New-York tribune., 1907-12-04
ART EXHIBITIONS.
II Collection of Pictures by Dir. John
La Farce.

imagine the amateur turning from exhibition
or another or new work TO give himself up 10 the
enjoyment Of the old paintings which Mr.. John La
Fargo has placed on view at the Macbeth gallery.
There are some Of these paintings which
than familiar, souvenirs OF travel In the East and
IN the islands OF the Southern Pacific which those
who know the genius OF this artist have learned
20 remember vividly they remember the
classics But 20 remember these things is only 70
admire them the more, have the keener sense
Of their beauty and vitality There is always
intellectual force behind Mr. La Farge's work.
His .rapress!ons have depth. While he does not
precisely 6rsratize his material when he is MAX
:rs q note Of picturesque figures against a ro-
mertic background, while he does import into
Il anything IN the Of q literary motive. he
nevertheless contrfves 10 give it certain human
Interest hint at character. Thus his South Sea
sketches have remarkable weight and touch the
ma ginatIon with increasing point they are
again and again and thoughtfully studied.
The pictures IN the present exhibition have most
j. been described too often in this place for the
details in them to be traversed again. but Il IS
always tempting to pause upon this broad ques-
ton MT. La Farge's insight into uor1inally very
simple themes There is. for example, his picture
O. =-s-hiefs 81 War Dress: Devil Country, Fiji
The seated warriors IN this composition are, II
you like, doing nothing at all They are merely
posed IN a double row-if. again, you choose
70 consider then--in order that the artist might
rnske his sketch. But he makes than q
Sketch His sitters types; they are placed in
8 wild and beautiful landscape and the sugges-
ton they convey is of page from Ffjian life.
There is something dark and sinister about this
tnrnobile group. There is really nothing OF COM
pany OF docile models. posing many items
of form and color There is everything Of q
curious state Of savageTy. Of men in whose traits
and dernea1or you subtiy recognize the marks Of
q peculiar social state So Il is with all of Mr..
La Fa-ge's exotic studies. His island warriors and
dancers. portrayed with mastery craftsmanship
and superb color. have something TO say 20 US;
they bring back the glamour of a far country.
II ~fe c-~fc Soas xCifh Sr11y, ha with
the landscape, giving you in paintings like the
Tank st Handy, Ceylon." or the Crater OF
Kilauea and the Lava Bed an impression OF
nature true Il is lovely. Scattered among
the Pacific and Japanese paintings there are a
few schemes for stained glass. and divers speci-
mems the artists versatility-an exquisite Dec
orstive Panel Of Flowers" rich bit Of still life.
and Two charming heads painted in the
spirit Of Leonardo are included, and there Is one
unfamiliar exhibit n q copy Of ReTnbrandt's
Chris. and the Disciples at Emnaus." in the
gallery at Copenhagen. copy dating from the
Sos. varied collection. and, running through
Il from beginning TO end, IS TIE golden thread Of
q distinguished temperament. the quality belong
ing TO g MAI Of genius with touch all his own.
Decidedly Il good idea to reassemble these
thirty forty well remembered paintings
For the critical commentator works OF art
there is no greater pleasure than that OF record
ing the progress OF some contributor 10 the ex-
hib3tions. Mr Frederic Remington has at the
OF these DO no more repeat the rather crude
effects which he has found the Western plains
and has exploited again and again. Their tawny,
giaring tohes are not one whit more agreeable IN
quality than they ever were. The figures in them
of cowboys and Indians IN or less violent
attitudes drawn with no greater power. But
Mr. Renlin gton has painted number OF night
scenes, and IN these he has made great stride
forward. 1t is simply that he has changed his
key Study Of the moonlight appears to have re-
acted upon the very grain Of his art, so that all
along the line drawing, IN brush work, in color,
in atmosphere. he has achieved greater freedom
end breadth. is. too, spirited ever, paint
ing in the picture called Erred On one of the
most truly dramatic compositions he has ever put
TO his credit. Best Of all is the quiet scene with
a single figure the picture of THE Sentinel" The
very snrit of the night Is in this painting. Alto
gether Mr. Remington deserves the warmest con-
sratulations-
At the Kroedler galleries there may also be
seen a few new portraits by Mrs Louise L.
Huestis. They painted with a certain energy
and with feeling for character, but they
make no very engaging appeal as regards tech
nioue or style. Across the way, at the Montross
gallery there are some threescore etchings by Mr..
Charles Henry White Of architectural motives
studied In New York. Philadelphia, New Orleans
Charleston and other cities There Is In these care
fully drawn portraits OF old buildings Just enough
rgc-uresoueness 10 make the observer wish that
Mr White had richer resources The dellneatioR
OF our cities is by itself meritorious enterprise
with the best viii IN the World one IL never
fbeless Obliged TO admit that this artist has not
,rat 6eveIoued an individual accent in his use OF
the etcher's language Of line, and that he has
still to learn the art Of omission His impressions
are too casual; they give literal record instead
Of q pIctoral effect. At the Tooth galleries thefe
are some new miniature portraits by Mr.. Allyn
Williams. Miss Eulabee Dix, another mlniaturist'
opens an exhibition to-day at the Bauer-foison1
galleries At the Glaenzer galleries. In East Z'th
street there may be seen some portraits ana
sketches In oil by Mrs Adele Winckler and some
mural decorations for Chinese breakfast room
One Of the most interesting OF the private coliec-
,ions loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
,s that which is composed OF beautiful and curious
watches belonging Mrs. George A Hearn. She
has lust had privately printed an adinirape cal"-
iogue OF these objects. illustrated with q nuinoer
of plates in photogravure- An INTRODUCTORY e9s0S
briefly surveys the history Of the subject bringing
out many OF its oddities. II the pocket umekeeper
OF old DAYS was made for practical purpose IL
was also made with a decorative ann, ana even io'
amusement In the time Of Elizabeth as eHraEa-
rsuce IN dress increased greater variety was oe-
rnsnded in the color and decoration Of ornaments
when watches enriched with colored enamel were
mounted in rock crystal cut in forms Of crosses
stars skulls and other shapes" 1t is noted tnat
the seventeenth century dealers who nlade ana soo
these watches were called 'toymeI Inc MatCh-
makers taxed their ingenuity to produce noVelueS
which un.jI one has seen them. appear posltlNeiy
.ncresibls Referring to certain specimens in tnls
collection the writer of the introduction says;
In repeate-s like Nos 81 and 45 the, the os nouTs
snc quarter hours are really struck on ,rs se sbns
hammers are in motion against the 80
bells the top OF the dial al, Ia m 'tb The sonTrel in
the cage on the wall and the seated Wciiak ; nlsol
ously Chops away al what may be In the chopp"s
bowl on her lap =
sn-nesirnes the watchrnaker's ambition 10 display
his rDechan.oal cleverness results in an effect more