New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-05
LONDON NOTES
A Memorial with Ideas-LaszIo,
P0rtraits-A Shaw Revival.


as an architectural scheme. In this re-.
spect II is superior To the Albert Ma.
mortal, in which the sculptor's art wa.
subordinatcd 10 the architects design
Sir Thomas Brock undertook to expre..
In marble and bronze some Of the funda.
mental ideas connected with Queen Vic.
toria's reign. and he has succeeded "A
we'll that the dulest spectator Is ma
confused by the symbolism. Primarily
there IL the conception OF a thron.
grounded upon sea power. and this 1,
represented by the reliefs, showing tri.
tons and mermaids or the retalnin,
walls OF the central base. and by a co.
lossal figure OF Martial Courage aboy.
the fountain arch. Or the opposite sida
the Intelligence OF the Nation will b
represented as supporting the throne IN
the form of figures Of Science and Art
When the missing bronze groups are
supplied the pedestals will be crowned
with figures OF Peace, Progress, Labor
and Agriculture. High above the circu.
lar plateau Queen Victoria is enthroned
with orb and sceptre in her hands. and
around her are groups symboizirs
Truth. Justice and Motherhood. ard
high above Courage and Constancy Is
the bronze Victory. with Widespread
wings.
This splendid pyramid OF marble and
bronze expresses in an imaginative way
the Queens relations to her subjects
during the protracted reign and the
virtues by which the throne was firmly
established and dominion overseas ade-
quately justified. The monument has
been a costly one, but II is worth much
10 have these root ideas Of the Victoriaa
era and the British Empire embodied IN
sculptured marble and polished bronze
in front Of Buckingham Palace. The
Queen is necessarily represented In ad.
vanced years, and the young mother n
the beautiful group nearby contrasts
finely with her; but the pose IL natural
and dignified and the likeness Of the
face Is fairly good. AS time passes tho
bronze Victory will be furnished and
blackened and the sovereign underneath
will become more conspicuous than al.
present. The architectural effects and
the landscape gardening have been ID.
mirably planned by Sir Aston Webb
ONLY one thing is lacking as the spec
tator approaches the monument from
the Mall. That is an appropriate back
ground. The east front Of Buckingham
Palace has never looked so shabby and
mean as It does now, when II Is the
screen behind a really splendid and ar.
tistic memorial.
A fashionable painter favored with
royal patronage can afford TO tell the
truth about his sitters. This is wha.
the Hungarian artist. Mr.. Laszlo does.
without fattering them beyond recogni.
ton. The lkenesses are close In tie
collection OF twentysix OF his portraits
at the Agnew Galleries. and while the
color schemes are arranged with pleas
Ing effect dignity OF character is never
sacrificed to fussiness in accessories ard
to the obvious device OF the repetitiI
Of notes in composition. Certainly Win
terhalter at his best never produced q
more charming portrait OF sovereign
than Mr. Laszl6's large canvas OF tn
German Emperor. He stands In a VIII.
and silver uniform dazzling In brittany
with right arm on horse and left hana
on the sword -hilt. In the foreground
white dog is shifting the chargers fore.
leg and IN the background the autumnal +
elories OF a park are vaguely suggest
ed. With the play OF gold sash among
the grays and whites 1t is truly beat
tiful composition. and what naturalnes
is there in the easy. graceful pose ana
what strength, alertness and distincusi
in the vividly painted face a
Another excellent portrait Is that
Prince Louis OF Battenberg In naval VII
form against background Of smcp
cloud. with the robust force Of fes'
king in his strong face. Only Cams
borough could nave treated the oroa
expanse OF Lord Selborne's blue veI~
Garter robe with better sense OF r.
strained color. The Hungarian Prem"
Count Hedervary. in national cos'uns
is an easier subject: but more inte's
ing are the rapid sketches OF Pope L"
XIII and Lord Wemyss with bold o'N.
work. AS character study there
nothing more conspicuous IN the 81
leries than the portrait q Lord W.
erts. with flexible hand conveying
much meaning as the deeply sean'-
resourceful face; and there is no oe''
likeness than the portrait Of LORD No'S
cliffe, the Napoleon OF English ,ou'"
ism. Each Of these strongly oon'rS''
subjects. the man who doesn't ao''
his greatness and the nan who docs
allowed to reveal himself with on''-
teristic pose and pleasing espresso,
The portrait painter must pain'
| ladies well. or he will never oeoO" =,
fashionable artist. Mr.. Laszlo' u"
| Sargent. does not conceal his pre'e.
for painting men. and yet he Is na'
successful In producing porH"~ III
| beautiful or stately women WIZ" ~.
| do not interfere in n meddlesom.
| with his harmonious blends OF o'' ~ rs
costume. and accessories An'0"s ~ y
most brilliant portraits are those IA, 81
Countess OF Ancaster, the Lao! n
Blue Feather" and Miss Dumas A.
face OF exquisite sensibility Mt, ..sS 4
quth he has painted withou'
and with decisive brushworN "D ,
strained color-an admirapIe -,n,,s
convincing portraiture Inc s,s