New-York tribune., 1910-12-18

tionary. Now he is trying for greater
freedom and at the same time for
greater subtlety. The result is the best
picture he has yet put forth. Over and
over again, as the LANDSCAPES in this
exhibition are traversed, it is plain that
the painter gains as he eschews formu-
lated artifice and let's himself go with
confidence in nature. If Mr.. Bogarts
Cloudy Moonlight, Venice" does not
carry conviction It is because he thinks
too much Of color as color and too little
OF it as means of expressing the act
ual beauty Of the thing seen. It is their
endeavor to record the truth in straight
forward, energetic fashion that lends a
fresher and more interesting significance
to the pictures by Mr.. Cullen Yates, Mr..
Hobart Nichols, Mr.. Ernest Lawson, Mr..
c. P. Grippe, Mr.. Ernest Peixotto and
Mr. William S. Robinson One or two
of the landscape painters we observe.
Mr.. Norwood MacGilvary and Mr.. Dan
iel CARRIER, are just lowering between
the lure of artifice and that Of the candid
open air. One hopes that ultimately
they will make the right choice. If they
are still In doubt let them look at the
memorial group of four or five OF the
late Winslow Homer's paintings, early
and late. And let them not waste time
on oWlfsh consideration OF the fact that
his light Is not the light which the i'm
pressionists taught us to see. It is the
veritable light of a windy, cloudy world.
and. what is even more to the point,
Homer shows you the virtue Of putting
the bald unvarnished truth into pict-
ure, with an almost harsh force, per-
haps, but with a wholesome gusto that
is by itself inspiring. Communion with
his robust individuality ought to cure
almost anybody of trying to translate
Nature into decorative arrangements.
The point, of course, is not to be
overworked. The decorative motive is
Of high value, in its place and in the !
right hands. Mr.. Cox offers an illustra- |
ton In his "Book Of Pictures an |
Italianate composition in which the fig |
ures are placed out of doors, against a |
background of sky and trees, but are
conposed more or less in the terms of |
formal design. His feeling for form has !
than In this picture, and his color. too, is
far finer than we have ever before |
known it to be- The big canvas by Mr..
Alexander "a Summer Day., IS exc
c11ted with ell of his accustomed facility,
1t has his usual linear grace, more deli
cate tints than he is wont to employ
and very soft though somewhat arbl-
trarv illumination. 1t is all very decora-
tive and pleasing, but with the little thln |
touch of the factitiously posed tableau |
which has so frequently kept his work !
back He has his manner and its sin !
cerity is beyond question, but 1t carries
it's own penalty. 1t would be good to !
see him throwing off the easy formula |
through which he gratifies large public |
and taking the more adventurous step
which might carry him from manner to |
stvle. These two canvases, with Mr.. |
Hawthorne's virile study, Refining
Oil" are the outstanding figure subjects
in the show, subjects of serious import, |
but there are a few little things, like
Mr.. Arthur Crisps "Pagliacci' and Mr..
John Breyfogle's The Serpent which
have modestly engaging qualities Mr..
J. r. Hopkins gives promising account
of himself in his small theatrical in
terror Music and Notion and again in
his large Mistress of Charms but he,
like some Of the landscapists we have
mentioned, sacrifices actuality to a
decorative preconception, and he is not
vet the colorist or technician to do this
to unqualified advantage. So. likewise, |
MIR. Louis valiant, Mrs. e. M. Prellwitz, |
Mr.. Hugo Ballin and Mr.. G. R. Barse |
strive commercially toward admirable |