The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-07
IN ART CIRCLES

1t seems to be generally agreed by both |
artists and critics that the great Ameri- |
can annual art exhibition Is that of the |
PENNSYLVANIA Academy In Philadelphia !
tnat continues through this month. The
New York Commercial Advertiser in COM
menting on the current exhibition says:
The annual exhibitions at the Penn |
sylvanot Academy Of Fine Arts in PhNa-
delph1a are the most noteworthy that are
held in this country and disclose as does
no other the progress of the American
painter This year. in the seventy sec
ond display, portraiture is more In evil
dence than anything else, and a remark
able showing is the result. No less than
200 works are in the catalogue, and un-
less the visitor takes the pictures room
by room. it is impossible thoroughly to
digest them. However, there Is an in
finite variety. with many charming de-
partures. and altogether the impression
Is one OF healthy progress of earnest ex-
perimenting and sincere struggles to por-
tray nature in and out of doors.
John S. Sargent, Whistler. Miss Beaux,
John w. Alexander and a number more of
the leading men and women are represent
ed with important work, and, as usual,
the landscape men are out in full force.
Women, too, are in the forefront this sea-
son, demonstrating their right to be taken
seriously In art with the men with whom
they more than hold their own.
In the center panel hangs MIR. Sar-
is to be given to our Metropolitan Museum
of Art by the latters pupils and admirers.
"Cecilia Beaux does not seem to have
been appalled, at the prominence of her
sitter in her canvas Of the first lady OF
the land, for to the portrait of Mrs. Theo-
dore Roosevelt she has brought all the re-
| f1nenent and charm of her art investing
her canvas with a quiet, womanly dlgni-
! ty and delightful color sense worthy her
reputation. Mrs. Roosevelt Is seated with
one of her little girls. She is dressed in
an evening gown Of white, with a touch
of blue somewhere about it which gives
a pleasing note Of color, and the two have
clasped hands In an affectionate way that
suggests Immediately the human note.
Such a portrait must be highly satisfac-
tory to the president and it. is a gratifi-
cation to see q native executing such
commission. ~.
"a panel Of six Ministers is an event
for any exhibition, and yet we cannot
think these examples are of the impor-
lance the statement would seem to indi-
ally considers ebauches. That, is they
are tho quick rub in for sketches, with
out the model-save in the case of a
portrait sketch-and they are numerous
in the portfolios Of every artist d:
One of the most interesting recent art
happenings in New York was the exhi-
bition Of q score of paintings by Fred
erick MacMonnies, who has lately aban-
doned a career of phenomenal success as
a sculptor for that of painters. The
critics all record that the paintings show
, amazing dexterity and the same facility
in the new medium that the artist has
shown In sculpture, that he is a complete
and amazing craftsman The comment
continues: ~"
when this has been said, however,
there is little more to add. The realistic
productions shown here come as plain
statements of facts, nothing more. OF
SOUL or poetry, or sentiment there Is
alas, little indeed. All these attributes
are cruelty absent and almost at the first
|glance the spectator absorbs all there is
| in the work.
1.-THE canvases inspire one with amaze
i ment at the cleverness and leave one ut
| terly unnnoved, disappointed and Devil
dered. They are inf1exible in their cold
calculation, devoid Of charm, and seem
like the pitiless analysis Of some cynical
| spirit, who has opened up to the world
gaze that which were better left unre-
vealed. ~.
I'VE cannot say the artist has missed
the psychological side of his models, but
we maintain they are hopelessly practical
renditiOns of the Sitters, cold, deliberate
, facts the failings emphasized. and the
humanity almost caricatured. And the
taste that elaborated these themes is
more than questionable is; to be de-
, plored. The charm and, delicacy that
evolved the .Bachante,' that called forth
the Nathan Hale and The Boy and
Duck in Mr.. MacMonnies' statuary; is
painfully absent in these cleverly painted
canvases. which never for a moment rise
, to heights one had the right to expect.
John s. Sargent is in Boston, where he
, will personally superintend the placement
! of his new decorations for the Boston
public library. The subjects are the
$ scene of the cruciflxion, the birth Of Chris
f.; and studies of Madonnas, the general ides
Of the paintings being the Triumph O;
Religion" .a,a s-E ~
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts ha:
just received a bequest from the late Mis-.
i Harriet Thayer Walker-a large collection
e of miniatures containing portraits O
u n1ebers of the Bourbon and Bonapart,
=, dynasties-ffty-nine in altogether will
u a, large cameo and a cross Of the Legion
of Honor. 5s g. :