The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
SCENIC ARTISTS WORK SHOWN
FIRST exhibition or THE KIND
OPEN IN LONDON.

WORK Ranging From Papier.MAche Busts
10 PaIntinEs-The Late Matt Morgan's
Cartoons Recalled by Some Sketches
-InterestinE Scene Painters' Models.
LONDON, April 2s-The latest novelty
In the way Of art exhibitions has been pro-
vided at the Grafton Galleries, by the
Scenic Artists Association. Their act OF
association took place last year. Most OF
the better known scene painters in Great
Britain then formed themselves into body
under the presidency Of Halves Craven,
and Of their corporate activity is born this
exhibition, the first Of its kind.
From IL the public learns various matters
some being Of an unexpected sort, as for
example, the fact that scene painters are
difident. OF all professionally connected
with the British sta &c IL il they who have
least reason 10 be difident, for the staging
the setting, the scenery. are generally
hugely better than the plays. Neverthe-
less these bashful beings, fearing that
their exhibition might not prove sufficiently
attractive in itself. have added to Il a con-
cert in the afternoons.
Thus II happens that while admiring
the ingenuity which presents the familiar
features Of the late Queen Victoria in the
form Of a life size papier mache bust weigh
ing only ~ pounds, you may listen to
variations Brillantes' or the equally
familiar air Of God Save the King.
rendered by the harp, the cello and the
violin. And the more you think about
ihis combination the more appropriate
does Il seam.
But the actual stage properties shown
are comparatively few. The most numer-
Gus exhibits, upward Of four hundred in all,
90 TO show that scene painters can paint
pictures upon occasion.
This they certainly prove, and beyond
noting that tendency 10 sensational color
effects il less frequent than might be eI-
pected, the pictures call for little comment
a. whole. They are just pictures, such
as may be seen by the hundred anywhere
else
There are some clever sketches by Matt
Morgan, once much talked about as the car
Noonist Of the Tomahdwk, a weekly paper
which led brief bright and scandalous
existence In the later cos. and was sup
pressed because OF it's fierce attacks upon in
huential people. Then Matt Morgan went
10 America, and is said TO have died there
In poor circumst ances. His great ability
ueserved a better fate.
Matt Morgan was an Irishman, and one Of
his cartoons represented Ireland as q young
girlboundto the stake. clasping TO her bosom
harp. The masked exeoutioner setting
IRE TO the fagots piled around her, il Dis
rael and behind him stand John Bright
end Gladstone.
Another cartoon, more notorious, had as
. It's subject a we'll known Marquis returning
from the Derby in q carriage and four.
With left hand the Marquis madly drunk.
flngs TO the winds two puppets labelled
Dignity and Honor Flourished aloft
In his right hand ia a champagne glass.
and the liveried groom who leans from
She rumble to al this glass is Death
Beside the noble drunkard. thieving from
his pocket, is a villainous Insurer; opposite
tearstained woman, sunk in stupor;
and at her side an overdressed. underlined
brute Of a man, lighting a clay pipe.
On the box IL the coachman, none other
than the Devil; and the terrified horses are
tearing along past a fingerpost showing
the way-"To He'll The title IA Home
from the Derby and besides the Marquis OF
Hastings Of that day there were many who
resented their implied destination.
The Most Shameful Sight in the World,
depicted by Matt Morgan, is the Thames at
hight The moonlight falls on the face
Of dead woman, a suicide. cast out by
society and waiting for the verdict,
which shall some day allocate the wrong.
And ss topical to-day a. IL ever was Is
Amusement for the Peoplel--the woman
Eymnast in a crowded theater, a flying
trapezist, about to take her thrilling leap.
TIE assistant who filings the tapeze is
death. lie assisted a woman TO loop the
loop In Paris the other day.
Il Il true that none Of these cartoons Il
N the scenic artists exhibition, but this u