Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

Evans National Gallery collection
~ of American paintings. now on
view in the National Museum
Chief among these is a little painting by
Albert Ryder-a nocturne entitled MOON
light
Albert RYDER belonged to that little
group of artists who. in what Mr. Glider
has characterized as the twilight ages,
held an exhibition at COttier's on oth
avenue New York, which foreshadoWed,
as it were. the founding OF the society or
American Artists in 1877. He and Abb
bott Thayer. Francis Lathrop. Augustus
Saint Gaudens, George Fuller and one or
two others met from time to time In the
studio OF Helena dc Kay, who afterward
became Mrs Richard Watson Glider. and
through faith in their visions and sin
ccrity in their faith inaugGrated new
movement in American art which was
destined to lave Il more potent influence
than was then supposed. The establish
ment of the Society OF American Artists
marked quckeninG OF the pulse of
American art and the beginning of a new
era. That the merit of the work OF these
artists individually was responsible for
this result is not, however, TO be in
ferred
George Fuller was a charming painter.
but by no means a strong one: Saint Gau-
dens and Thayer were just stepping into
the ranks: Ryder was n dreamer. ac-
kuowledging no rule. In his book on
American painting Mr.. Samuel lsham
has said: IF the work of Fuller is best
Judged by the emotion IL produced than
bv more proSaic and literal tests. that or
Albert r. RYDER has even more need OF
leniency. Its strangeness Is greater. IL
not only does not respond to- the usual
technical standards, but 1T sets up others
of its own. He Is seer Of visions and.
unbound ny literal fact. constructs a
world OF his own. mysterious and OFTEN
illogical with all the vividness and inco-
herence or a dream. He belongs with
men like Monticello and Blake. whose
faults are manifest to the most casual
and obtuse critic. but whose fascination is
felt only by the peculiarly receptive
And again: THE effect of unreality is
heightened In Ryder's works by his ex-
ecution, by his manipulation OF paint and
varnish substances capable of being
made beautiful in themselves. as well as
in pattern and color. Some Of them sug-
gest the lacquer work Of Korin.
. The Flying Dutchman' is swirl OF
delicately matched old ivory and violet
grays, and most of his pictures are. as
Whistler insists pictures should be. beau
tifu simply as patterns i'm delicately
graded colors and tones. But Ryder S
pictures differ from Whistler's as well
as from Fullers I'm being not transcript
tions from nature. but creations of the
imagination, and in striving to convey
ideas. vague but poetic. AS In the case
of Monticello. with whom he was closest
his worst is very bad: but his best. &c
those TO whom his symbols appeal. give
delight unlike that from any other
source"
All OF which is exceedingly true and
interestingly exemplif1ed in the painting
in the national collection. About the size
of THE Flying Dutchman,' this picture
is not dissimilar in theme. A strange
craft with a single sail is weirdly repre-
scented on rough waters. above which
smiles the full moon. shining through q
veil of mist and threatened by two ugl,
clouds. One may construe the meaning
at will. but the exquisite relation Of val
ues must remain an indisputable charm
In itself as we'll as for its association II