety. We feel that 1t IL not an &C.
c~asional incident Of natures pageantry
llat the DdllltT II ItPito'hNhe' bNN
not unusual accompaniment OF the peas
ants early toll. and this assurance IN
creases ones appreciation OF the force
expressed In the cumbersome movement
| Of the oxen and the free 6esticulation oil
the driver. And with a compete SWING
| Of the pendulum Of expression The MIX
Yard" Introduces US TO the gathering mel
| lowness Of the evening rest and 70 the luin-
| bersome strength in repose. The golden
twilight givos the painter an oppor-
tunity Of showing how he reveis IN color.
for we know Mr.. Walker az a genuine
c%olorist, who thinks and feels in color aud
finds In il the fullest expression OF emotional
significance. The warm, lambert hght,
bathing the rich. red back OF the COW m
front and settling, more tenderly on Ihe
tenderly on the faint blue-greens OF the
meadow still farther back; moreover, the
deep shadow of tho tree in the foreground
through which the huge frames OF TWO COWS
gradually loom upon ones VISION preseHt
enjoyment, and, better than that, brings
homo 70 us the beautiful significance OF the
pastoral life in it's complete fulhlment OF
The elemental laws Of nature.
Another picture, which either the pres
emf environment or renewed study made
more completely acceptable, n Charles
II Woodbury's SWinter,' q view from the
sea OF cold, blue water, sliding in hori-
zontal waves and breaking In bursts oil
foam upon a tON, eAoN -NONNiNN tpoH''
on which there Is a rim Of brown foliage
For some time l have been enthusiastic
over Mr.. Woodbury. work, hut IN TINS
picture had seemed 10 find a certain cruelty
Ia the introduction Of pure yellow IN tno
foam, a. II the painter were forcing LAs
effect unduly. When | saw Il the other
day. however, no such thought obtruded
itself: only one felt the eliminating sens'
on the weighty movement Of the water,
the crafh Of its break upon the shore tho
beauty Of its color and the brilliant IA
dinnce Of the sunlit snow.
A paintar who II steadily moving IorNafd
into the front rank II Edward ". hedfeld
and In Ito the Nillnge' be seems 70 nave
made big strides beyond hts previous work
Ia the dull light Of a winters evening a
rough road stretches back WIN stTipS
Of tawny grass. partially covered VIA
snow. There are cottages on the let and
a sheltenng coppice Of trees which 'A-
tend back acToss the picture Particularly
Dotlo.abla H. the excellence ~ the drawing
Such rigidity Is suggested "a tAe IDal
solid basis Ia the grass and stab" qnlrluao
ia the placing 81 the cottage and lr't
that The scsne comes home g. one VIII
a VIVID realization, and - GREATNESS a.
euuies The 4uall" IT iia hti"."h" "''
ancholy which Hncr's 'n' p rrir'' nul ~,
ons's inind, "a peuulFu iul"I icy 90
p.try tLat L. snlnNah.s, lsrhU" "" az
cons ious that it pla,r huf 'H ' suii",
Of reality Of a rra.'f 'lH' iFH ''n
Among uupor memorable !a.Hr w
n M fDou's Evening Autumn ana
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Winter b. G~oIupurIt 'i.ie has.s.
snfoad Cove IrIHr trnNrs ii"ata
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