New-York tribune., 1915-03-14
INSPIRATION THAT is SOUGHT
IN THE GOSPEL OF THE SOIL

followers Of Millet almost invariably
stumble. Decidedly it was not through
pa:hos alone that he made his peasants
immortal. It was through the antique
grandeur Of his style His draughts-
manship was by itself extraordinarily
potent, and he used it but as a means
TO the expression of larger things. His
figures have sculptural mass and dig
nifty. They are simplifed, like heroic
monuments. When they move it is
with a kind Of primitive force and
weight. Out OF the contour of limb.
the poise Of a head, artless, uncon-
scious, the very essence Of mute, pas
toral life. he distils something OF the
sublime beauty which belongs to a
Greek statue or Sibyl By Michael An
gco. Form is for him a language, and,
touched by his genius, it appeals to US
as with "the large utterance Of the
early gods" We can imagine Mr. Wal
ker's deprecating the idea that he had
ever pretended to anything of the sort,
and, indeed, VIC have aimed at no dis
paraging comparison. If we refer TO
Mlilet it is only because he affords, in
the circumstances, the most convenient
touchstone for the explication of this
always fascinating question of form.
Mr. Walker shows US drawings as well
as paintings, the little notes in line
on which he has founded many Of his
pictures. They are admirably clean cut,
full Of knowledge, the serviceable tools
Of a competent workman. They are
not brilliant, they are not warmly per
sonalized, they have no power, no grace,
Of style. No, it is upon his color, upon
hi. light and air, upon his warm. lu
minous realization of given scene,
that this artist depends. 1t means, in
the long run, that he gives US a good
deal of wholesome pleasure. In some
OF his lgnter studies the color fairly
sings. That, perhaps, is enough. There
is, after all, no reason why we should
ask him to be another Mllet.
NJ. Monturiol's toilers are more OF
the sea than of the fields fishermen,
. laborers in the shipyards, and the like.
He delineates them in oils, in water
colors and in monotone, his drawings,
in fact, coming well into the fore
ground Of the exhibition. The works
in color have no special quality; they
are the ordinary canvases OF the Salon.
The studies in black and white disclose
the promise, at least, of some individ-
uality. As Mr.. Walker sets us to think
inc Of Millet. so VI. Monturiol sets us
TO thinking of the sculptor Meunier. He
recalls the rather sombrc sentiment
Of that artist, his somewhat heavy
realism. The Spanish type, like the
BeIr;an. gives subject its full value.
These poor workmen of his, and their
wives. are interpreted with Genu' c
feeling. The young giant pausing to
fo,dle his child, the solicitous young
mother at his side, are living human
creatures from whom it would be i'm
rossibIa "a withhold our sympathy.
Into the group of rough men standing
on the barge that moves steadily tow
ard rs in one of the harbOr scenes we
are prepared to read all the leaning
that the most exacting of Humanitarian
idos,ists could demand. And yet we fail
to experience here the artistic emotion
which alone will ratify such ideas as
NJ Monturiol embodies in his works. 1t
is again. the precious element Of style
that is missing. He has something to
sa,, that is worth while, and he says
it with equal tenderness and force. He
emnlovs. too. a certain skill. But he