The sun., 1916-01-12
NEW WAR PAINTING
CONTAINS SURPRISE
Young American Woman
Model for Portrait Cheva-
lier NicOlct Brings In.
IDENTITY KEPT SECRET

Gabriel Nicolet Chevali,r OF tho Ie-
gion of Honor and member ~ tho ROYAL
Society Of English Portrai, Painters, ar
rived yesterday by the French liner I.,-
fayette with war picture called The
Good Samaritan" which may set folks
guessing when IL il exhibited on Janu-
airy - AZ the Braun Galleries l3 West
Forty-sNth street.
The Chevalier refused to reveal the
name OF the young American woman
who had posed for the painting, but he
said that doubtless she would he rccog-
nized by her friends here The artist
is a biz old fashioned IN his idea Of keep
ing involate the names of men and
women who, as he said. do him the
honor OF sitting for him
The young woman is Red Cross
nurse In France. She Is depicted knit
ting a scarf for French soldier. who is
/ invisible in the background OF the art
lists and the observers fancy. One must
guess at the existence Of s-oldier--he
is purely spiritual. Cheval.cr Nicolet
said he believed that the horror OF war
should not he shown definitely In art.
II might be merely hnted at in the back
ground none of its grewsomeness should
be permitted to stand out The picture
OF The Good Samaritan" which New
Workers would instantly recognize. but
winch he had no right az an artist to
reveal was a study In white. yellow and
red. with a suggestion OF symbolism,
which. the artist said. would charac-
terize much OF the French painting after
the war
Chevalier Nlcolet said France, consid-
cred artistically, was like a person who
had been going through long and
very dark tunnel II wanted the sun
shine which IL knew was at the remote
end OF that tunnel II was sick OF hor-
ror and sighed for brightness. out OF
the darkness of the fcrccst conflict OF
history would come the rainbowed clear
ness OF JOY. France would not forget
her magniiicence H. war. but she would
incline to cast aside the deaths head
and the carnal slaughter and look only
at the splritua; uplift. She was tired
of ruins, and even heroism. Everybody
was heroic In France now. What could
De more marvellous than the deeds OF
the Breton peasantry" Herosm was
everywhere.
War, Cheyalicr Nicolet said. would
rob the future OF Franc Of some gem
fuses. who had gone to the front in de-
fence OF their country, but the Govern
ment. with the wisdom OF benovolence.
had spotted many OF the finest OF tho
young artists and had detailed them
TO paint pictures OF the war so they
might be preserved for the artistic de-
ve.opment Of their country. French art.
after the war. the Chevalier said, would
be cheerful IL would illustrate the spirit
of self-sacritic", rather than ths spirit
of mere victory.
The Chevalier has brought with him
eighteen paintings. chiefly portraits.
which will be supplemented at the eXhibi-
tion with several other masverpieces lent
by their American owners. including his
"Enigmc." belonging to Frank Walker
OF Detroit the portrait OF Mrs. Gibson
Fahnestock Of Washington, painted IN
London portraits OF the two daughters
of Mrs. II. Strefel Of this city. and THE
Butterfly" showing a young woman who
finds 1t tiresoine to play the part
Among the portraits of Chevalier
Nicolet are those Of the late Duke OF
Cambridge. the Marchioness Ormonde,
Lady satrlce Pole-Carcw. Field Mar
shal Sir Henry Norman, Admiral Sir
Edmund Frcemantle and the Baroness
Dorchester