New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-05
MR.. TARBELL's PAINTINGS.

4Ae lWenIy-Inree paintings which Mr.. Edmund
:. larbell, OF Boston, has placed view at the
Montross Gallery represent the work Of several
years Some of them have been here before,
IN the exhibitions of the Ten American Painters.
Gathered together they give almost a OF
the artists ability. For thing, they show how
normal is his gift, with what seadness of aim and
sureness of hand he has developed his work. Seen
separately and studied without thought OF what
ne had done upon other occasions, one picture or
another In this collection might suggest that Mr..
Tarbell belonged among the clever men Studied
at fun length his art is be all of a piece
the hard won result Of much more than cleverness.
Like the Frenchman. he Is technlcau for whom
the visible world exists: the close observer Of
tangible things the patient manipulation of pig
ment bent first and last upon putting an accurate
transcript OF fact upon canvas. But. consciously
or unconsciously, he places upon the canvas some
thing without which tho would be as uuin-
teresting as item IN catalogue. This some
thing is an intense feeling for the beauty taken on
by the fact under the influence Of light and air
Most OF the pictures here figure pieces or
portraits. but there is landscape from which,
maps better than from any OF the others,
obtain key TO Mr.. TarbelTs attitude toward his
art In by the River he paints n scene filed
with Just the charm of sky and water, of trees
leaning their beautiful lines the horizon. It
Is en- open air impression, and II captivates in the
first place, simply by virtue of its truth. II is n
page from natures book, fresh and sunny, and one
breathes the air in 1t with emotion OF pure
physical contentment. But introduced into the
Npiipositton an eplHOn6 having TO aueC00LC OF
sentimental interest whatever. there is figure set
In the middle distance, figure barely seen down at
the waters edge. It is subordinated, OF course. to
the landscape motive yet it has effect upon the
charm of the whole scene; Il is like the little
decorative touch with which, sometimes. Whistler
would transform entire background. That Is
Nh. Tarbell's gift to identify with a given scene
SONS motive that has not necessarily anything in
itself to tell us but that somehow to sym
bolize and belong to the composition. 1t is as
though the painter wandered Of doors and
found everything about him beautiful, but was
only moved his brush when figure sud
denly Illuminated the scene, gave II deeper vital
ity, richer delight
A love OF life seems to exhale from these paint
ings. Joy in sensuous Iovellness figures and foil
are bathed IN air in intoxicating element.
Whenever he works ont Of doors Mr. Tarbell strikes
this note In THE Blue Veil The Summer
Breeze the grace Of the figure is almost forgotten
in enjoyment Of the tinglng atmospheric reality Of
the work In pictures like "On Bo's'n's Hill" or
Mother and Child in the Pine Woods we are car
Red into the very intimacy Of sylvan place In the
Child with Boat the swing OF the wind and
the tang Of salt water expressed in manner
fairly eXhilarating Stress is laid upon this strong
SAVIOR Of nature in Mr.. Tarbers work because 1t
points TO his chiefest virtue, TO his cearness Of
vision and 70 his unfailIng sympathy for his
roundings He is uncomfortable as tho painter Of a
set composition. His pictures always have design.
He chooses his motive But his art is spontaneous
Il presents nature at first hand and not made over
TO meet aesthetic hypothesis. II - interesting
apropos OF this consider his relation TO impress
sionigrn as II is understood by tho followers OF
Monet. His technical method is wholly his own
He never makes you feel that he paints sunshine
IN a certain way because Monet showed how 10
raint IT. He makes you feel that his way Of paint
ing sunshine springs altogether from HIS natural
way Of seeing shine In other words. he knows
TO formula; he simply enthusiasm. a keen eye
and ready hand.
Or the readiness Of his hand his interior studies
y ANDgn ~ Go1Trr
on as a rule. a greater Importance than IN the
oren air pictures. Whether that figure holds
distinctly dominating position, as in The Venetian
Blind" or ''Peeping Through the Blinds OF rs
studied In a perspective which embraces stil life
clements OF equal Importance. as in the C3ir Gro
che+ing" Girl Mendlng." THE Breakfast Room
and the Girls Reading" Mr.. Tarbell brings the
behoder around 20 absorption in the Same source
OF interest namely his extraordinary workman
shin It s. curious workmanship: not dryly con
s,1nrnata not successful IN the things of manual
dexterity alone. but strangely imoued with that
feeling for sehsuous beauty which has oeen hoted
IN his open air studies. The touch IN the 'nodellhs
Of 4 face arm IS as subtle as Il IS precise
From the textures Of garments or hangings the
painter EFFORTS a beautiful quality, and on wood
work or pottery he finds kind OF bloom Every
inch OF the canvas is made 10 contribute 10 me
charm, OF the whole And that charm is so simple
90 sincere The PAINTER starts with dramatic
preoccupation. lie dreams no dreams over the
character OF his sitter. It is enough FOR MN y
that sitter falls into an agreeable atuluoe, u Ihs
furniture IN the room Is the cause OF an amusing
play of light ana shade, If the pictures on the wall
make in his picture, decorative pattern Ihen'
with honest craftsmanship and with fine modu-
latIon OF color he composites his fabric.
Has Imagination gone TO the making OF It? Not
in any strict Interpretation OF the word. Has the
oainters soul been moved almost to rapture by the
contemplation OF his beguiling subJect2 Hardly
II IS not IN the character of poet that Mr.. Tar
hell does hts work. Yet there is an exqusiteness
Of feeling which IS akin TO poetic impulse and this
Mr. Tarben undoubtedly possesses. Good work
man as he IS basing his art upon truth and a
demonstrating technical handling Of II. his eager
RESPONSE 70 beauty reacts upon HIS style. and his
paintings have a character compounded of his own
fenperanent rs well OF truth and executive
adrottuess His Portrait OF Mrs A., for example,
IS more than portrait, it is beautiful picture.
90 likewise in his two studies OF horses. Irish
Lad" and Portraits OF Girl and Horse" he gets
infinitely more into his work than Substance and
actton-he gets the glamour Of an original per-
sonal conception. There times when he sug-
goats labor rather than inspiration breakfast on
7 the Piazza" for example is a cold and stiR per
| Torrance compared with the best things in the
show But the best things are in the majority.
r. c.