The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-29
SOCIETY or AMERICAN ARTISTS.
rrst Nssice.

ahs yeer IL boo&oty Of American Arttnts
has rsachsd ths diver anniversary OF it,
exhibitions To those who can look back
over the past twenty-five years to It's founda-
ton 1 wonder whether the present show
Ing seems 10 DO commensurate with the
early promisel
The society In It's original intention was
| largely protest against the exchisiveness
| OF the older organization. q reaction from
the deorepltude with which the latter
was bedriddsn. Would II not be possible
| on the present occasion to point 10 pict-
ures which could only have been admitted
| 10 the walls beoause they were presented
BY member Of the sooiety--piotures 20
bad that tho society stultl6es Its traditions
BY exhibiting them Il there no instance
OF the n,eritorious work Of the young painter
having besa rejected because. forsooth.
there was no room to hang It, although
1t had been accepted by the juryi And a.
to decrepatude-do the examples by Messrs.
Cox and Chase and Thayer. TO mention
some OF the oldest members. represent
any development Of their respective powersf
While. n . browning act OF stultAoation,
all the worse that II involves Q tactless
laundering. the society anronts an artist
who. more than others. has directly and
Indirectly Influenced American art, and
is an artist Of unique and worldwide
reputation-W Whistler. Really. this silver
anniversary IL not entirely an occasion
for universal handshakings and congratu-
lations.
The Thayer occupies the place OF honor;
II Ia large picture, % that II arrests the eye
Of the viaitor while he IL stu traversing tho
hall: In fsa9. II dominates the exhibition.
and your impression Of the latter a. q
whole win probably correspond With the
way In which you arc impressed BY this
particular picture. 1t has an advantage
derived from extraneous circumstances,
being . tribute 10 the memory Of Robert
Louis Stevenson. Let us hrst examine II
from this point Of view. No fresr spirit
was ever confined in human form. no
sweeter, shrswdsr one, or moro intolerant
Of can't. Fit resting place for the mortal
residue OF such was . mountain top, with
hmitleas surrounding Of sky and ocean.
and pathetically beautiful was the tribute
Of the islandeS, who bore his body. and
later on bis tombstone, up that almost
Inaccessible height. Mr.. Thaysr has repre-
sentsd the stone and sitting upon 1t tho
winged figure Of maiden In . white robe.
The trailing skirt IL curled. but not by the
wind. No atmosphere envelops the hg-
ure or explains the stir Of drapery. while
the background Ia only Of dirty paint,
blush black In hue, heavy and impcne-
trable. It would seem inconoeivable that
| the painter should thus have missed %
great an opportunity.
The ooverlst Of that lonely sleeping
plaoe 10 air and space and light. the glory Of
the sun by day, by night the mystery Of
the stars. and Mr.. Thayer puts Us OF
with murky msaninglessness. Seldom do
realism and idealism % obviously conjoin.
nor 70 It often that both have been % oom-
| pletely missed. In the figure itself there
10 scarcely less Of unsuggestiveness. Tho
wings. Q feature capable Of such beautiful
| expression, arc merely indicated. roughed
In with outline and all the possibilities
Of grandeur and tenderness abandoned.
! The draped form 10 agreeable. but the
| face 10 that OF his accustomed model, only
less spontaneously rendered; q fatgpsd
Abstraction from tn original Inspiration,
almost mean In tn peoAy shape and muddi-
ness Of color. In word, under cover OF
. now title Mr.. Thaysr has rsfurbishsd
IN old subject. which shows ths signs Of
| wear.
The sams indifference to ssk-dsvelop-
ment and lack Of the sense Of responsibility
becoming to ono OF the leaders Of the sooiety
rsappear In william M. Chase's Portrait
OF Eduard ]. Steiohen.' 1t IL quite super
Acial presentment Of this young painter.
rendering . certain touch Of femininity
,, In his character. but missing entirely the
deeper and moro significant qualities. 1t
h a work Of small convictions and Of little
conscience. Nor shall We hnd in Kenyon
Cox's portraits exhibited here the stimulus
to enthusiasm. That Of p. II. p has q
certain force Of directness. but the setting
Of 90 rubicund q face against a piece Of
faded tapestry argues littls artistic disors;
lack Of the sense Of humor. 1t Ia not the
kind OF picture to which one would willingly
draw the attention Of stranger who was
seeking 10 know the work Of ths leaders
q %.S S :s q nOt Ss sdsnS .e0q s4Sr
mans 'Idyl... unpainterliks in quality.
with female figures sprswling in inviting
voluptuousneae- And What would b. think
Of that PARTICULAR brand Of idsaasm affected
Thu picture Of disgusting insipidity, with
4 nude figure that exhibits nothing Of the
charm Of ssh or Of the abstract delight
which The nude may yield. has .
plsOe Of distinotson. whis . ovSly nuds
hss been releGated 70 oosnsr In The gloomy
West Gallery. In this subject. .Ths Sum
bssm,' ths hgurs has an exquisite grace
Of driving and = dslish.ful IL !ts sasgss.
s,s q r.: s .xa md .s sssn
bank in . wood, and could only ,wah that
the artist would extend his study OF the
Aeurs 70 that OF The natural surroundings.
more especially 70 The study Of real etmos-
Esisisy q al he .stsins Il Z esther setusi
reality nor the facts OF nature localized,