New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-24
LONDON NOTES
improvements PiCtures-The
House of Dr.. Johnson.
London. October 9.

the Improvement Of the Mall, and an
other decade will be required for the
completion OF the public Offices in Great
George street and around StOrey's Gate.
All public works are conducted with de-
liberation in the metropolis. and the
presidents are against undue haste. II
was a long time after the death OF Nell
son before there was a comprehensive
plan for honOring his memory. Two
members of Parliament had proposed the
clearance Of a quadrangle north Of Char
ing Cross and the construction Of a range
of buildings for the preservation OF the
national art collections, and William w
impaired a powerful impulse to the
scheme by suggesting the name Of Ira
faIgar Square and the erection OF the
Nelson column
1t was not until 1870 that the clear
ance operations were started; the Nelson
column was begun when Queen Victoria
assembled the throne and not completed
until the seventh year of her reign; and
Trafalgar Square remained unfinished
until 1910 When two decades were
needed for that great national memorial
perhaps unreasonable to expect in less
time the completion OF the professional
Way from Marble Arch to Constitution
Hill and Charing Cross.
While the Admiralty is already nov
ing into one wing of the new structure
at the entrance OF the Mall and the First
Sea Lord expects 20 be in residence
there before Christmas. the rOadways
under the archways are blocked at the
Trafalgar Square end Several buildings
will have 10 be torn down before access
to the Mail can be managed for the con-
tinuGus streap Of traffic from the
Strand. and it will be several years be-
fore the leases to these structures ex-
pire and the properties revert to the
crown. The door to the Mall will be
only half open for the time. and the new
rosdways for the relief Of Pail Mall can
not be properly laid out and traffic regu--
lated.
Clearance and building operations on
the northern border Of ParIi8nlsnt
Square as far as 81. Jamss's Park are
kept back nv similar delays in obtaining
possession Of crown property II may be
ten years before the boards Of Agricult
ure and Trade and the other departments
tn be housed in Great George street are
settled in their new Offices That quar-
ter was Uttered with scanoIding at the
last coronation. and it will be equally
unsightly when the next one comes on
Surprises aye NOT expected at the well
81 T1of
ers, where the story telling picture be-
loved by ViCtorians is still character
istic feature of art and where members.
assured that their works Will be hung
on the line, follow their own conventions
and are UnfnfiUenced by crude expert
menting on the Continent One makes
the rounds of these galleries without sus-
pecting that the art of the future may
be utterly unlike that of the present.
The exhibitions are open to outsiders,
and there are considerable additions to
the work of the regular members: but
the selections are made in accordance
with conventional standards of tech
nique and old fashioned methods of
treatment. If French artists are striy-
ing to break away from established
ideas and struggling to express them
selves more adequately in novel pat
terms and devices their associates II
England are jogging along comfortably
in the old Tuts and repeating their
achievements with cOntentment of spirit
Why should they be dreaming dreams in
so prosaic a period and in so matter-of-
fact a country.
Mr.. Sargent is an honorary member
and one of his portraits is on the walls.
1t is Marchioness DOurO, in creamy white
with red sash, holding a rose in one hand
and with a crown Of brown hair above
her long. shapeIy neck and fair face. IL
is neither a new portrait nor one Of the
best of the old works. but it is painted
with amazing brUshwOTk in the bravurs
style which makes every other portrait
in the room look dull and lifeiess- The
hands are drawn with carelessnesS. al
most slOvenly; the costume is roughly
sketched with powerful strokes. and ye-
the portrait has the supreme Sift of Vi
taIity.
In comparison with il how artificial
and conventional is the portrait of Miss
Elaine IneScOurt by Miss Flora Lion on
the opposite wall, Mr.. Graham Robert
sons ''Sitters' makes the closest ap-
pToach 10 il in vigOr and precision OF
drawing. Mr. Lavery's portrait of a
child in a white shirt with bare legs ami
Mr.. Kennington's model slipping off from
the shoulder a dark green gown in front
of a mirror are hopelessly distanced
by 1t.
There is one portrait before which the
visitor halts from interest in the sub
jeCt rather than from sympathy with ths
treatment This is Mr.. Calkin's portrait
of Mr.. Chamberlain. The hair has
turned gray: the face is harder in feat
ure and less alert in expression than for
merly; and there are other indications
that IL is a recent portrait 1t is not
forcible denotement of character like NJ.
Sargent's portrait of him exhibited AT
the Academy "a dozen years ago Yet
how pleasant il is to see the familiar
face with the mOnOcle. and the erect tS-
,tre standing at ease by the table. with
a purple orchid on the lapel of the coat
and with the jdunty air of looking
than he really is. Alack, IL IS
only in a picture gallery that a glimpse