The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15
ART OF GEORGE ELMER BROWNE.
Twenty.six OF His Paintings on Exhibition
at KnOedIer's in London.

Twenty.six OF His Paintings on Exhibition
at Knoedler's In London.
LONDON, March Sin NJ. Knoedler a
Col London establishment at Is Old Bond
street there are now to be seen twenty-six
pictures by George Elmer Browne, who
was born at Gloucester, Mas, studied
under Benson, Tarbell and others in Bostons
then under Fleury and Lefebvre in Paris,
and In 1904 had q painting purchased by
the French Government from the Salon
for tho Luxembourg gallery.
From the predatory note to the catalogue
one learns that Mr.. Brownies work has
been seen at the leading exhibitions, both
in America and Europe, for several yea1,
and many Of his paintings have secured for
him honors aud medals. His pictures are
TO be found In many public and private col
~leotions Of note.
1t viii be seen that Mr.. Browne has GER
tainly arrived: and possibly such consid-
e~rations as the foregoing account for the
fact that in these twenty-six examples OF
his work-in the general impression they
produce-there Ia something to make one
wonder whether the artist himself feels
that he has reached the heights Of his am
bition. At the age Of So n does not cease
to paint, Of course; but does he, by chance,
when he goes out to paint, wear all his
medals and reflect upon his honorsi
This should not be taken as meaning that
the paintings savor in any way Of affeota-
ton, for that Is very far from being the case.
They are frank enough, and in many ways
very pleasing; but they are not ambitious.
Possessed OF excel lent natural gifts, he
seems content to have developed them to
an extent which enables him to produce
sufficiently c~reditable pictures without
much trouble. Doubtless the majority
Of people ask no more-if as much-and
considered in their relation to the average
Of contemporary work these pictures look
we'll; but the public Of tomorrow will
ask more.
The most serious work, probably, is Toll
in the Uplands." two oxen ploughing on
| the nearer of two rolling hills. The color
| scheme is unusual and Observation-Disclosures
distinguished-and the paint is put on with
the consciousness that something has to
be constructed and the will to construct it.
Often the paint is not put on in that man
ner. Often the artist seems to forget that
| objects have three dimensions, not only
two; or il he remembers this elementary
matter, it is often without really grasping
1t. The recognition ia too slight, its OBJ
~jeotive expression too ~inexact, too d peu
pres, as it were. the least possible conces-
sion to a perverse and foolish nature.
1t is evident that he has seen tho work
OF Daubigny, for one, but what he remem-
bers of that is not what he might best re-
member. In Holland he has doubtless
seen the work of Mesdag, for another; and
we have color schemes d Ia Mesdag-a
rather superficial artist at his best
A work excellent in many ways, charm
ing in quality Of color, the Dunes OF Flan-
ders." is spoiled by the lumpy quality of
the paint. Possibly the sane Of the dunes
blew onto the canvas-it does sometimes.
On a very large canvas it might not have
mattered-it might even have helped-but
on a little canvas the result is a certain I'M
pleasing o~oarseness.
What Mr.. Browne seems to stand in need
OF most is a little more respect for his
medium. a little more thought while putting
on the paint. His color is good, his sub
jeots we'll chosen and their treatment
broad and simple. All that we would ask
is a little more reflection and care.