New-York tribune., 1911-03-05

over, this painter was strangely uneven,
sometues painting gloriously an some
times producing work almost Common
place. Still In the present exhibition OF
twenty-five pieces, there is quite enough
10 Illustrate his particular gift and his
curiously racial temperament.
II is an interesting testimony TO the
power Of this artists technique that it
made him the favorite celebrant Of the
world Of fashion in the Second Empire,
despite a certain incurable heaviness of
hand that characterized him in what
might be called the substance Of his art.
he was an old man when he died in
1906 and he had spent most Of his life
IN Paris but in all that long experience
Of his in the French capital he never
learned the mere lightness and grace Of
the people among whom his fortunes were
cast In his outlook upon the social spec
tacle there was always something Of that
lOurdnT which marks the Fleming.
Rubens, Of course, was an exception to
the rule His astounding energy saved
him from the immoblity Of his race. Re
membering what Watteau drew from
Rubens one reflects a little ruefully on
what Stevens might have gained If, In
his turn, he had been sensitive TO the
influence Of Watteau. Lancret, Frago-
nard and al those miraculous painters
Of eighteenth century frOR- frou Instead,
he remained the essential Belgian, Paris
ianized In a measure, but not. as we
have said. lowered with the faculty for
painting folly as II few with positively
ieatnered brush. All the more honor 10
him then, we repeat, that he neverthe-
less leguiled the ladies OF Eugenie's
court and persuaded them TO realize.
though doubtless vaguely enough, that
the egregious Winterhalter was not, after
all the sole master OF their day. At
least they sat 10 him. But it is 70 the
appreciation OF his confreres that his
fame Is due.
This is founded on the sheer quality Of
his surfaces What is quality? 1t is the
ndehnable beauty communicated to
square inch OF oil paint laid upon wood
or canvas with a touch intensely per-
sonal and passionately faithful 10 the
very genius Of pigment. II is the virtue
OF such piece Of painting that II does
lot look like enamel or glass or any
otner substance, but looks simply and
solely like oil paint, and gives the be- /
aoider a thrillingly sensuous conviction I
mat oil paint, in and by itself. is the /.
lcVeliest thing In the world. Such paint |.
ING is as expressive Of a mans individ- I.
uaiity as is a thumb print Cut q square 4
men out OF painting by Velasquez or .
yer Nicer or Alfred Stevens. and not only
VIII It's Identity be instantly recognized /
0y The connoisseur. but he will turn IL /
aoou, In his hand with something Of the
haine sensation that he would derive from
ne contemplation Of a Jewel. The ana
Iogy Is not. OF course. to be taken too
morally. One would have 10 60 back TO
'"- painted surface OF a Van Eyck. for
.~ampie. for the parallel to hold abso-
10y There. too, there would come IN
vac Kinship 10 enamel with Stevens II
= only OF oil paint that you think-the
~ = pant OF the great Spaniard. the great
u'clnan and their modern followers.
= Is important, we repeat To distinguish
sYoN me present occasion. There are
lures mere like The rritanny Bonnet"
Oh the Riviera" which are hard and
But look at the painting OF the
-. .'uine IN The japanese Robe" or at
~ s painting Of either Of the figures in
~ Nme- Sarah Bernhardt and her Son
1ilce' or al some of the obviously
passages in THE Green +
na -r the Head of Spanish Girl" the ,
thoughts" the Day Dreams" and :