New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-20
OPENING OF THE
WINTER ACADEMY
New Works by American Painters
and Sculptors.

Yesterday there was a press view at
the Fine Arts Building of the winter ex-
hibition Of the National Academy OF De
sign. To-day the galleries are thrown
oper TO the public, and the show will re-
main on view until January IS. About
three hundred and fifty paintings and
sculptures have been accepted. and the
space they occupy has been used with
uncommon good Judgment In the first
gallery comparatively few pictures are
hung, the sculpture having been put in the
foreground here. and the result commands
warm approval. Elsewhere, too. the hang
ing committee has done its work well.
The usual prizes have been awarded.
The Carnegie prize of 500 for the most
meritorious oil painting has gone to Nj.
William Ritschel for his Rocks and
Breakers" n picturesque scene drawn
from the Pacific Coast. Mr.. Irving r.
Wiles has won the Thomas r. Proctor
prize for the best portrait in the exhibit
ton with a portrait OF his wife, seated.
lie has never done anything more viva
ciously effective. The black dress Ia cap
italy painted. and the whole work is de-
lightfully clever. The Isidor medal, as
signed 10 the best figure composition, goes
to Mr.. Francis G. Jones for THE Divan.
an interior. with pretty women in IT.
There IL only one award made for sculpt-
IRE. the Helen Foster Barnett prize,
given 10 an artist who must be under
thirty-nve years of age. Mr. Paul Man
ship has secured IL with his bronze, Cen
taur and Dryad." another OF those brill
iant compositions in which, as was noted
I'm The Tribune not long since. he dis
PLAYS a peculiar gift for the fusion OF a
modern naturalism with an antique dis
tinctlon OF style. This little group, ad-
rirable as whole and full of interest
ing passages Of linear force and grace, is
made doubly Impressive by the beauty OF
the decoration in low relief spread upon
its base.
The characteristics Of this exhibition
will be traversed in detail on later occa-
sion. II is sufficient 20 state now that
good average is maintained among the
pictures. The exhibit OF sculpture Is
good only in spots. The paintings, IT IS
true. include nothing sensational, out
they represent pretty uniform ability,
and not infrequently they make lively
appeal Here and there something fairly
brilliant appears. There IL. for example.
"A notable work by John Sargent, one OF
those studies which he has made out OF
doors I'm recent years. rejoicing 10 turn
his back upon portraiture and to let him
self 20 on totally different problems. This
waterfall" like SO many of the pictures
of his latest period has about II that
suggestion OF the tour de force which has
cropped out often enough In his work.
But Sargent gives the tour de force rare
quality and stability. Surely he is one OF
the most astounding of painters. the mas
ter OF a phenomena. technique. The land
scapes. by the way. are OF high impor-
lance In this exhibition. Portrsiture. Gu
rlously. while duly represented and In
some instances by very good works. is not
this time Overcome. The Academy strikes,
on the contrary. a pretty good balance,
giving rs a pleasantly varied exhibition.