New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-12

cavalier, or let their fingers rest upon
the keys Of a spinet precisely as he
told them. Only they look 10 US, after
all these years, as though he had hap
pened upon them and they did not
know that he was in the room. They
were still-life for him. yes, but with a
difference. The distinction does not
relate to subject alone. II bears upon
the technical aspects Of an artists
work; 10 tells in the grain Of his pant
ing. II is. perhaps. matter Of en-
kindlng sympathy, the difference be-
tween painting a broadly human scene,
seeing 1t and feeling it as unit and
building up a scheme Of values bit
by bit, not By inspiration. but by main
strength.
Mr.. Melchers. at the Montross gal
lery. seems at once 10 court this latter
danger and to seek escape from IT, He
is quite as much the des igner Of deco
rative arrangements as any Of the Ten.
Witness, for example, picture ike his
open Fire" Every detail m this
seems i'm some sort studio property.
the figured dress and the pink jacket
worn by the young woman in the room,
the bronze bust on the mantel. the piece
Of blue and white beside Il. the lowered
wall paper in the background over
and over Mr.. Meichers paints that kind
Of picture. Yet he pulls through. and
II is by virtue Of that personal quality
which we have already indicated as
having the last word in the making Of a
picture. To Judge from his paintings
he is Of a robust temperament, IN
stinctively tending 70 a broad handling
of form. bold use Of pure color. a
free and vigorous style. There Is a
tiny landscape here. not entered IN the
catalogue. which contains some very
delicate color. but Mr.. Melchers hasn't
an atom of the preciosity which We
have attributed 20 the Ten. The still
life motive creeps IN. as We have
shown. but mostly Il is elbowed out OF
tie way By his almost rude gusto. The
refinement in his art comes out IN no
exquisite strain, but with certain
fulness in such lovely things as the
young Woman READING" and the Nv IL
lows" His landscapes, by the way.
have a surprising freshness and charm.
He has been chiefly known hitherto by
paintings Of the Salon type. Ike the
MATERNITY" which, in a way, domi-
mates the present exhibition, but IN the
"Willows" and the House Under the
Trees" he employs a more intimate
touch and is dOubly persuasive. fOf
the very freedom and breadth which
constitute the great merit OF his Work
he DAYS an unmistakable penalty. MS
color is unduly forcible His surfaces
want quality. Il is an open question
however. a. 10 whether time may no,
redress the balance, mellowins can
vases that are now almost crude IL
their vivid reproduction Of puich
picturesqueness.
The innovators at the Anderson Gal
leries take us into world Whefe
theory prevails. IN preface 70 inc
catalogue Mr.. W. II. Wright discourses
on what constitutes modern painting
and then lie and the i've otneF mem
bers Of the Forum Committee each
snnnlv s. "foreword." Every exhibitor
is also granted the privilege OF addlng
a, "e,nlanatory note" II VIC may
;udce rom this publication art - just
ono blessed foreword after another.
We'll all this talk is beside the point.
What have the pictures 70 say Tor
themselves? Let US consider them on
their merits. In one case, that o. Ar.
Thomas II. Benton, u IS possloIe 10
take them seriously. His treatment o.
form like some distant echo OF the
tradition Of Michael Angelo, SUCCESS
a large and flowing conception OF truth'
a feeling for life and even, IN some
Vague wav. a feeling for beauty. HIS
oueer color. now hot, now livid, -, we
eunnose. a kind Of sacrifice 20 the cult
viii which he is here associated. We
Lac bis works. wondering If on some
fnture occasion he may not find himself
and deyelop into an effective painter
Tho rest is all but leather or prunello'
canvas covered with cubistic or futu,,
ristic OF synchromistic iacquers OF
paint.
They mean something. il is said, and
rbiie We refuse 10 bore our readers
with the available documents on the
subject we may indicate what - ex-
pectet Of the public on this point