New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-09
LONDON ART.
The Nez0 Smgents A Mediocre
academy.
London, Ami, q

traits Of great ladies Of the world OF fa<hion thu
Duchess of Sutherland and the Confess OF
Latham. and each has the stateliness. grace and
picturesque qualities Of the great Flemish
master. who painted the English beauties and
duchesses of his time. The Duchess Il suther-
land is not only one OF the most beautiful women
in London society. but she IS also p'e-eminent
for her dignity Of bearing and distinction OF
manner; and Mr.. Sargent has painted really
marvellous picture Of her. She Is n evening
dress. green. with embroideries and ace. and is
standing In a restfuI attitude. with right arm
gracefully poised. so that there is d,uble curve
from the tips Of the fingers 70 the shoulder and
thence TO the forehead This is not one Of Mr.
Sargent's swagger portraits. but 1t % MASTER
piece Of brushwork. color management and Dig
nifty of style. The modelling Of Tie beautiful
arm ard shoulders and the lighting If the face
and figure are most brilliant. and e arrange
ment of planes and tones and the q atty Of the
work have seldom been equaIed II recent por-
traiture. The Countess of Latham Is a less
striking subject. but Mr.. Sargent 4 s succeeded
IN making most picturesque port tit of her by
sheer art in posing her and in arranging the
draperies- She is also in evening Iress. a rich
purplish brown. with rich lace hos ing over her
bare arms. with a eirclet of jewels angling from
her left hand and with dark blue raps behind
her. The hands are painted carei Ily for once,
=
work IN the dress is amazing in + combination
OF vigor Of handling and refine lent Of tone.
The small portrait Of General lie lard Wood Is
one Of Mr.. Sargent's less no seable minor
works. and the presentation d trait Of Mr..
Dewitt president of the Shipping Federation. Is
another the likeness falling in OH : and the fan
tastic background with a ships model not sue
ceeding in redeeming the other rom common
place interest. The portrait of the Marques OF
Londonderry. carrying the sword of state at the
coronation. with page in attendance. would be
one OF Mr. Sargent's mediocrs works if the
spaces behind the theatrical figures were not
filed with air and light and painted with
derful technique. His sixth picture, the por-
trait OF Mrs. Wertheimer. rivals the more am
bilious paintings of the Countess Of Latham and
the Duchess of Sutherland in quality and tone.
The head is finely posed and the hands are
drawn with sureness Of touch. and the dark
costume. the curious bric-a-brac and the alert
face and figure. pulsating with vitality. could
only have been painted by Mr. Sargent.
Mr.. ]. ]. Shannon is perhers the only portrait
painter whose work can be compared with Mr.
Sargents with any approach to equality. He
has less power. but more charm. and his color
arrangements are equally harmonious and his
modelling is quite as firm. His portrait of tho
two daughters Of Mr.. Howard Bell. one in white
and the other in black and each with light hair,
is an admirable work for quality. tone and sem
timent: and his picture OF Miss Gladys Raphael
is exquisite in its tenderness and refinement
one of the simplest and lovelest paintings in tho
exhibition. The modelling is strong in his por-
trait OF Sir William Emerson. but a more in
teresting and delightful work is the dreamy
face Of Mr.. Martin Harvey as Sydney Carton.
which IS painted with reticence and subtle SYM
pathy. Mr.. Charles ". Furse justifes his cleo
ton to the Academy by a powerful work which
boldly challenges comparison with the superb
Duchess OF Sutherland. His Diana OF the Up
lands ia renarlNa blk vital figure of girl
blue and white holding in Leash large. spirited
dog, and swaying with the wind it blows
across the hiIsides and reaches of heather. Mr..
Furse has painted solidly IN the oidtirne aca-
demic way a portrait OF Sir Francis N1owatt, but
the fresh blood comes out in his breezy. out
door picture of 8Ir. and Mrs. f. S. oliver. tho
man intent upon his fishing rod and the woman
lying on the rocks and gazing intently over ths
water. The Hon. John Collier has remarkable
subject in his scene from The Merry Wives &c
Windsor" with Mr. Tree as Falstaf. toying
ponderously with Miss ElIsn Terry and Mrs
Kendall but he hardly does more than TO copy
the stage eostumer's effects OF color. and 10 pro-
duce picture for easy going, Uncritical. popular
taste Mr.. Watts. whose work at the New Gall
lery is so remarkable this year for imaginative
power. Is content with sending to the Academy
single portrait sketch Lillian" a feebly drawn
girl with a basket of flowers and a washed out
color scheme; but in the quadrangle outside he
has bronze equestrian statue. Physical En-
ergy.' which adequately represents his unique
genius. Mr. Hubert Won HerkOmer's portrait OF
Mr.. Chamberlain does not lack dignity. and the
resemblance is close but it is unequal in vitality
to Mr.. Sargent's study of the same subject ex-
hibited seven or eight years ago. Mr.. Cope has
mechanical portrait of the Archbishop OF
Canterbury. and Mr.. OrchardsOn a fanciful ar
rangement OF tones in a portrait Of Mrs Tenn
pie Johnson Sir w B. Richmonds portrait OF
Nine Errara lacks power; Mr. Bacon has made
an excellent likeness of MIR. T. P. OConnor's
humorous face, and Mr.. Herbert J. Draper has
not sacrificed dignity 10 realism in the portrait
OF the Dowager Duchess of Abercorn in her
ninety-secOnd year.
Apart from the portraits. there are few works
Of pre-eminenCe or distinction in the exhibition.
In the first gallery there is some excellent water
painting. for Mr.. Peter Graham has one Of his
spirited scenes on a rocky coast and Mr.. Napier
Henry one OF his interesting marine dramas
The Crab Merchant" IN which the fishermen
are acting their parts with grim earnestness.
Mr.. Stanley Forbes rises high above his usual
level in "A Rescue at Dawn a small picture
full Of vtgor and sentiment. with a Hfeboat
touching the land. where there is the faintest
touch Of yellow light in the east There are
nine figures, one faintins woman in a strong
mans arms and another a child limp and help
less. The rescuers are intent upon finishing
their work. and there is 6 fine effect OF yellow
light from the lantern against the dark waters
and gloomy sky. There is a group Of fresh and
Delicate works in one corner. Mr.. George Clau-
sen has lovely effects of sunset light in a dreamy