New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-18

taste for convention of any sort. Whom
she took part i'm the revolt against au-
thority i'm which Degas had asked her
to participate she was not merely as
sisting in a quarrel. but giving free
rein to an Unborn instinct toward free
dom. one can red between the lines
Of NJ. Segard's narrative the story OF a
fervor even more fiery than that which
he actually describes. Miss Cassatts
devotion TO art truly amounted TO
passion. There is a characteristic in
cident relating to this exhibition Ga
1870. Tho painters represented may
have been unpopular in some quar-
tcrs. but seventeen thousand persons
paid a franc each 10 see their works,
and when all expenses were paid there
was considerable sum left in the cN-
chequer Each exhibtor got his share.
Forain. il is said bought a watch upon
which he had long cast envious eyes.
Miss Cassatt bought Degas and a
Monet Her purchases were made. let
rs note i'm passing, only after the show
was ended. The public had bought
nothing. she must have been amused
when only last winter, at the Rouart
sale. picture Of hers fetched II. 100
francs. How far the whole subject has
travelled since 1879. when she made
her effective debut
fresh
accomplished bit Of painting. the
"Jeune Femme dams une Loge," with
which she signaliZed her entrance into
the company of Degas and the rest.
lit was too, in perfect harmony with
the general drift Of their various per-
formances. But it is at this point that
NJ. Segard is at pains 70 disengage both
the artist and her work from the back
ground against which both have been
if we are to accept his judgment, lit
tie too closely viewed. IT has long
been taken for granted that Miss cas-
satt was pretty literally disciple OF
more than one Of the ImpressionistS.
NJ. Segard states that. as a matter II
Manet or Renoir. even fewer with Sis
ley. And. in spite of her being neigh
Dor Of Pissarro's in the country, she
went to him for no counsel Her bioS-
irapher notes. too, that she painted the
figure where Monet, Sisley and Pissarro
painted landscape, and he adds that
while Degas has always kept close 20
his studio she has done her work IN the
open air. From neither Degas nor
Nanet did she seek formal lessons. To
the influence of both. however. she was
frankly susceptible, drawing inspira-
ton from their works as she had drawn
il from Correggio and Rubens. At the
centre of her being there burned with
a steady fame a resolution to use in
her own way whatever she could learn
from her old and modern masters. \
masculine self-confidence was at the
bottom of all her efforts. and with il
something of masculine strength. Gau-
gum is quoted in this book as having
said of her. on a visit to the exhibition
of 1879, Miss Cassatt has much charm,
but she has more force" NJ. Segard
emphasizes this trait. and it plays INFO
his hands as he seeks further to de-
velop his conception of this artist as
, a person of high individuality.
lie lays stress upon her intellectually
and upon her sentiment. suggestively
exposing the salience which she de-
rives from the emotion and distinction
with which she has painted her favor
lie models. babies and their mothers.
He speaks also Of her predominant in
tercst i'm craftsmanship and her gift
for linear pattern. gift greatly
strengthened by her study Of Japanese
art and her emulation Of its style IN
the color prints she has made. All this,
as he easily and by the way, very
charmingly demonstrates. unquestion
ably presents Miss Cassatt as an indie
I pendent among independents, a painter
well preserving her individuality for all
! that she has owed so much both 10
Z Degas and to Manet IL is at first "A
! little difficult to accept the author
exceedingly appreciative hypothesis,
yet on reflection it does not seem over
drawn ON the contrary. as we weigh
all the arguments put forward in this
penetrating study. We cannot but con
fess TO new realization Of the essen
/ tial individuality OF the paintings tray
ersed. obviously associated, as they
must always be- with a particular
movement i'm modern art they affirm
Miss Cassatt's creative faculty. her
claim TO the honor OF having played nos
] an initiative but a personal and con
structive part in a memorable cam
! paign. Her style partakes Of the style
: OF others; her craftsmanship. her com
. position, her light and her color. are
/ her own. incidentally we would say
that she had registered a tremendous I
triumph for her sex If ii were not that !
! she enforces the irrelevance of ques- !,
tons of sex where good painting s |
concerned. There are qualities of ten