New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-12
Mere Beauty as an Artistic Ideal.

classical models, but TO fertilize their
imaginations. This was COleman's
point of view, and Vedder's. In tech
meal matters they paid a certain pen
alty for their abstention from the
movements of their time, but they
strengthened their noble ideals of
beauty. Was their choice, after all,
unfruitful? Coleman's work is notable,
in the first place, for its diversity of
theme. He has painted "The Return
from the Crucifxion," an imposing
canvas, in which a motive in the grand
style is touched by a soundly realistic
sentiment. He has painted Christ
Walking on the Waters" picture even
more weighty in conception and more
simply and more skilfully designed.
From subjects like these he has turned
to some humble Italian interior, depict
ing the peasants at their oil press, or he
has posed a pretty model IN an old
costume and has portrayed her In TO.
mantle vein, or he has looked out OF
the window of his villa and has studied
smoking Vesuvius and the lncompara-
BILE blues Of the Mediterranean. Some
times when these things have exhaust
ed his emotions he has been interested
to set some flowers against an Oriental
rug and to produce a purely decorative
panel. And at all times he has seen
beauty in his material and has sought
10 express il. That IS why he has
painted good pictures, this artist VINO
has neglected all the new movements
Of his time.
II is delightful, as cannot be too
cordially emphasized, TO observe the
art with which they are put together
TO see the figure so justly placed, the
accessory adjusted to the central idea
with so much tact and point. witness,
for example. the blossoms in "My study
Window" How deity they are made
TO serve both the balance Of the scheme
and the spirit of the subject. Coleman
il always exercising this decorative IN
stinct, always giving to his picture
both truth and grace. And what he
does with his objects, with his line and
form, he does also with his charming
color. II is handled with marked re-
serve. to be sure. lie is, we repeat, no
technical virtuoso, and in his figure
subjects especially we recognize the
repressive influence of what might be
called an Academic method, 4 IT did
not connote a more infexiblc conven-
ton than he has actually followed. But
in one group Of his paintings ne lets
himself 90. and the results arc en-
chanting. This is the group of those
impressions which he aptly deslgnates
as Songs Of Vesuvius,' works in pas
tel and tempers mostly dating from
the memorable eruption OF 1906. They
are in the truest sense lyrics Of art,
delicate. heeting notes of exquisite col.
or, in which the majesty Of an awful
natural phenomenon is interpreted with
the right seriousness, yet made 70
serve as a basis for a sensuous effect
extraordinarily light, subtle and ten
der. The Vesuvian pieces alone would
make the exhibition worth while. Alone
thew would manifest the artists rare
gift for beauty. But 1T is upon the
quality Of the collection as whole
that we would lay stress. 1t makes an
appeal Of great dignity, Of fineness, OF
true artistic interest. Coleman can al
ford 20 forget the current movement
He has held steadfsstly TO the things
that count, the things that last.