The sun., 1908-12-18
TWO AMERICAN PAINTERS.


had been 20 unfortunate 40 10 have
been born In America. All the amend
ments OF our Constitution would not have
Afforded these two men OF genius with
their "taint' OF African blood the chance
they enjoyed In France, Also there wert
several poets OF distinction whose worh
may be found Bcattered In the anthologieI
who are systematically described as Gre
ole. though their hair was kinky and theiI
color dubious. II 10 not necessary u
name them. A quite modern instance
10 the Afro-American artist Mr. Henry
o. Tanner, who has won q position In
Paris as q painter OF themes religious
and In addition has enjoyed the envia-
BILE honor Of having two canyases pur-
chased by the French Government. They
now hang In the Luxembourg. We have
seen them and admire the practical spirit
OF equality displayed by tho French
Otherwise. they hardly rank more than
mediocre productions.
But here In the land Of the free and un-
equal, whore the skim musical milk OF
Stephen Foster % long passed AZ African
melody. would We have accorded Mr.
Tanner the recognition due himl He solved
the question for himself by going yeare
ago to France and studying there with the
masters whose style and methods were
in harmony with his nature Mr.. Harri-
son g. Morris. in his little word of intro
duction to the exhibition Of Tanners
works now at the American Art Galleries.
In Madison square, south, does not tell
us with whom this painter studied His
is not an original, creative temperament.
He was content TO follow In the broad,
facile highway Of men like LaurenB. L Her
mite and half q dozen others. Rather
timid. often fumbling. Tanner at.his best lie
very agreeable The son OF Bishop, he
has. unlike the majority Of clergymens 6
sons, distinctly religious sense. He evil
IDENTIFY selected sacred sub jeots from incli-
nation He 10 very sincere and earnest.
You can well believe the stories told OF
his trips to the Holy Land, OF hiR Biblical
erudition. A delineator OF pious para
bles. he has not the swift brush and def
mite vision Of James Tissot, but he 10 un-
queshonably q more fervent believer.
and his work never smells Of CONNER
cialism as. did Tissot's. Nevertheless
1t is largely the outcome on the techni-
cal side OF studio cookery" OF the fatal
tendency toward eclecticism.
There are thirty-three pictures at this
show. which is to close in ten days and
will not be followed by a public sale as
has been said. The pictures will be sold
in the ordinary way. Indeed. some are not
for sale, being lent by the Carnegie Insti-
tute, the Art Institute OF Chicago, the
Pennsylvania Academy, Mr.. Rodman
Wanamaker and Atherton Curtis. Mr..
Tanner is sentimental He sees the sacred
figures and events he sets before us emo
tionally. A slender streak OF imagine
ton which often aids his not very indi-
vidual technical equipment Is 10 be dis
cerned. But his art is popular. IL makes
an appeal to those who love the anecdote.
Seldom does he rise to the sublimity Of
such a scene as the resurrection of Laz-
arus. aThe Hiding of Moses is singu-
larly modern and a relief to the eye after
80 many confused color schemes. Christ
on the Road TO Bethany derives it's
effect purely from it's landscape, which
10 the best handled and realized in the
gallery. Ii is atmospheric and the Tan
ner landscapes and interiors are gen
orally airless. It's sky recalls some Of the
dark luminous skies Of lie Sidaner or Cot
tet or Simon. The habitat seems real.
1t is precisely because OF his low tones,
his stnothered harmonies and careful
that Tanner will win the
sufirages Of those who see in sombre hues
a resemblance to the old masters. There
are suggestions Of rich. yelled color in
the Christ and Nicodemusr; but consider
the conventional postures and patterns
and monotonous quality of the big can
vas THE Coming of the Bridegroom.
reverent art, this, but without
a spark Of the inmost spiritual light. The
various Christ heads shown us are senti.
and reminiscent. We admired
much more the vigorous presentment Of |
the old bearded Jew in turban, entitled |
"A Jerusalem Type There is also |
strength in @The Two Disciples which !
d in the Luxembourg (the first illustra-
lion OF the catalogue). Mr.. Tanner has
worked hard and would resent any at
tempt to patronize him under cover OF
,uch a commonplace rubrio az: What
work from a colored mani" He
has been Judged in Paris as a painter.
Of his mixed blood. and we
ire usurpine the same privilege. Not
! painter OF the first rank, nor a yirile
PAINTER, he is an artist OF pious moods. who
ioes not altogether realize them. The
little tract Of uncrossed territory that lies
A..