New-York tribune., 1906-05-19
LONDON ART.
Sargents and Shannons at the
academy.


art. Certainly the American work at the Acad-
emy is astir with creative energy and commands
the place of honor occupied by that highly
idealized historical tableau. There are two Brit
lsh works Of pre-eminent excellence: Mr. Brang-
wyn's Venetian Funeral and Mr.. George
Henrys Blue Gown; but otherwise the pict-
ures Of the year are American: the Columbus,
the Sargent and Shannon portraits and Mr.. Max
Bohnl's sea drama, although the last is hung too
high in the big gallery to be well seem hsx-
traordinary" was the cornmonest comment upon
the Columbus heard at the private view yester-
day; and that inspired by the painters
originality In lighting up the scene in San Sal
vador with the flight of the birds of promise
among the flags OF Ferdinand and Isabella
Without these CLEANS Of scarlet it would have
been a quaint mediRval tableau, erudite in de-
tails Of vestments, costumes. symbols and arms,
with the admiral behind the chaplains under
meath the royal standard Of CASTLE, the sailors
kneeling or kissing the ground after landing
from the Santa Maria and the caravels. and
the green flags with crosses against the blue sea
where the discoverers had been afOat for over
seventy days The 1amingoes glorify and trans
figure the pomp Of conquest and the sanctity Of
the Thanksgiving ritual, and the future Of the
New World becomes brilliant with promise and
radiant with hope.
The Sargents also offer fresh proof OF the
pergy and versatility of a painter who never
: repeats himself, but is constantly, revealing
new phases of art processes. There is. first OF
all, one Of his Palestine sketches. THE Noun
tains of Moab" almost primitive in the sim
plicity Of its browns and blues. yet intensely
modern in it's rapid impressionism and accuracy
OF observation. There also two presentation
portraits, one British and the other American;
and how severe is this test Of the painters
power to rise above convention is apparent
after a tour around the galleries. which are
heavily stocked with commonplace pictures OF
this class. Lord Roberts is not ldealized for the
historic Valhalla like Sir Joshua's hero Of Gi-
braltar in the National Gallery, for he has to
appear on dress parade for presentation pur-
| pose with his field marshal's uniform and his
breast ablaze with decorations; yet Mr.. Sargent
| has made the man greater than his state. 1t is
a close likeness both in face and pose, the short
ness Of stature being cleverly concealed; but
vital as the figure is by virtue Of bold and free
| brushworlI. the character comes out with effec-
tive realism-the invincible courage, the reserves
of energy and patience and the unclouded
serenity Of mind. In the American presentation
group of four Johns Hopkins University pro-
| fessors, William Wech, William S. Halstead.
William Osler and Howard A. Kelly, the painter
has patched two convases toward the top as
was often done by Velasquez and other old mas
ters, and he has modernized the methods Of
Frans Halls and the Dutch school. while retain
ing the homely simplicity and dignity Of their
combinations Of blacks and grays, relieved by
touches Of red. It is pre-eminently a picture for
painters. with subtle management Of planes and
balancing Of values. splendid passages Of paint
ing in the floor spaces and background and a
fine play Of light In the faces and on a large
globe behind the writing table and books. One
Of the professors is standing back In half light
while the others sitting about the table, and
each is employed with easy naturalisIn with
pen, books or papers: and the faces are sharply
differentiated in feature and expression. These
two pictures stand by themselves long way
apart from the other presentation portraits IN
the Academy, such as Mr.. Colin Forbess por-
traits Of the King and the Queen. for Ottawa;
Mr.. OuIess's Sir Evelyn Wood, for the Fish
mongers' Company: Mr.. Hubert Won Herkomer's
Sir John Puleston, Mr.. Cope's Marquis Of Bris-
tol Mr.. Hugh Rivieres Bishop OF RipOn and
many more.
Mr.. Sargent's two ladies in white also have
distinction of their own among cloud Of over
dressed witnesses on the Academy walls. One
is the Hon. Mrs. Frederick Guest with brown
hair and face Of exquisite sensitiveness coming
out Of a soft background OF dark foliage a black
and white dog lightly clasped with her hands
and big dash Of pink in the hat at her side.
With a sense Of suddenly arrested motion in
the graceful pose, and with lace, dgure ana
tapering pink fingers fairly tremulous with
vitality, this is portrait of rare fascination and
charm. The remaining Sargent is a portrait Of
Miss Maud Coats. in white, with background Of
murky black and gray, a large white flower in
her hand and her lips red the scarlet sash
at her waist. The long neck is finely modelled
and the flesh painting is subtle in quality, but
the paint is not put with the same freedom
and dexterity as in the other portrait The best
Shannon-the charming group of Mrs. Sears and
her. two daughters, the mother in blue and the
daughters in white and black and white-holds
its ground in comparison with the Sargents-
the supreme test of Academy portraiture-and is
one Of the notable pictures of the exhibition.
The portrait of Princess Margaret, Duchess Of
Skane, in white, with touches Of pale blue, is
also a good Shannon; and so, also, is the por-
trait Of Mrs. Untermyer. American portraiture,
indeed. is pre-eminent for power and charm in
exhibition where British painters have been
highly favored with subjects, as for instance
Mr.. Frank Dicksee with the Duchess of West
minister, Sir Edward Poynter with the Duchess
of Northumberland, Mr.. Fildes with the Hon.
Mrs. Burn and Mr.. Harris with the Countess Of
Mimic. Apart from the portraits and Mr.. Alb
Mr.. Max Bohms stirring marine, Nearing the
Bar" previously exhibited in Paris. and two Of
Mr.. George Wetherbee's characteristic idyls.
The notable British works include two strong
character studies in portraiture the Bishop of
Salisbury by Sir George Reid. and DR.. Atllin-
son, master of Glare College. by Mr. Ouless;
pair Of lovers in pale blue and green draperies
by Sir Laurence Alma a-Tadema with his char
acteristic love Of marble surfaces and purple
flowers; a big canvas, by Mr. Wyllio, illustrating
the arrival Of the French fleet at Cowes. but not