New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-10


lustrations, and Mr.. s. G. Vosper with
his fascinating interior OF Breton
windmill, and Mr.. Alfred Parsons with
his exquisite, fragrant studies OF the
English countryside, and Mr.. ID. Y
Cameron, and Mr.. George Clausen. and
Mr.. w. Russell Flint, and Mr.. A. O.
Hartrick, and Mr.. Charles Sims. and so
on through a list of interesting work
men that grows surprisingly long as
we more carefully scrutinize the show
1t is their being interesting that grad
ually justifies their point OF view, so
different from our own. They have
something to say, and they take great
pains in the saying of it. Roughly, as
we have indicated, their painstaking
seems TO dull their appeal. The guam
titles of work here done in the old
fashioned, spiritless manner would be
terribly discouraging if it predominat-
ed Just shade more. But the men of
ability pull the others through; they
save the day. And in doing so they set
us to thinking of the merits of their
common hypothesis.
The picture, as they show it to US, is
unquestionably a dangerous rival for
the "bit" We are not sure that at
bottom, in water color, it is so true TO
the very soul of given means OF
artistic expression. When we look az
the sole American exhibit, "The Look
ing Glass" by Mr.. Sargent, we feel
immediately q revival of the essential
atmosphere of the medium: But we
wonder if Mr.. Sargent himself wouldn't
admit that his brilliance seems lit
- L. h. Of al
weightiness of his colleagues. 1t is
like coming upon a piece of Venetian
glass in a room made shadowy by
antique tapestries. Both, the reader
will Justly say, have their value, their
beauty, and we have no intention OF
weighing Mr.. Sargent and Mr.. Sullivan
in the balance. On the other hand, one
school may proftsbly interest itself
in the methods of another. We have.
for our own part, d conviction that the
American water colorist is tending
steadily toward the root of the mat
ter, that the lightness, the sponta-
neity, of which he makes so much, is
what. as a water colorist, he ought to
pursue. Is IL superficial? Perhaps.
In the grain of water color there is
something that is allied, delightfully."-,
to the flashing surface Of things. But
why should il rob US of such charms
as the British water colorlst achieves
WHY should the "bit" exclude the
picture. as it so often does with us
WHY can't we have them both? This
British exhibition reminds us very
forcibly that the picture is, after all
worth while, and not inconsistent with
the character OF water color,
A pleasant pendant 20 the subject
NAV be found in the water colors by
Mr. William b. +. Ranken at the
Knoedler Gallery, full length portraits
of interiors at Blenheim Palace and
some places nearer home. He is an
English artist and uses the thorough,
going method at which we have glanced
above. When he overdoes 1t, as IN a
picture like "A Trophy Of Banners,
Blenheim," giving every detail about
the same value, he produces mere
prose. When he recalls his sense OF
proportion, as IN the Chippendale
Mirror" he makes a beautiful picture
beautiful especially in tone. HIS
work has an engaging, quslity. Like
Walter Gay, he knows how 10 give an
aesthetic vitality TO his studies OF IN
sensate things, a personal accent mt
ing them above the conyentlonai pane
The National Association of Portrait
Painters shares the Fine Arts bulIa
ing with the Water Color Cluo Just
now, hanging about thirty canvases ~
the big north gallery. II is gooa
enough group, containing Few WORKS
such as Mr.. Wiles's Portrait IN FRO
file" Mr.. Cotton's George barr
McCutcheon," MIR. Lockmsns colo
Jacket" and Mr. Hechts Michael
Steiner" which rise above pedestrian
level. The collection Is not rich
enough in originality or even In mere
technical power to suggest tnat tne as
ISOLATION really needs TO make
demonstration of its own. The por-
traits are of the ordinarily meritorlous
kind. the sort Of things which are
mildly welcomed in almost any exhlol-
tion-and then forgotten.
At the American Art Galleries. be-
sides the show of British water colors,
there is collection OF Japanese Color
nrints belonging to Mr.. Judson ID. Metz
gar, especially rich in examples OF
fliroshige, and the rest OF the space Is
flled with furniture and other house
hold effects, the property OF MI. j. -
MhCDONhlls ne ooAc "
now going forward. Mr.: Metzgsr .
prints will be sold next week, beginning
Monday afternoon. These prints are OF
a high degree Of excellence. There are
many rarities shown and many beauti .
ful impressions On November 10
there will open at this place an exhini-
ton of the art treasures and antiqu'-
ties from the Dsvsnzati Palace and inc
Villa PA which Professor 'oipi mas
brought to this country. The sale De
gins on November 81.
The New York Society OF Etchers ana
the American Society OF Minlature
Painters are exhibiting together az the
Montross Gallery, where thsy VIII re-
main until November IS. The Enrlcn
Gallery presents portraits by Mr. Tahk
r. A. Linton. Landscapes by Mr.. h 200
.rt Spencer are at the Arlington ual-
Iery. The Hshlo gallery shows q new
collection Of Zorn's etchings. An IN
usual exhibition Of drawings and oook
Illustrations may be seen al the u'o''si
Club.
The Anderson Galleries announce IN
exhibition Of the furniture and ooss
I ~