New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-01
Constantin Meunier-The Apostle of Labor
in Modern Soul pture-F1is Strength and
HIS Weakness-Recent Works by
Anna Vaughan Hyatt and
Chester Beach-The Draw
ings of Fragonard.
By ROYAL CORTIS>OZ.

for himself Nevertheless, the point
invites consideration as bearing upon
the true character and value OF
Meunicrs work. He belongs in the
category Of literary artists. subordi-
mating matters of form to an extra
artistic ideal This is a very different
thing from the way of genius, which is
TO make technique means TO an end.
Genius may use form as a vehicle for
the expression of an idea Michael An
gclo did so. But genius. in the proc
Css. remains interested in form for its
own sake and transmogrifics it, max
ing il beautiful. Meunier, influenced
10 some extent by Rodin, was fortu-
nately not lurcd by the specious OK
ample Of that consummate modcller
into treating form from a merely sen
suous point of view; but he went To the
other extreme. and neglected the posi-
biities which il offers To the greatest
masters in plastic art. PreocCupied in
cessantly with the grim pathos in lfs
material and absorbed almost dcvoutly
in the recording Of the truth. he missed
the precious elements of invention and
style.
1t is strange and even touching in
stance of the triumph of emotion over
thought. Mcunicr's splendid sincerity.
which lends something like grandeur
10 his LIES work, considered as
whole. and gives certain sombre
force to everything that he did, was.
paradoXicaly, kind of handicap. II
restricted his powers of design, be
cause it moved him to make, so TO
say, a portrait rather than a statue.
4 poet. it has been said, is known by
his metaphors. \ sculptor, more, if
anything, than a painter is known by
the new. original terms Of mass and
contour in which he speaks. You can
tell him by the freshness and beauty
which he puts into his line. Take. for
instance. Meunier's Solver" which
tops the monument at LouVain men
toned above. 1t is a strong figure. i'm
pressive in its way, even as il is seen
I i'm the present exhibition but its
strength resides in its simple veracity
as the portrait of a type, not in any in
dividualized and fclicitous arrange
ment of form. one reverts instinc-
4 lively 10 Millet's famous picture and to
/ the rhythmic beauty which he EFFORTS
; from the form and movement Of the
/ soWer, without any violation Of the
artlessness inherent in the subject
| And with this comparison we come to
fairly complete Qualification of the
whole problem of Meuners art, criti-
| cally approached. The tie between him
and Millet which has often been cited.
/ is valid so far as it goes. but il is only
, a tie of sympathy for a certain group
/ Of subjects Otherwise the FrcnChman
remains type of creative genius
where the Belgian remains one of com
+ paratVcly unimaginative talent. Mil
/ let. with his almost classical grasp Of
/ form. his magnificent and profoundly
personal line and his ineXhaustiblc
sense Of design, not only gives great
weight To- his subject. humanity speak
/ ing. but raises it 20 a higher power and
J makes it, artistically speaking, beautl-
/ full. He crowns it, when all is said
with the distinction of style. Meuncr
modelling with an admirable vigor ana
simplicity, and putting his heart into
/ mis- work. successfully makes search
/ ing human appeal, but. without linear
magic and without a flair for compost
/ tion which We have described as visit
/ ing the French painter one result
automatically flows from this situation
/ The show AT the Avery Library. abun-