New-York tribune., 1905-01-16
LONDON ART.
THE Academy's Tribute TO Woe,
american WhistIers Waafsd
London. Decsmh.. i.

b.
Georse Frederick Watts-a memorable 49,
tion for dignity Of purpose and creative -1' ,.
The inst period OF the painters art onsr..lh
1884. when he sketched his own portrait =. -"
age Of seventeen, and it ended in 1871. wbs.s
returned from Italy with a passion for u,
which had been inspired by the great vo-,.
Titan and the Venetian school Not onlv ,,,.H
earliest portrait IN the memorial coIIectlo,
another OF his father. painted two years a.,
when he had been practising drawing "a
Gent In the Academy schools. The first nio,.-
exhibited by him at the Academy -
Wounded Heron Is also In the first galls-v =.
there are four Of his early portraits freI.s,.
one OF Lady Dorothy Neym IN Childhood -.
orange and red against blue backero,.s
blending with gold; and among the subject ~.
ures OF this crude period OF his art are "4,,o-..
In the clouds with AmOrini floating around -
and series OF fragments OF the cartoo, !,
"Caractacus." for which he was awarded a -
and enabled to go to Italy. \ little drawing !.
the hillside OF FiesOle under a blue slev ia an
ample OF his premature efforts in lands.,u.
painting while he was living in Florence D.
work after his return from Italy was 49,
surer and finer in draughtsmanship and vrs.,-
enriched In color. During the next twenty vss-,
he was mainly occupied as a portrait pain,,-
the second period closing with his election n a.
Academy IN 1861 There are about thirtv ,o-
traits OF this middle term. including tho,s !.
Countess Somers. Lord and Lady Tennvu,-
John Lothrop Motley and DR.. Joseph Joses,n
There are fewer subject pictures Time and "A.
Hvion." with two finely drawn figures poised \.
tween the orbs Of day and night. beng one ~
the aIlegories In blue and yellow and 'Slr Gal
ahad." with bareheaded knight standing bssld.
a white horse and gazing with rapt eyes ua
vision. one Of the better compositions. By h
time he entered the Academy he was mastr
both OF drawing and color. and such works a.
''Esau" and "Fata AIorgana'' indicated ths
imaginative power. which was TO serve frankly
didactic purpose in the great allegoriss In paln,
with which his name was destined TO Be assOci.
ated.
Forty years Of active work stiT remained and
every one of them is represented By paintings
IN this comprehensive exhibition Among ths
portraits Of men are those Of John Stuart NH
Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Sir John Millais. Dean
Liddell Lord Lawrence. Lord Leighton Georzs
Meredith. Lord Roberts and Gerald BaIfour an
painted with nobility OF purpose and dignity a
style. Among the portraits OF women perhaps
the most brilliant is that Of the Hon. Perry
Wyndham. whose three daughters Mr sarssa.
painted few years ago, with this picture #
their mother on the wall Of the room MS
one OF the most beautifully toned and dec0rarfs
of his portraits, the brown dress with lace beng
richly framed with laurel foliage in the back
ground, and a cluster of white and red flowers
lying at her feet The portrait or Mrs. LaagtY
in black bonnet is an example OF the auslsFs
simplicity with which he could treat beautiful
subject as that OF Mary Anderson Navarro IN
yellow and blue draperies. with arms and shor.
ders hare, Is of his more sumptuOus style Viia
a carefully elaborated color scheme. Lady Gar
vagh. in mauve dress, has one Of his chaTa-
teristic Venetian backgrounds. and the Counties
of Dudley is painted with stately elegance. with
dark brown against light brown. Lady Lind
say. with rich gown, is graceful figure as shs
plays the violin. and the Countess Of Cromer, IN
white dress with pink ribbons, is drawn with re-
hnement OF line and tone There are many
beautiful examples OF child portrailure In which
Mr.. Watts excelled. his skill as a 5raughtsmsn
enabling him to denote the innocence Of The
faces and the fragile unsteadiness OF che figures
This power he retained almost TO the end. bis
Spring" with child IN a white dress STANDING
with bare feet and holding flowers IN the tiny
hands being fine picture. and hts Whence
Whither?'' exhibited at the New Gallery lzst
spring being another. His art IN painting vOn-
en- declined in his closing years. Lillian" Ell
hibited at the last Academy being proof; bi
he held enough power in reserve for a strong
portrait Of himself. with white hair and red ca9
and face like monks
The subject pictures Of the third and richest
period OF his art were so numerous that con-
prehensive collection could be made for Bur
hngton House without disturbance Of the splsn-
did room in the TAFT Gallery. The classical 81
pheus and Eurydice" Sir Alexander Hsndar-
sons Judgment OF Paris" the beautiful HHas
Daphne surrounded by laurels; Lord Daysgs
enchanting "Ariadne in Naxos" Sir william
Agnew's lovely Iris floating in iridescent mist
several Endymions. Ganymede and msng
more. The "PaOlo and Francesca" the two
souls seen by Dante in his vision OF the n
ferno. is one or the most conspicuous OF ms
subject pictures the blush steel gray drapsris'
In dun red cloud having wonderful delieac
OF color. There are several versions OF 'Les'
and Death" and Love and Life" the most oean-
tiful one being the one from Manchester F"
which the dark angel. robbed OF all terrofs ?
errayed in light blue. From Manchester as
comes the powerful allegoTy. The Court =
Death" with the sovereign enthrOned upon %
ruins OF the world and with TWO angels sua'0
ing the portals OF the unknown Death Cro"H
ing Innocence" Love Steering the Boa.
Humanity" Hope striving 70 set the ~
strain OF music out of the harp as the VOi~
goes round. Love Triumphant. Faith h0F
and Charity" Time. Death and JUdsnsA-,
The Messenger OF Peace" Evolution a.
Progress are among these marvels OF creas
imagination. As one wanders through the -
leries Hebraic motives and the legends 4"
literature illustrated with inexhaas1
energy and poetic insight Eve is created
is punished. the dove returns not to tne
Esau leans on his spear. and the man Win -.
sighss Una and the Red Cross h'- ~
ride side by side. as in the "Faerie Vues
Britomart looks into the magic mirror tnf'.