New-York tribune., 1909-04-11
"L4CHRYME."
Leighton's Mourning Figure IN thf
Metropolitan Museum.

In DISTINGUISHING between the works OF different
schools of art the historian inevitably looks hfs'
to Questions Of method Is given painting execut
ed with academic precision or does its style sPe,
rather a realistic a romantic n purely personal
mode of approach. Yet the nature Of every worn
Of ART is determined by still ogher elements in the
makeup OF Tie artist. His work not ohy Illus
+rstes q technical process 1t also reflects habit
Of mind. The extent to which II does Ihls' nov"
eyer is crriously varied. the case Of many
modern painter hardly any intellectual predlleC
tons are to be noted. He is quite indlIeFeil -
the character OF his subject He is willing 70 uedi
in almost any material For him the only matter
NJ interest is that he should satisfy himself as 70
1,I razrfrr and modelling that he should achieve
good effect OF color or Of light To some aTilsts'
on the other hand the idea is everything ana II
affects the whole development Of their WORK sue"
an artist was Frederick, Lord Leightoh "hoSe
''Lachrymse" Is reproduced in the plcL9rlal sIppe
rneDt of The Tribune tc-day. This well known
pictlre in the Metropolitan Museum is souvenir
Of a career, which from beginning to END was
formed by singularly thoughtful influences.
This nineteenth century Engshman had cos
rlopolitan training In 1S42. when he was only
twelve years old. he began to study drawing at
Rome Thereafter he received tuition IN Berilrl
in Florence in Frankfort, in Brussels and IN PaTls
T21,+ if was in Rome that his art was conclusiVey
formed and Il Italian subject that ne treat
ed in the picture which he sent 10 the hoyal Acd-
dey77- in lS55 The Procession of Cimabue's Ma
nurchased by the late Queen and IS now IN buCh
fnebarl Palace The long life Of success "-Ilch
dated from this episode full Of travel anu
study Leighton became a profoundly cultured
man He was sculptor and q musician as "eA
as a PAINTER lie had q fine command over ian
gr2ges and he was an interchangeable reader NfleH
the Roval Academy made him its president IN
1879 II placed itsef under the leadership q one
Of the most polished men Of the world ever known
in the annals Of British art
His ACCOMPLISHMENTS well as his oToad tastes
and instincts were clearly nlirrored in his work
F4a had q sense Of literature, and It made MIN d
devoted interpreter OF the life and mythology OF
an+jol,itv He loved to paint the old Armenian
cera,7o7ies TO introduce into his pictures classical
architecture and figures draped in the beauLilu4
-,r,ee of the eDast "Lachrymaa' Is perlect eA-
-,ne Of his activity in this field of what might pe
called oictorial archaeology. The stately mourning
+77,r. ie invested with thoroughly human palhos'
b7,+ !. is painted especially with a view 20 us
classical purity OF form. The heavy fol4s OF thS
o,,sn.e dress are contrasted with the oellcaLe
,i,,ae ~ = Greek column. The landscape BACK
,-d &c s,,fordneted TO the subject Of the picture
-, inst the right feeling for restraint ano SIN
75o-,- of design It is essentially the corlposi'Ioi
e cultured mind of artist whose vision Oh me
rs constantly Influenced by his Thoughts ana
dreams Of ANTIQUE beauty. It is one OF the nap
,es+ ., his productions, one Of the pictures III
which he most successfully placed his learning 0I
the service Of a poetic conception