The sun., 1908-12-10

riddy faced DIR. Haden the surgeon.
It was delivered In the old small music
hall OF the Pennsylvania Academy OF
Fine Arts. We heard then Of the beauties
Of Rembrandt from Haden-than whom
no more assiduous student and admirer
existed-of Meryon and the masters Of
etohing, and from the mouth OF one
who had by what Rossetd called "funda-
mental brain work" mastered the difficult
and fascinating art himself. To-day
we say Haden or Whistler. or Rem
brand and Haden; yot Sir Seymour
Haden. while a wonderful etcher, could
never be imagined as a painter Of
original distinction. This is not said in
vidiously; II would be manifestly unjust
to critioise a man for what he has never
attempted to do. Rather we wish to
emphasize the fact that Haden is a born
etcher, as some are born with fiddle
hand. He was not a Wunderknd. Quite
the reverse. Quite mature he was when
he began his first experiment with the
copper, acid and wax. His vision Ia
normal. His artistic pulse beat 10 healthy.
He shows us beautiful landscapes
and we are pleased emotionally
stirred. Never searcher after the
recondite-as was his brother-in-law. the
neurotic and poetic Whistler-Sir Sey-
mour represents landscape in its best
traditions, Personal as is his etching
touch, you feel that his envisagement
Of scene. while sane, is ever conventional.
Nor need we be alarmed at this sadly
abused phrase. The balance of scheme
In 'Shere Mill Pond" would find no favor
with the new men. but its beauty is writ
large. Or the @Erith Marshes" with sweep
Of lowland and silvery liquid expanse.
The eye Graves a solution to the criss-
crossing of Natures linear enigmas.
In Haden's plates the eye 10 always salts
fed But II he Is conventional. that is.
has followed in the sober tracks Of classic
landscape. he is never obvious. Among
the 1ls examples at this exhibition 1t
would be difficult to put your finger
on one plate that is commonplace in
design or execution. Nevertheless. II
by his superb artistry az an etcher
Sir Seymour may be ranked among such
immortals as Meryon. Rembrandt, Whist
ler and few others. he is not Of an auda-
cious. heaven straining or creative tenn
permanent. He has the voice and he has
the vision. but neither voice nor vision
is supreme.
In a lecture on Haden's art delivered
some years ago Mr.. Keppei senior told
the story Of an elderly English painter
who said to him in denouncing the French
school: Even their very landscapes are
immoral" This touch Of critical and
Britannia prudery is delightful Now.
Of the Haden landscapes you could never
make such an insinuation. Sunny old
England. it's very heart of landscape is
dear to the etcher. And Ireland-witness
that sunset. And the ~Sonning Aims
house" or the Breaking Up of the Old
or Little Calais Pier or the very Vic
torian Towing Path"-surely Whistler
saw that lady in quaint attire with the lit |
tie dog-or the sweet security of "Egham'
and the "By-Rosd in Tipperary"-why |,
prolong the list? Windmill Hill in
three states is here: 80 is the meszotint |
Harlech Castle a proof in bisire. Gal
ais Pier after Turner's famous water |
scape in brown ink, Is the ciou OF the col !
ection. We admired "Mytton Hall with |
is Old World mystery-Haden as well as
taught Whistler the sig |
of doorways. In the "Erith |
the plate has been worked over |
With water color An Early Riser" is
atmospheric. A stag shows
1imly through the mist. noble beast.
This is a mezzotint. There is another
whose title has escaped US. 1t
'ecalls in treatment Constable land
'cape as interpreted by Lucas. There
ire dry points on view. Altogether this
exhibition rebounds to MIR. Keppel's rep
itation as n provider Of optical BAN
luets in the keys Of black and white aud
,rown. The exhibition holds to the Sec
md day Of the new year.