Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-30
A RI N 0 T ES.

L
A r r N OF ES.
The arrival of a new portrait by Sargent
is invariably an event Of interest, but the
arrival of such a one as that of Miss Ma
thlde Townsend which was exhibited pri-
vately for the first time Wednesday of this
week in the V G. Fischer gallery is an
occasion Of special note. Mr. Sargent Is
pre-eminent among modern painters. and this
Is one OF his most successful productions.
1t is almost a full length, and pictures
Miss Townsend in simple white evening
gown standing, possibly on height. with
a partly clouded sky as background and
a graceful. wind-tossed scarf Of pink as
foil and toy. The suggestion Is of arrested
passage. The figure is seen almost in pro-
file. but the head is turned toward the OBJ
server and is tipped slightly to the right.
The nebu!ous clouds betray upward ten
dency. and the composition a whole has
distinct vivacity. But it is not restless.
The lines are long and sweeping; the coors
eXquisitely delicate and at the same time
entirely harmonious. miniature might
have been wrought in the same scheme,
but Sargent has brought to his task sufh-
cient mastery to relieve it of the stigma of
prettiness. and. what Is more. he has subor-
dinated his own personality to that of the
sitter. He has. in other words, laid aside
his, imperiousneSs and forgotten to be
clever. 1t is not the brilliancy of the
painter, but the perfection of his achieve
ment which In this instance directly de-
mands attention. The brushwork is no less
skillful than commonly. but a trife more
refined and finished. Lacking nothing in
ease and sureness. it takes on fresh
suavity and unexpected reserve The strokes
are broad and significant. but never care
less. and the result is both effective and
mature. and. while conforming with the
highest standards of tradition. 1t is exceed
ingly modern and original. Equally as pic
torial as the works of the early English por-
trait painters. 1t is reminiscent of none and
manifestly related only to the present. 1t
is not merely portrait. but type-the
American girl in all her simple beauty and
purity and with all her remarkable vitality
and adaptability. But to it's credit be 1t
said that 1t Is a portrait primarily, and
that while irrespective of personality 1t is
great work of art. 1t has been declared an
excellent likeness and true Interpretation Of
individuality. Perhaps a hundred years
from this fact may not signify, but
now at least. it Is of import and testifies
TO something more on the part of the
painter than a knowledge of pictorial eff
fects and mere mastery of medium. Rarely
is a better painting to be seen or one more
engaging.
The Corcoran Gallery will reopen to the
! public tomorrow afternoon Gts permanent
collection which was temporarily displaced
by the special exhibition being reinstated)
and before the end of the week the fifty
paintings presented by Mr.. William T.
Evans to the national gallery will be placed
on exhibition In It's atrium. Or, more prop
erly, forty-six of the fifty. for three of the
number" Summer" by Charles II. Davis;
81 ha3p fy In SIn
Homer, and ''Sunset-San Glorgio," by Ged-
ney Bunce-are loaned to the Carnegie In
stitute for it's current exhibition, and one
AN Interlude," by Sergeant kendail-fs
in the National Academy of Designs ex-
hbition in New York, where 1t is being
shown for the first time.
AS 1t was found that Mr.. Irving Wiles and
Mr.. Paul Dougherty had nothing at present
available which they felt would adequately
represent them, a selection from their
works has been postponed. and to complete
| the number Mr.. Kendalrs painting and
| landscape. upland Pasture" by Mr.. j.
Alden Weir, have been most acceptably sub
| stituted This large and admirably repre-
sentative group of pictures. together with
| those recently purchased by the Corcoran
| Gallery, should serve not only to continue
! the interest so successfully aroused by the
recent exhibition. but to stimulate the work
| of local painters and increase their patron
| age.
| In the diplomatic reception room at the
| State Department. a portrait of Secretary
| Root, painted by the well-known Spanish
| artist. Raimundo de Madrazo. has recently
| been exhibited 1t is purposed for the Office
| of the Secretary of War and was done by
| the order of Secretary Taft, who is, 1t will
| be remembered, Mr.. Roots successor. Mr.
| MadraZo is Fortunys brother-in-law, and
! while more French than Spanish in his
| methods of working, has produced some
| clever paintings. This is, in fact. not I'M
| skilfull In its treatment 1t is plainly not
| novice work The color is good and it car
| ries well but 1t is carelessly constructed
| and lacking in conviction. Badly drawn and
| weakly modelled 1t Is somewhat .slovenly
| rendered and gives the impression of hav-
| Ing been done from a photograph, though
| this Is probably not the case. Among the
| other official portraits 1t confessedly holds
| it's own, but rather on account of their in
/ feriority than because of it's strength. Ger
! tainly a score of American painters would
f.! have done no worse, and a few. at least
would in all probability have done very
much better Under these conditions 1t may
! be worth noting that foreign governments
! In giving such commissions show q marked
prejudice for their native artists.
|
But the whole difficulty with official art is
not lack of patriotism. II patronage Is to
| be helpful it must be discriminating and
] among native painters there is a choice