New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-25


Whistler i. probably the only other
artist Of bis period who has so large
bibliography-and you are certain TO
find him quoted on his point Of view.
They will not understand my realism
he saws Of his critics in one of these
fragments. "For them sculpture should
not endeavor TO represent flesh and
blood and bone, since marble and
bronze do not possess the colors which
IN psinting create the illusion Of life.
!. on the contrary, claim that the
sculptor can reach the same result II
he will reproduce with fidelity and In
,en,ity the model he has before him.
II is with his eyes fixed on life that he
must work; and his art will be able to
rspresept it entire when he has OBJ
served sufficiently and has sufficiently
trained his fingers" The point OF
view. we know, is everything in art.
Bv il. in the long run, the artist must
stand or fall. We need not pause here
unon the point which is debatable in
the foregoing statement, the indict-
ment of Robins critics, be they writers
or sculptors. The essential detail Is
his exposition Of his own conception OF
plsstic art. Observation Of life, noel
;.v 10 life, expert fingers. II Is the
simplest Of programmes, and, undeni-
sblv. one of the strongest ever stated
in any Of the schools. Indeed, all the
great schools have embraced it within
their scheme Of principles. It IS as OLD
as Greek antiquity, the masters OF the
Renaissance revived it, and 1t has MAD
many exemplars in modern times
Robins exploitation Of it was powerful
brilliant. so successful that it filled the
world with his fame. He had the pierre
ing eve, the resourceful hand, and IN
the great mass Of his work there Is
nothing more impressive than what we
can only describe as the manifestation
Of life itself in the vibrant lines OF
drawings and etchings, in the palpi-
Eating surfaces Of marble and bronze.
The student who would grasp the
fundamental traits Of Robins realism
would do we'll to begin his researches
among the portraits in divers me-
diums. This sculptor was on intimate
terms with the artists and authors OF
his day. His ethchings Of victor
Hugo and Henri Becque, his busts OF
farley d'Aurevilly, Berthelot, Dalou
Laurens, Rochefort and others consu-
tute By themselves an amazing little
gallery. The earlier examples especial
Iv. done before mannerisms had over
wbelmed him, are moving in their d.
rectness. their energy, their bold seiz-
ure Of the tangible elements in the
structure of a head. Later, when ne
modelled a bust Of Puvis de Chavan-
res. that austere master thought the
result a caricature. His criticism fore
shadowed much that Rodin was TO en-
counter as he grated a kind OF esoterlc
i-lpressionisrn upon his realistic habit
Welding 20 the Enthusiastically which
calm;nted in his celebrated Balzac
but it is upon the basis Of his art IN
truth. accurately and forcefully ex'
pressed. that emphasis should first be
plae.d. In the best Of the portraits
you see only that fidelity to life upon
which he laid such stress in his talk
The statues, almost always Of the nude,
carry On his affirmation Of this central
prine;ple. And 70 that extent his in
suenee was only such as could con-
tribute 20 the good Of French sculpt'
IRE. why, then. was there ever any
sr,uncnt about his work? The answer
So very simple. The Academy was u
yozsession Of the feld-whieh IS t'
.sy ~ .be salon-and Robins ebuii'
lent vitality, the ruthlessneSs OF ms
realism, gave mortal offence 10 th'
Academy. II was useless TO cite hi'
pbenornenal manual facility 70 the lead
,rs Of school whose taste, whose IN
grained sense % measure, was so gross
y violated By his point OF view. Ihef'
II is customary, among the followers o.
the Rodin cult, to leave the matter
xssuning that the victory rema'he'
with their master as a matter OF course
But the care cannot be thus tummar'l'
closed.
Rodin had in him, indubitabiy' some
Of the elements Of a permanent 1i
umph. His realism offered 70 freher
sculpture a needed tonic. Yet, as W.
have pointed out more than once u
thsss columns, IL 10 hardly reasonable
" make that need the measure OF MI
xrsstnsss. He came In mediocre time
In an ara richer In clearly marked tai
sntS his ssIisnes would have beer
siig1tsx. 10 10 doubtless sxhiisrstini