New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-27

4 COIored Relief, Portraits. Draa0-
ings and Etchiggs.

Il IDeVVCN AIeeNg' W 90 N'"O~
ings and EtchiHgs.
be close OF the AIT season Is not FAR distant and
,sorefore pretty nearly every inch OF space that is
,-snslle FOR exhibition purposes in the galleries
r,rsour IS occupied by picture. Print or some
stker artistic production At the Fine Arts Build"
s.g the show OF the Academy OF Design continues
tbs most important show. IN respect 20 the num-
hpr o. paintings included. that IS az present ac-
rsxsibls AZ the aIonfross gallery may be seen
Che works of the Ten American Painters. Both
shese affairs have already been discussed at some
1sngth IN The Tribune IL may be noted, however
sn-opoE of the Ten, that Mr.. Metcalf displays N
die small room, apart from the formal exhibition.
another new winter scene The First Snow" In
shls ana in iis companion piece. THE White
Mantle" he has interpreted two moods OF nature
~tth 50 much truth and with much poetic feel
ang that the pictures form an important little eK-
hibition BY themselves. Two or three new coll
iecfions are 20 be placed view IN the near fut-
ure. The next OF the monthly exhibitions az the
E.otos Club IS 70 be devoted 20 American paintings
belonging 20 Dr. Alexander G Humphreys. The
Grplier Club has in preparation an exhibition OF
V'hIstleE's Autographs. Tho American Society
OF Miniature Painters opens SITS eighth annual ex-
hibition az the KnOe6ler gallery next week. This
Friday there VIII be a press view az the house OF
she late Stanford White, in East 2lst street. OF
the antique furniture marbles. tapestries and other
art objects which 10 be sold there on the
afternoons OF April 4 6 and by the American Art
Association. The collection viii be shown on
Monday and Tuesday 20 these making written APP
picaton for cards.
OF an the secrets OF ancient art there is none
more battling 90 the modern artist. than that OF
polychrOmRtie sculpture. We know how precious
Il was to tie Greeks; how much e must have
added 20 the splendOr OF their temples II is in
fensely interesting 20 wander through the sculpture
galleries Of the Vatican. for example. and amid
SITS white statues 10 think ones self back into the
was IN ala its freshness by the people for
whom IL was made. In this imaginative process
we set little aid from modern sculptors. Their use
OF color Is rarely satisfactory. Gerome's wei
known productions in this field have been strik-
sng, and even Ga their way. brilliant, yet he
succeeded In making the behoder feel that IN his
work The true bloom OF antique sculpture had
been revived A polychronatic relief just executed
By young American sculptor. Mr.. John Flanagan.
wakes the same doubts but on the other hand. It
possesses intrinsic qualities OF beauty inviting
suspension OF what may be called archaeological
standards 90 criticism u is in the wall at
one END og the dining room OF the new Knicker-
booker Hotel, oval panel filed with a single
nude figure representing Aphrodite borne across
she sea on great shell.
This is astonishingly successful piece OF
work. ana the explanation would to lie in
the fact that the sculptor has proceeded not with
anbitioa 20 Tec0pture an effect from the past,
but with a resolution 90 make HIS panel an es-
she conception OF the form. the treatment Of the
background ana the nature OF the color scheme.
Venus is here portrayed with refinement and deli
oacy, and AT the same time from realistic point
OF view There is nothing In the work OF academic
abstraction. On the contrary, the lovely form is
modelled with positively romantic feeling, and
SITS rosy fints somehow increased in warmth
BY the bold handling OF the hair. which streams
in q great mass OF rich auburn from the head
a the goddess. A hint OF gold 81 the ornaments
she still further enhances the sensuous glow
az the composition There are lovely blues and
greens in the background too. and the shell in
which the squire stands Is iridescent Two things
especially make themselves IN this relief In
the first place, the snbtety and distinction OF the
modelling, and then the skill with which the
sculptor has given great variety 20 his color
scheme. and yet restrained 81, that the en-
EPnbe is pure ane suave- His work does not look
like imitation OF what Greek poIychromatic
sculpture may be supposed 20 have been. II has
the vitality and the finish OF an entirely original
aciasEsmsnt II Il warm aud free where such
fhinss are only too apt 20 be cold ana pedantic.
Altogether Il IS personal and interesting con-
tsibufion 20 American sculpture.
When Miss Ellen Emmett drst held an exhibition
a Ter paintings In this city. few years ago. she
won admiration for her fluent workmanship and
ir The air OF life with which she invested all
hsT portraits Also. she inspired some solicitude
as . her taste IN the matter OF color Her paint
ING seemed brittle and without quality and there
were frequent passages "a 81 that even garish
Hnd crude. IL is pleasure 10 note the advance
enc has made, an shown by the collection Of eigh-
teen OF twenty portraits she has placed on view
az the Macbeth gallery. From the status OF a
oisTer but superficial craftsman, Mics Emmett has
raeR 70 that Of a mature artist, working upon
most occasions with knowledge and disciplined
soree II is true that she still dey1ates, now and
men into method suggesting facils guesswoElz
rather than careful research into the niceties OF
-Olin There are portraits in this collection in
which arms, for example. are drawn with a curl
Gus disregard for the facts OF bOny structure.
But these are exceptional In the main Miss EN-
met Is as skful in craftsmanship as she is
3uocOusiy decorative IN the handling OF color
Best o. al. her sitters are alive 40 portrait OF
-,f' Augustus st. Gaudens has ever approached
me degree OF fidelity 20 his personality and char
helsr which Miss Emmett has attained in her paint
sg o. the great sculptor. This IS a superb like
ness and It is. into the bargain. a handsome
piece o. execution.
e with one portrait after another, with the
colonel H. A. Dupont the Mrs Goodrich" the
sIenTllle' and the Mrs. william s. Ccwles" the
painter instantly oonyinces us that she has got
- me heart q her subject. and delights US with
we pfoad harmony Of her effect and the vigorous
zoe ~ her style. She Is animated and precise
she lelFas tie impression Of a painter attacking
problem with confidence ana solving Il with
2Arly celebrating ease. Something remains 70 Ia
Famed The color might be made richer, deeper
A-a more transparent. The handling. which bri;ns
80 WITH nsTyOEs energy. would lose nothing IL
= were touched with little reposeful simplicity
= snort, The atmosphere IN Miss EFnnaet'g work
y an almost fevsrish technical proficiency might
WI give place 70 one OF a sseadier kind OF
1'sef- But 10 speak thus IS 10 speak OF things
A.Aen are likely 70 be added unto this painter
- matter of course. She has an inborn gift
- y she VIII but guard against her facility her
-sAi'e mastery OF all the resources OF her art