The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04

now on view at Knoedler's, are
valiant, ambitious works, sure to
interest the public in general. sure tn
disturb the lover Of things sedate in
art. sure TO create a little talk. and
reasonably sure to be remembered once
seen.
The subject is "A formidable one. That
gigantic Culebra cut was the death of
French engineers and almost the death
Of ours. The cutting away of noun
tains In one place to let an ocean pass
and the building of mountainous con-
crete walls to hold another ocean in
check are mighty themes. 1t is the
day Of great themes and big under
takings. but this one is really too big
for any one save an uncanny engineer
to grasp. and engineers, as we all know,
are no longer human.
But Mr.. Lie. an artist would 20 them
one better. He would read their plans.
understand their work. look upon II.
and even. mirabile dictu. make distant
New Workers comprehend IL. Like a
young David, Mr.. Lie journeyed down
TO the tropics last spring to tackle
this most Goliathan OF tasks. and now
returns to us with these trophies OF
the combat, big canvases in swag-
Sering color showing terrifying man
made Chasns through the tropical green
hills still in active eruption or disrup-
ton, with black smoke and steam
"belching," to use the favorite adjective
Of volcano DISORDERS, frcm the assures.
and the tiny little people who are ac-
complishing the wonder crawling about
like ante. II Mr.. Lie does not succeed
In making New Workers comprehend 1t
he will at least make them gasp.
Not but that We have grown used
to looking like ants. Any artist who
endeavors TO make picture Of a
New York lady entering an Office build
ing is invariably discounted at the
necessarily tiny proportions he is
obliged to give the lady. The lady Is
SO small she doesn't count.
The same thing happens to the
laborers in our canal. 1t is beyond the
human proportion.
To illustrate and give an idea OF canal
cutting by painting picture of a man
with a hoe would be absurd. To as
semble the thousands necessary To that
canal job would be equally poor matter
artistically. Failing the human element
we are fam to make second choice for
hero of this drama out Of steam. Mr.
Lie convinces US it is even beyond the
steam engine proportion. a steam en-
ginc puffs at the base of the giant gates
to the lock- In the most epic" of the
canvases, and appears by contrast to
he almost as puny as the miserable
human beings.
Mr.. Lie has been borrowing a page
from Mr.. Brangwyn's book in thus sing
ing OF sizes III can De SAID that ne mas
exaggerated az the Britisher does, at
ieast IL Won pe saiu Ny ti's oepo"eh''
put ne mas Purposeiy CHOSEN vantage
Hrouhus LOT MS stuoies where the
heights ana uepths take on theatricai
aspect iney are not inc precise neishts
and uepths that every pherim 10
rahaHia was prVneseu 10 see MI Lie
mas oeen interpreting line an aE'is.
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Inc lhterno influence IN seen again IN
the picture Oh 'he Cu'epra Cut where
the dozen OF 80 steam shoFeis are man
'uly on tne 1oo sehoihg parailei col
uihus OF p'tuih'hous s'noke straisht INTO
the heavens ana IA inc francs az Mira
hores' "heFe the IRON buckets upon IN
visible wires uescehu from out OF the
Top OF lhe picture upon their mysterious