New-York tribune., 1911-03-25
ART EXHIBITIONS
Paintings and Other Works Left
by the Late John La Fargo.


In the collection left by the late John La
Fargo. placed on view yesterday at the
| American Art Galleries. there are certain
minor exhibits which, taken together, very
| suggestively symbolic the wide range OF
that eminent artists sympathies. One OF
| them is "a little glass case filled with stuffed
t'ilian birds. and the other Is group OF
small plaster casts reproducing number
of those consular diptychs which are. per-
haps, the most precious Of our souvenirs
of the work in ivory Of the ancient Ro-
mans. Both episodes in the show are char
aoteristic Of La Fargo. piduantly remind
ing us how his genius could be nourished
alike by wild nature and by the serene in
spiration of classic art. When he died. last
November. lie left In his studio precisely
what one might have expected to find there,
rich evidences of his scope as painter and
Of the varied nature Of his tastes. This is
essentially an artists collection. very per-
! sonal in character. Its dispersal at the
American Art Galleries. on the afternoons
and evenings of next Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday constitutes an event OF high
Importance.
La Farge's own work naturally occupies
much space. and again testifies 10 the d.
yersity of feeling at which VIC have just
glanced. On the very threshold Of the eX'
hibition there are a number of objects re-
calling an early stage Of his activity prac-
ticaly unknown to the public at large.
! These are the casts illustrating the sculpt-
ural work which formed part Of his decora-
tive dealings with the Cornelius Vanderbilt
house in this city many years ago. lie de-
signed various neurological figures and
| called in the late Augustus s;aint-Gaudens
TO model them There are other panels,
notably the "Racchus" (No. 2ss), which he
both designed and modelled himself. Some
| Of the pieces on which the two friends
worked toge her are shown in bronze La
| Farge's own "Bacchus' ana ''Nertumnus
are in plaster gilded All Of these sub
jects have obvious decorative beauty and
thanks 10 his imaginative power. they also
Z have a deeper interest; as poetic concep-
tons they are full Of charm, and have INTO
the bargain. a singular dignity. The entire
set would go most appropriately into the
Metropolitan Museum. We would be glad 10
see there 100, more than one of the works
! in stained glass. The Peacock Window. his
masterpiece. is unfortunately unprocura ole.
Tor il was acquired some time ago by the
! Worcester Museum. But there are items
in the present exhibition. especially those
illustrating floral motives~peonies, morning
gories and hollyhocks-as well as several
| bits Of purely formal design. which are
splendidly representative of his originality
/ in composition and his extraordinary force
! in color.
| The collection Of his paintings is surpris-
ingy comprehensive. La rarse's fecundits
! was exceptional. Countless easel pictures
! by him are preserved in private and public
! collections, and in an even greater num-
Der of churches and other buildings there
are works 10 show US how much of his time
and energy was absorbed by glass and
mural decoration. yet at his death there
still remain important productions in more
than one medium There are for example.
eight or ten souvenirs OF his travels in
Japan. water cclors illustrating his interest
both in the ideas and in the physical traits
Of that country. In one Of these sketches
he portrays in vividly realistic terms a
typical open cir scene, Peasants with
Horses in the Mountains of Nikko' Go
800, and In another he draws with his
wonted imaginative pausihility terror
inspiring figure, EN- Ma: The Buddhist
! King Of the Underworld" The more nu-
merous South Sea subjects, some in water
I colors and some in oils are al IN purely
naturalist, vein. though in few instances
the studies OF native manners raise oo-
served fact TO higher power and lend it
a subtle significance. Witness the South
Sea Seated Dance at Night (Nc. $40. the
"Fijan Chiefs and Dependents After Mill
I tary Dance (No. j79 or "Fayaway Sails
Her Boat GO 56?). in which the veil is
torn from a strange. exotic life and we are
maze free Of its inner spirit. You divine in
pictures like these the La Fargo who was
interested not only in the picturesque
bodies, trappngs and movements of his
savage friends. but in their minds and in
! the immemoria traditions lying beneath
/ their ceremonies. But. on the whole. the
South Sea pictures point more particularly
to the artist in search OF beauty. beauty
Of form and even more. beauty Of light
and color.
There are times when La Fargo seems 10
have labored in these happy islands with
an almost scientific prediction for the
basic truths OF nature. He paints water
/ color less than two feet wide and only fiji
teen incnes high, the beautiful Mount To-
/ hlvea" (NO. 513), and within his narrow
boundaries he gives you an impressive sense
of heroic ground forms; the grandeur of the
/ subject Is expressed with an austere sim
plicity worthy Of geologist turned painter.
Again, in the unfinished picture done In
oils, the Entrance to Tautira River. Ia
hiu' (No j%9). he attacks kindred episode
in mountainous scenery but while he con-
IL
ure in a large manner. he places the en-
phasis on color and runs subtly through
bewitching keys of violet and rose. Char
acteristic is the native figure in the fore
ground, that of fisherman with spear
In action. The people Of the South Seas
were forever straying into his landscapes,
to give them just the beguiling note of
animation. humanizing them and yet
I through their nudity leaving undisturbed
the remote, alf-fantastic atmosphere be-
longing To the natural world in those far
latitudes. He pants pair OF Samoan
airls wrestling or two others making gar
lands: lie makes q note of one Of the native
dances: he portrays "a sort Of ceremonious
duel" between orators. and. in short. re-
covers for us the very form and movement
of a primitive yet stately society. III this
his work is precious not only as art. but
as a matter Of record. As art. pure and
simple, its outstanding quality is one Of
sheer exquisiteness. Observe the marvel
lous green's and the play of light in the
View from Hut at Nailla al Cpolu" (No.
$50. with its closely ana!yzed yet somehow
very free and broad treatment Of foliage.
or turn to such brief and delicate studies
of feeting color as the "I<ilaues" Go. J65)