The sun., 1912-07-21

weakness; and yet posterity will regret
that It cannot know Queen Victoria or
tho Emperor William with the eame In
timacy that It may Thomas Bracket Reed.
Tor instance. also once upon a time called
a car.
This penetrating analysis OF character
is not confined to those whose character,
are important or distinguished. It IL
lavished on all alike. and even on inani-
mate things the silks and velvcts. the
furniture and bric-a-brac are all eloquent.
A Gleam Of gold in tho shadow has tho
dusty tone which proclaims that it is old
gliding even though its form is indistin-
euishable. The porcelain In the Belt hall is
evidently not in the same class with that
behind the Misses werthcimcr.
The personality Of room. a place. il
given absolutely and unexpectedly.
Venice has been painted thousands and
tens of thousands Of times. the canals, the
Canpanile, the Doge's Palace and st.
Marks both inside and out; but there Is
sketch by Sargent Of slatternlv, red
headed girl with a black shawl over her
head coming over the stones Of shabby
little street that is Venice as none of the
other representations are. The canals
may be filed up. st. Marks may crun-
bic as the Canpanile has done. but as
long rs the race and the climate remain
so long will remain the clear. colorless
morbidezza Of the face. the limp. clinging
skirts with all the stiffness taken out by
the moist sea air. and the gentle iassituda
OF the loafers leaning against the wall
draped in their dark cloalts.
The curious thing is that while tie ric.
turc is in crays ard blacks without a
single bright touch it is not only more
true but infinitely more beautiful in color
than the customary blaze of oran ire and
red; and while there is not trace OF old
carving or Gothic architecture yet it
somehow gives the grace and mystery
OF Venice rs the painfully elaborate draw
ings Of Ruskin do not. Sargent has
painted but few canvases Of this kind
in proportion to the number OF his por-
traits and yet set apart by then,sclve,
they form an important group. They
| have the same qualities as the portraits.
| they might we'll bc called Portraits Of
Places, hut not official portraits nor of
SHOW places. Tloy arc intimate. per-
| sonal; and II is only passing mood tina.
is noted, the sunlight on a sea beach.
the spacious. shadowy depths OF an Italian
palace Interior the rosy glow Of tho pink
shaded candles on the silver and linen
of dinner table, but each wonderfully
seen and rendered
Sargents work has its limitations, but
they are largely set by its qualities ia
transcript of life is to be made vivid with
all its changing effects struck instantly
upon the canvas there can be no brooding
ard m'ising and dreaming. Tho sur
face ~ the paint is smooth and flowing.
the color is brilliant and pure. but neither
has that absolute and subtle perfection
that comes when an artist holds a canvas
by him. looks at it longIpnd often. search
ing it, adding touch here and gla ze there
with loving care until all fuses into unity
The composition likewise has no such
absolute perfection. The figures arc
usually we'll placed and we'll grouped,
they ft well in the frames; hut after all
the composition is taken as nature gave il,
with some Choic" from different poses
and some suiting OF the dimensions ~
the canvas TO them. but no weaving OF
light and shade. line and spot into COM
plete decorative arrangement.
His portraits rarely have distinction in
! their patternn2. This amounts to saying
that Sargent is not Whistler. II has
already been hinted that he is not Rem.
brandt. and it may he added that he i,
not Rarl -. II is even possible to doubt
whether go is Velasduez. though both he
and Whi,. er have been claimed as rein .
carnations Of that master. But he has
no need to claim n reflection of another
man & qualities, for he has his own and they
suffice.
With n certain temperament it is quite
possible to dislike his work. as it is per-
missible to dislike the work Of RuDens:
but we quite agree with MIR. Isham when
he asserts that with all limitations and
reserves made John $. Sargent has talent /,
that give him securely his position ms thu
nrst portrait painter since Reynolds and
Gainsborougt.