The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-19

most obvious one that the
individuals is the fear that the artists
have not made commensurate efforts.
Were any painter to expend himself
rs Parkman did. or as Bret Harte
did. they would find an audience
equally willing to thrill 10 their per
formances. To master u phase of life
in art n must first master it in
reality. This Is not saying quite that
by equal expenditure Of force they
would he equally great, for great men
r produced by u certain great re-
Quirement in the epoch but 1t does
seem a just rcproach that they have
not tried us seriously as they might
have.
The question leads naturally to a
discussion OF style and its acquire
ment, which will be evadcd here,
where space is Is precious as Broad
way f%rontals. 1t Is easier TO tell
what style Is than how it Is acquired,
for not eve Socrates was positively
persuaded that virtue could he
learned. Like the pleasanter phe-
nOmena In nature it Is less apt to he
remarked upon when present than
when absent. and 1t Is its absence that
is most felt In the present exhibition
Of the Society Of Western Painters
In the Macbeth Galleries.
There can be no dispute rs 10 the
~laudableness Of the society itself and
II 1t does nothing else at least II
calls attention to some work that Is
yet to be accomplished. Like the
Ford peace ship Its ideals are a bit
vague. but noble. 1t ear do no harm
and may accomplish much.
1t ought logically to be composed
Of Western men. or ut least Of artists
who had some vital concern with the
life out there. Mr.. Ritschel Is West
ern, hut he Is not vitality occupied In
conveying the Vests message to the
rest Of the world. He appears to
desire to paint too much like other
people, which indeed IL the prevailing
sin In the great bulk of American
production. Mr.. Blumenschein nm |
Mr.. Couse paint Indians as though
from hearsay Il begin to fear that
the time for painting anything but
dream Indians and buffaloes has
passed., and Ben Foster, Mr.. Pott-
hast. Ballard williams and Mr..
Symons are evidently tourists. There
nre certain people who have n genius
even for touring and do nothing else
but trOt the globe (etchers they are
generality and who jOt one impress.
sion down ana rush on to the mex;
celebrated and much used motif.
They are more or less Of value. Of
course, but for the most part an mr..
lists hest chance lies In that quarter
Bile word and should be read as In.
Guiding the land Of dreams, where
some Of the very best artists entirely
reside.
OF all the tourists mentioned, Mr..
SymOns's work stands out the most
effectively. because Of the up tn
dateness Of his way Of painting. 1t
Il merely a Ease Of accent. however.
What he says IL said mOdishly, but
the matter Of II il not weighty.
There appears, consequently, to he
an opportunity for some artist to
embrace the West, for some one who
shall know what art Il and life Il.
and who shall resolutely turn his
back upon the softer allurements of
the Fast. Amy one who will iden-
tify himself with the West as LAT.
cadio Hean did with Japan. or a.
John Muir and JoaTuin Miller did
with the Sierrns, will o o have real
rapture to put into pictures. The
task IL more difficult than Of yore.
however. because more subtle. The
great pictural moments have passed
and the local color" IL bccomin,
more and mOre a matter Of fine
shades. The West IL IN fnct getting
to he amazingly like tho East.
The portrait Of Judge willard