New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-05
An Exhibition Of Modern
Paintings in Which the
Artists Shine.
RECENT PORTRAITS
BY MISS MARY FOOTE
Mr. Dewing and Some Others in
a Pleasant Show at the
Montross Gallery.
BY ROYAL CORTISSOZ.

collection that has just been placed on
view az the American Art Galleries, the
last Of the season there to be devoted
entirely 10 pictures. There are nearly
300 old and modern paintings on the
walls, brought together from perhaps a
dozen sources, Mrs, Benjamin Thaw is
the owner Of most Of the old masters,
ard she sends also an important group
CT early American portraits.
Paintings by Twachtman, Robinson,
Davies, Hassam and others represent
the estate OF the late Mrs John Z.
Cowdin. and the special note Of taste
proclaimed by her collection is re-
peated in that Of Alexander Morten,
who sends works by the same artists
: and by Whistler, Dewing and Ryder.
Then there are American landscapes
/ lelonging TO p. Mcmahon and Ch>.-~s
Beers. few old masters from an anon
ymous exhibitor, and divers further
miscellaneous items added in the same
way 10 the heterogeneous lot The sale
will be carried on NJ the Plaza through
the evenings o. May Q and 10. f,1d will
lie concluded AZ the American Art Gal
leres on the evening Of the 18th.
Mrs. Thaw's Paintings.
Mrs. Thaw's American portraits are
not precisely tho most beautiful paint
;ngs In the world, but for certain rea-
sons they have great salience in the
show. Charles Henry Hart. who is
vel! instructed in the earlier history
OF our native school, has been called in
20 catalogue them. and in a predatory
note touches upon their merits with
something like fervor. His sympathetic
feeling is easily shared These men
Of q generation which touched hands
with the great English tradition OF the
eighteenth century and brought a fine
dignity to the rather prosaic journey
mans work expected Of il in the nine
teenth had a true sense Of what they
owed 70 their craft. They were not
masters. Copley. the only one in the
group hero represented who has any
claims 10 the eDithct. is hardly at his
best in the Portrait of a British OH
GER But this very painting well
serves 20 illustrate the virtues of the
school.
Uninspired il may he. but it has all
fthe good qualities which may be Sc
cured this side Of the golden goal at
tanned by inspiration alone. II is a
sound bit Of workmanship; il has. in its
pedestrian way, distinction. That, in
a nutshell, Is the explanation OF the
fine effect made by all these examples
OF Pealc, Trumbull, Jarvis, Sully and
their fellows. There is no brillisnce 10
arrest the connoiSseur. There is no
trace Of painters painting" 70 be
found anywhere, unless II be in the
two sketches by Sully, good specimens
OF his elegance and facility, and in the
suaye force Of Jarvis's Thomas 4.
cooper a portrait that might have
been made by some apt pupil of David's.
But OF insight into character, Of sober
taste and of honest technique, there
ls plenty. The directors Of our pub
lie museums ought to be active the
nlght these paintings are sold.
European Old Masters.
OF the European old masters, por-
tentously numerous, the less said the
better. In the whole wide welter OF
them we have come upon only handful
Of really interesting works. At the
head of the few Is Sir Joshua's "Coun-
tess Of Nottingham portrait former
| " in the Marquand collection. II has
the qualities which would naturally
have attracted that discerning man
! all the technical excellence OF Rey-
nods. and with Il delicate charm.
There is some handsome painting, as
well as the picturesqueness Of a spir-
tied motive, in the "Christianity Van
gushing Paganism" Of Carreno dc
Miranda, an obvious museum piece,
and among the old portraits there are
several of those stiff but decorative
performances Of Spanish or Flemish orr
] n Which no AZ ~ fn1Nl fhnTr dies
tiny when they are placed, like so
much furniture, in the hall Of some
country house. Other canvases here,
figure subjects or landscapes, would
assume the same function well enough
But on the whole, the old masters, in
vite little consideration.
The strength of the exhibition lies in
the paintings Of the modern Americans
many of whom are types Of strong
personal quality and whose traits are
disclosed in peculiarly characteristic
works. Twachtman, for example, is
represented by pieces nominally unim-
portant, but rich in the individual SAVIOR
the subtle fragrance, which made his
impressionism one Of the original SEN
sations of his day. There are one or
two specimens Of his earlier habit
when he was still subject to the con-
The Landscape" No. 1851 belonging
to Mr.. Morton. ia an interesting case
in point. In general the Twachtmans
bought by this collector or by Mrs. Cow
din are Of his later period, very light
and lovely in color, full Of luminous
atmosphere. The five examples of the
late Theodore Robinson are in the same
category. They revive regrets for this
brilliant artist. untimely lost. A pict-
ure like his Ancient House: Winter
reflects something more than talent; i,
hints at the inspiration 20 which we
were slluding just now.
Modern Americans.
The special value of these paintings
by Robinson and Twachtman is their
freshness. their spontaneous expression
of intensely personal gifts, and il is on
similar terms that many Of the Amer
lean works in the show win apprecia-
ton. The list is very long.s and we
make no attempt 70 analyze il in detail
especially as the pictures in IL, often
landscape notes on a small scale, re-
ouire no elaborate discussion. Il is
enough 10 say that the examples Of Ry-
der, Blackjack. Bunce. Whistler. Davies
Dewing. Hassam. Inness. Homer Martin
and the rest are uncommonly close and
representative souvenirs, really poig.
nsnt manifestations Of emotion and OF
stvlc. IL is 80 with one or two Of the
foreigners also. Raifaell never made
more delightful sketch than his little
"Cburchvard." The Roman Model" By
Fortuny' is one OF his most character
istic studies. And. BY the way. while
glancing az the modern Europeans, we
> would advise the observer who can
look through the prettiness OF popu.
lar sentimental subject. at the good