The sun., 1916-12-16
ACADEMY SHOWI Is
LACKING IN THRILLS
Place Of Honor Given to
Cousc's Indian Picture "Vi-
sion of the Past"
VICTORY FOR CHlCAGOAN
LawtOn Parker Gets Chief
Award, the 81, 900 Altman
Prize. for '.Parcssc.''

u was vanishing day at the Ma
tional academy OF Design yesterday and
many OF the best known artists threw
aside the opportunity to paint the finest
snoNstorm OF the season In order to
attend. Tho Vanderbilt Gallery was
crowded twice during the day, by the
artists in the morning and their friends
and patrons in the afternoon.
There were the usual clouds Of blu
tobacco smoke and differences Of opinion
as to the Justice Of the prize awards in
the morning and the usual chorus of
undiluted feminine praise from the after.
noon throng.
The exhibition Is up to the standard
that the Academy has reached during
tho last few years. II was whispered
~, ong the artists that 10000 PAINTINGS
had been submitted TO the jury, which
selected for the exhibition only 292
pictures and cighty-nlne sculptures.
In consequence OF the t~horoughness
with which the academic officers have
sought for average" qualities Of merit
IN works OF art nothing OF astounding
worth Is present. nothing TO move the
emotions to a high pitch. SO inarticu-
late a mass OF pictures has not been
seen since--well. las; years Academy.
The only painting that In any way stlrs
curiosity Is Kenyon Cox's tradition
which regrettably. enough has not re-
eeired the place OF honor.
Honor Fails to Couse.
This proud vantage point has been
usurped by Irving Couse. who's 'vlsion
OF the Past" won the second Altman
prize OF 5000. MI. Couse has painted an
indian picture. Three braves stand Jack
TO back upon a cliff with a child crouch
ing at their feet. Beyond distant hills
in the clouds can be seen a dream pro.
csssion OF warriors mounting as though
into II Nalhalla.
Mr.. Cousc shows n certain amount of
familiarity with the details OF Indian
costume. but he lacks knowledge enough
OF life in general to inform his work
with authority. The posture Of the In
dams upon the clir may have some Sc
cret Indian significance. hut Il has failed
10 arouse the painter to any eloQuence.
The vision in the distance IL also quite
banal as painting. but as most Of the
Indians In the picture have turned their
backs upon II II cannot have great inn
portancc. Altogether II Is not an en-
irening picture for the place Of honor
IN the National Academy OF Design.
A much better affair Is George Bel
ows's Doris in the Psrlor.' which
carried OF the Isidor medal. 1t IL not
II Mr.. Bellows at his best. however. but
II will pass as a sincere efYort. The
little girl Of the picture Is done In por.
trai; style. with the staring eyes and
porcelain painting effects common to
much OF Mr.. Bellows's recent work,
but there is careful study In evidence
in all parts OF the picture. III. quaint
yellow dress in particular has been al
most lovingly painted.
Lawton ParLer's Triumph.
The chief award OF the academy, the
$1,000 Altman prize. was won by Law
ton Parker of Chicago with his nudN
called "Paresse." All the rules for
the acceptable presentation OF nudes
have been carefully followed by Mr..
Parker. except the vital one OF belnS
interesting. "Paresse' will not put the
nose upon Edouard Manet's "Olympe'
out OF joint by any means 1t is not as
good even as harles w. Hawthorne's
effort in the same line. but Mr.. Haw-
thorne won the Altman prize last year
and cannot he allowed to capture
prizes continually.
- "" i'ia W u Aa'E ttA ",
Chase, loaned by the Union League Club,
Ia called Ready for the Ride" and
shows a young woman in a big Dutch
hat and wide ruff. The costume Is black
and in fact the picture Is a study In
blacks. These are not luminous. n the
brush work is by no means as clear Ms
In IAase's later pictures. but the beaut.
Of the sitter has been well captured and
the whole canvas has the dignity tina,
Comes from sincerity.
The landscapes and marines in thu
exhibition are many. but none reaches
hiEh level, Ernest Lawson's Queens
borough Bridge" boasts the hest colo,
o. any Of them. m Ben Fosters 'Octo'
hcr in the Hills has a certain modes
landscape sincerity tnat lifts II out o.
the commonplace. Neither. however
VIII any stretch of the Imagination car
be acclaimed as in any way great.
OF Howard Russell Buffers "Mains
cliffs in Moonlight much the same mus
he said as the comment on La
ptrkol's 'I'aresse." 1t is painstaking
It follows the rules. and 1t is duh. How
ever. i, got the $500 Carnegie prize.
The impressionistic group Is headed BY
Chilie IIassam. who sends an enor
nous canvas called 'The South Win