New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-14
Art Exhibitions
The Alvarado Collection OF
Ecuadoran Antiquities
Portraits by Mrs. Rand

a rich archaeological interest at
.achcs 10 the collection now on view a.
The Anderson Galleries. the collection
formed by the Alvarado family in bcua-
dor. Tn an introduction to the cata'
loguc it is stated that five Spanish SOL
diers bearing that name were known
in the time of Pizarro. One wore the
coat Of chain mail which IS exposed I'D
the present exhibition. His descend
ants have been assembling EcuatoTan
antiquities ever since, and the body OF
more than six hundred pieces yields
much that appeals TO the student oil
carly South American tastes and mar
ners. The souvenirs Of primitive
craftsmanship are also notable. bits Of
inca pottery which. Il not precisely
beautiful. have often certain simple
charm.
The paintings in the show make nc
particular appeal. beyond the fact that
they give some idea OF what the
churches OF Ecuador have enjoyed IN
the way Of establishment. A few
sacerdotal vcstme3ts also throw little
light on that subject. The principal
objects. from a purc,y artistic point o.
view. arc tine numerous chests large
and small. DO wood or leather ana inc
lock In wrought iron. These dlscios'
good deal Of decorative aptitude, as
well as OF manual skill 4 number oil
tak frW4G|lr Ynfgff "a
/ strong Spanish influence. but hardy
equal in briliiancc their prototypes M
Spain.
The early Ecuadoran rugs, varying
decidedly in artistic quality, are coca
sionally of some interest. But It IS
as a collection OF curios that this Will
mean most TO the visitor. After he has
exhausted the chests and the locks nc
will lnger with endless appreciation
among the tiny painted fgurines, the
odd utensils and the like which COM
memorate the traits Of people. ne
sale begins on March p and continues
through the three following afternoons.
Two collections ill the American Art
Galleries One. composed Of antique
and modern furniture, rugs and SO on,
is chiefly Of value in the department OF
OLD INTllNN AlaN.N0f iAf'""''A
chairs. II is 10 be sold next Friday
and Saturday afternoons The other
collection is formed of seventy-nVe
modern paintings belonging to various
owners. Ii will be sold on Friday even
ing. The American school makes a
good showing. Inness and Wyant are
well rcpresented. There Is a superb
South Sea landscape by La Fargo
Mount Tohivea." and from his earlier
period comes q Tennysonian subject
1.-THE Lady of Shalott." remarkable both
for the sentiment in the figure and ici
the beauty of the scene IN which IT is
placed. Six examples of the late Henry
W Ranger arc especially welcome.
They are mostly IA lighter key IMAM
he was wont 10 use during most OIL ms
career.
A striking design by Vedder APP
pears. The Three Fates," a design so
good in itself that it is a pity that 1t
had to be spoiled by leathery color
Bunce. Twachtman, Reid. Murphy,
Blakelock. II. O. Walker. Sartain and
others are present in admirable speci-
mems. In the foreign contingent few
paintings by Jongkind, Nollon, Har-
pgnies and one or two others leave
favorable impression.
Mrs. Ellen Emmett Rand shows at the
Durand Ruel gallery twenty-three can
vases painted at various periods, the
second exhibition she has made 10 some
thing more than a dozen years. lnev-
itably. in these surroundings. she risks
the challenge of comparison with the
Impressionists. But she is distinctly
a portrait painter. whereas they painted
portraits only casually. Then. they
dealt as much with problems Of color
as with character Mrs Rand's color
scheme has changed little since her last
exhibition The explanation may per
haps be found in "a conscious avoidance
Of complications that might cmbarrass
her chief aim. that o. securing q good
likeness In the portraits OF Kate"
"Mr. Stephen II. dim Or James D.
Voorhees," and "Mr. Edwin ". Robin
son" the color is quite dry. and while
as portraits they suggest accuracy, they
are not otherwise very impressive. In
other examples the artist looks less 20
the business Of portraiture and more 20
the picture The "Mr. Kane" IN riding
togs. with Panama hat. crop. red ban
danna handkerchief and collie used as
enlivening spots IN an envelope Of
browns -vergng on blacks is ia char
acter and color the richest perhaps. Of
all the Irregular portraits.
an the studio shown not long ago,
is work Of decorative intention, in
which the play of the eyes of the lit
tlc model and of the black cat sitting
on her knees Is conceived with very
pleasant auiet humor. In penelope"
Mrs Rand has struck the fullest note
Of color i'm this group. Elsewhere. as
i'm the "Mr Kane and the admirably
modelled professor William james"
eukdtoe hp~ color with sienna
sauces which deliberately repel variety.
But we dwell possibly too much upon
bor color. She Is herself apparently
more interested i'm securing q consclcn-
tious reproduction Of the sitter. Her
attack Invariably will he found sympa-
tbetic. In but two instances Mrs.
pavson NacL Merrill and Mr. John
de Koven Alsop"- has she sllhOuetted
her sitters against a lighter back
ground. and in both these the character
of the subject would seem 20 have de-
mandcd IT, This should mean that Mrs.
Rand. as a conscientious portrait paint
o. docs not use her models 70 prove
an ability in the noting Of things ey-
frarcous 10 them. Most Of our portal
nainters might profit by the example
of her reserve when. forgetting their
sitter, or their job. they set out to
prove possession Of remarkable no"
Of language.
An cxhibition Of portraits by Mr..
Leslie Cotton is held al the Rcnhardt
gallery. These. painted bon manner
rather more clever than important. M
cludc the "Duchesse de Ia ROchefou-
cauld." "Miss e.. i'm American Hospital
Dress" "Duchesse de Grammont'
"-a,,,4,eg cugvape4 az ady CurZOu OF