New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-20
APT EXHIBITIONS.
gEe Naf;onaI -lcademy of Design.

pss-s+ Ar::s:s has bean awaited with more
-siDsr-7 interest. When two artistic organ
- SAN foE1es II is only hurnnn TO expect
-, viii neocmpsh rather more than they
20 so,onpi!steG Independently. IN this case too
ID. .,,,s spec.Rl reasons why II was natural to
- .tsf .he rev show would he a good one. II
Het ,aoessery 10 wipe CUT tie bad impression left
" ronuary and 10 show. after the excellent ex-
.,,ns NJ washington and Philadelphia, that
1c-k could hold its own in these matters
~ - Academy holds its own. after a fashion
.,lerjes at the Fine Arts Building contain
-As ssal Of good work They do not on the other
80 contain much work that Is more than good;
"a, ~ the sort that swiftly takes the eye captive
.sss tie imagination and gives one sense of
tS.rns,nc vitality. Such work IS uncommon any
- vet il IS undeniable that Il turned up with
te~ frequency in the Washington and Phila-
s,,bia shows than in this one IN other words, the
,.foreed academy would seem, as It has fallen
-, rs stride TO have remained faithful TO that
...-,.n,ying atmosphere in which ii has so often
-. anveloped. II is somewhat vexatious that
.t,s should be so. The Academy IS NOT by any
-,.,os srhosptable to unconventionality. On the
a-+-arv It welcomes every one, and the efforts
-, nave been made in certain quarters 10 suggest
80. she conservatives have been cruelty unsyn-
.tbstic toward the radicals are really beside the
,ot,t The trouble lies deeper. For one reason
- another the Academy exhibitions are not en-
,Icbed by the best works OF ali the best men in
20 American school, the rank and file get con-
Vnirv
,o,,rte5y 10 say that the rank ana file are not
-rscissv thrilling in their performances The up
shet OF i all is that while there is ability enough
= the country TO make these exhibitions brilliant
ena OF national significance, they are actually made
q ittle dull
After al. il is personality that counts in confer
ring distinction upon an exhibition It is good to
knew thai this that painter does his work well;
hut Il is positively exciting 10 this that
painter doing his work in way all his own. For
this note OF individuality among the contributors
70 the present exhibition must look first 10 the
landscape men. They rise 10 the situation. indeed,
with qualities so fine that deficiencies elsewhere IN
the great mass OF painting shown. nomentarily
forgotten. Il was q happy idea 10 give salient
positions the large south gallery 20 two three
C. a. Plat is 10 be hailed with unmiXed delight.
Since lis adoption Of architecture as a profession
Re has been pra cticaly unknown the exhibitions.
Now. after his long absence he comes back with
ell q his old charm, with his feeling for beauty
undimned. and his skill undiminished. This study
might. no doubt, be carried further with profit.
the tree forms might be more fully defined. But
he main thing is there-a largeness o. grasp
IN treating the noble motive The mountain In the
background is the sort Of subject which it is easy
90 overdo. Mr.. Plat keeps # in just the proper
iston 10 his composition, and is panoramic" II
you Ike, without being empty. He gives a really
intimate impression Of his landscape. and this i'm
preston IS. into the bargain altogether personal.
A. the other end Of the gallery, where Nj Carlson
has his Canaan Mountain have to reckon
with a totally different point OF view and sense OF
color but here. too we come IN contact with a
temperament. and in spite of the pictures granny
surfaces and almost crude tones we study It with
pleasure and remember II. A third memorable
piece Of outdoor work is air Redfeld's Village
a. Centre Bridge. He does rot convince Us. quite
IS We are convinced by Mr.. Plat and M Garrison.
that his version Of nature has got itself delight
ss
subtle. less beguiling. But it Is sincere appeal
ard Il has the transcendant virtue OF truthfulness
It takes time 70 find the good figure pieces. The
good landscapes present themselves At every turn.
New Mexico fairly sparkes with light. Not far
Of you may find poetic contrast to fits crisp real
ISM 81 M Potthasts HAY October Day and
both pictures are sound in technique From the
Etsccato handling OF the first Of them, ana tie
suayity OF the second. we may pass TO the rich
breadth OF Mr.. 'Na6sTorths Colonial Door" TO
she soft depths Of NJ. Foote's Village Street to
the clever artihce Of Nlr. Clifford Bea's The
Gieam' 70 the sheer sensuous beauty OF Mr. Fran
els Murphy's The Golden Wood or TO the deli
cate tender qualities Of Mr. Ochtman's November
Sunrise. There are other good landscapes, some
Of them deep and rich in tone as an old tapestry,
others ablaze with sunshine. In them all there
the spontaneity and the personal note which mean
more than anything else in art. Sometimes, II is
true the painter seems to be struggling between
technical method He is more anxious for an e.
feet than for the truth Yet this pursuit Of indi-
yidualty If it does not lead TO mere eccentricity
has much TO recommend II. The artist trying to
beat out a method OF his own, and having some
thing in him TO start with, interests, though he
may not rouse enthusiasm. Witness the work that
Mr.. Bellows has done in his River Rats" pict-
ure in which the vast earthly background against
which the bathing Urchins indicated is painted
with real freshness OF vision. There is a sign Of
ind rrT
river scene. "Blackwel's." The point OF view here
Is suggestive and the artist has handled his dreary
grays in d sensitive manner. Certain other young
eKperimentasts. Mr.. Ernest Lawson and Mr.. Jonas
lie, are evidently stiu held in the trammels OF
formula: we see what they are driving at and
sympathize, but wish that they might express them
selves with greater authority. And so il goes
among the landscape men. They strike twelve and
nj you with JOY or, doing something less than
thai, they still carry themselves with vigor. ar
resting attention and helping 10 give vitality the
exhibition as whole
A large share IN this task is also borne by the
portrait pairters. They fail into two groups-the
painters OF portraits In the strict sense. and the
painters Of portraits which have distinctly pic
toral and even sentimental interest. Mr.. Sargent
would ordinarily dominate the former group but
his Rev. Endcott Peabody" the work which was
shown Philadelphia, is Of his more pedes-
iran studies: though il IS Of course adequate. it
y not a remarkable achievement Mr. Smedley. On
'H1 olher hand has never made portrait quite
90 admirable IS his Miss A." The color scheme
restrained throughout. IS in n most agreeable key
and Il is wholly harmonious. The drawing is firm.
Aekble and AZ times subtle. The quality Of the
thlng is fine: one feels that the artist I'm per-
9ect mood when he painted this Mr. Kendall too
mas made progress, his portrait Of a mother and
Aer chd. called An Interlude" well deserving the
pare OF honor II occupies for its refined tones and
craftsmanship. ana its gentle spirit. There are
number Of effective decorative portraits Of women
~ Robert Vonnoh James Montgomery Flagg. J.
larrDhe1f DLfi1i-g AGaIof9o S-oie Chase FTou,or