New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-24
The Cult of the Print

accom- plSneO OF molcrl techulcldnS.
There are Whistlerians who detest il
as a portrait of their master. They
aver that 10 reproduces only his eX-
ternal traits and does nothing 70 cx-
press his true character. As a piece
of painting the pyrotechncal adroit-
ness OF the thing remains unchallenged.
Mr.. Reich has echoed this in his plate
with consummate manual skill, and in
one important respect performs a real
service to the painting. The color in
the latter is hardly It's strong point,
Mr.. Reich contrives 10 pull the tones
together and thereby to give the por-
trait a new unity His deep browns
are transparent, psinterlike. We wish
Boldini might see this etching. He
would admit, we think, that it per-
fectly reproduced his virtuosity, and,
without infdelity 20 his essential aim,
subtly invested il with new dignity.
10 is notable plate. which We com
mend 20 the Whistlerians.
The sculptors who take part in the
exhibitions Of the Academy of De-
sign know we'll enough what 10 eX-
poet for their works when the latter
find places in the Fine Arts Building.
They will necessarily be subordinat-
ed % the paintings. Few IN number -
there arc only eighty-nine pieces Of
sculpture in the present winter show
they will exercise, on the whole,
decorative function, making so many
spots against the pictorial back
ground There is a certain advantage
10 be drawn from this situation. The
sculpture - not crowded. IL can, after
oil, assert itself, and perhaps in tho
long run the individual work leaves
a clearer impression than II the rooms
had been turned into a wilderness OF
plastic art. But it must pc pretty
good sculpture if IL is 20 hold Its own
in these circumstances. We wonder,
BY the way, why there arc only one
or two sculptors on the jury. Possibly
If there were moro this side of the eX-
hibition would be better developed.
This year the sculpture is even less
arresting than it was IN 1915. Mr. Her
bert Adams, now es then, carries most
Of the weight Of the affair on his
shoulders. His fine bronze, "Nymph
Of Fynmere,7 20 which the Watrous
gold medal has happily been awarded,
possesses the rare merit Of lifting a
nude motive above the plane OF merely
facile modelling on which so many con-
temporary artists are wont TO leave
it. The sculptor's conception is one
Of adolescent grace and purity; truly
vernal freshness hangs about the fig-
ure. Nothing could be more delicate,
more tenderly felt, than the hestltat-
ing movement OF this nymph, the poise
OF her lovely young head, the timid
gesture of her outstretched hand. And
the fragrant spirit Of the work Is en-
closed within q charming linear ideal
Of form. The statue is modelled "in the
round" Of course, but what chiefly be-
guiles Us in il is the beauty or line
which Mr. Adams has achieved in his
contours The progress OF his art In
this direction has been especially
noticeable in the last few years. lie
seems 10 be getting closer and closer
70 a classical expression of form, tech
nically finer than anything in his ear
lier work, frmer and stronger, and lar
more richly suggestive Of an magma
tive purpose.
The nudes otherwise and they fill
great deal Of the space allotted TO
sculpture are not very inspiring. Mr.
Weinman has made a mistake, we fear,
in putting forth reductions OF his Two
figures, "The Rising Sun" and De
scendlhg NlEhl, Originally Haue 10
the. San Francisco fair. Their effect
under the open sky, executed on an
heroic scale and exposed at a great
height, was altogether successful. Seen
in miniature, on a pedestal in a gallery,
they lose their aerial quality, which
was an indispensable factor in their
charm. Monumental sculpture trans
lated into the intimate terms OF the
ststuette seems only 10 preserve its
force when that force has. TO begin
with, something OF the fire OF genius in
il. Ordinarily in such a transforrna-
ton il gives itself away. There is no
genius anywhere amongst the small
nudes that here present themselves,
and there is next to nothing of that
feeling for design which is sometimes
a rich source Of interest. Here and