New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-13

as a matter of fact no historical
significance, since the only photog-
raphers represented are those who
have been doing their work in recent
wears. The note prefixed to the cata-
Iogue opens, too, with a suggestion not
altogether apt Photography" says
Mr.. Temple Scott therein, "is the art
medium of democracy" In the first
Mace the phrase "art-medium" Is OF
dubious validity. To quote Whistler
again. "Art is art and mathematics is
mathematics" Photography, by the
same token, is photography But
where Mr.. Scott is even less per-
suasive is in speaking Of 1t as demo-
cratic instrument in this galley. On
this particular occasion we are far
from the snapshot Of the ubiquitous
amateur. These photographs have,
rather, the character Of articles de
luxe; they are choice prints developed
out of an esoteric enthusiasm, for the
, delectation of the connoisseur.
It is easy to understand in their pres
ence why there is so much talk among
the folk Of the camera and their par
tisans about the art" Of Photography
for 1t is obvious that the makers OF
these prints possess, as so many lay
men in so many walks Of life possess,
some of the traits which go to the max
ing Of an artist. They are sensitive TO
beauty. When they set up their cam
eras before some scene In nature they
know how to choose the right point OF
view and the favorable hour. In their
selection of subject they exercise
faculty akin to that which controls an
artist in the matter Of composition.
In short, judgment as we'll as skill en-
tors into their manipulation Of a me-
chanical process. The result Is often
a print which may not be work OF
art. but is unquestionably beautiful
picture. There are some fine instances
in Mr.. Coburn's group Of Western pho-
tographs. The Pillar Cumulus,' with
its glorious cloud forms seen as IN some
wonderful mirror, is a thing to give the
lover Of nature a flash Of pure JOY
Again, in his scenes from the Grand
Canyon, the stupcndous and FANTASTIC
masses Of that phenomenon are brought
home to us so wildly that we wonder
If art itself, save in the hands OF
great master, could convey anything
like the same truthful and inspiring
impression. Repeatedly in the exhibit
tion one experiences these emotions OF
pleasure and gratitude. There are some
photographs made in Japan by Dr.
Genthe, there is one Of an OLD french
chateau by Mrs. Kasebier, and there
are some winter landscapes by Mr.
Seeley which not only charm at the
moment but linger In the mind. Tho
figure work in the exhibition Is more
distinctly ephemeral In its appeal. It
is superlatively good in its way The
nudes by Mr.. Dyer. for example, ad-
mirable as photographs, also disclose
capital feeling for grace in the arrange
ment of the model and In the distribu-
ton Of light Dr. Genthe's Oriental
Dancer" is an engaging print, and IN
his Portrait Of Boy" there Is a quail
ity very nearly exquisite. But even
while we look with appreciation at this
last piece we are aware of the penalty
which all these photographers pay
through the nature Of those very Ell
fects Of which they are inclined to
make the most.
Portraiture, of a sort, abounds In this
exhibition. but Of portraiture In the
strict sense there is very little. 1t is
significant that an immense amount OF
the energy of the new school, II 1t may
be so called, Is wreaked upon the pho
tographng OF children. There are any
number of prints here which are mere
ly delightful In their capture OF the
ouaintness and lovableness Of pretty
youngsters. But when IL comes to the
question which counts for so much In
portraiture, to the question Of charac-
ter, it is interesting to note how men
and women alike slip into a kind OF
speciously pictorial role. over and
over again they make what we sup
! pose is to be called "a good photo
graph" but the observer cannot help
feeling that for the photographers es-
sential purpose almost any other sitter
would have done as well, even lay
figure. OF course, we have to reckon
with the law Of averages. There must
be times when the kinsfolk and friends
Of a sitter are bound to hail a photo
graph of him as his one perfect por-
trait. But the test OF portrait In an
exhibition lies in what It has to say
to the stranger. Here is where the
new photography breaks down, and We
say new" advisedly, for in other days
photography, II less artistic" In It's
aims, was also less Fictitious In It's
methods.
Time was when the photographer
not taking himself too seriously, was
content to get a clear negative and let
Il 20 at that. Hence the sterling por-
traits made by Nadar, in France,
by Brady and others in the United
States, which are treasured by collect
ors not because they have any interest
as pictures, but because, as historical
records, they somehow carry convic-
ton. Moreover, those old photographs
not infreauently have a merit which, in