The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-11

which II contrary TO history. Capt
Bellows gave the Hun sharpshootefs
moist gunp0wder. which speaks well
Tor his own heart but not for his pow
ers OF Imagination.
Before accounting for the prize
winners II would be well TO give an inch
or so OF space to the best picture In
the exhibition, for the prize winners
and the best pictures are not always
the same. The best picture this year
happens to be Mr.. kroll's Portrait OF
Leo Ornstein," and. as II happens, II
did not get a prize. Mr.. Kroll In the
one artist OF the exhibition who will
receive the kind OF congratulations
from his fellow workers that artists
love to Ret--the kind that have the
genuine, unmistakable ring Of sin
certify TO them.
Young Mr.. Ornstein II harnmering
away at his piano, In the picture,
probably playing one OF his own Gu
bistic compositions, and although the
pedals are not shown in the work no
doubt the loud pedal is down. He
looks as handsome and Byronic, with
his rolling collar and towsled locks, as
any young composer with his living to
make from romantic music lovers
could wish. The lid of the piano Is
lifted and Mr.. Kroll has managed to
cut OF the lines OF the instrument in
way to get striking composition.
And now for the prize winners. The
$1,000 Altman prize went TO Victor
Higsins's Fiesta Day" This Is an
Indian picture, and the less said
Of it the better. II is as good
as some other pictures that have
received prizes, but beyond that the
truthful historian cannot go. 1t has
only grammar and nothing else. The
$500 Altman prize was won by Mr..
Seyfert's Lacquer Screen" As the
Altman prizes are bestowed upon
figure pieces. the astute reader will
have already OWNED that there Ia
more in Mr.. Seyfferts picture than a
lacquer screen.
AS matter of fact. an unclothed
and prepossesslng young woman re-
clines upon a sofa In the foreground.
Unadorned Is most adorned. was the
idea of the ancients. and also of MIR.
Seyffert. The protagonlst wears slip
pers only, and by accident a bit OF
drapery obscures ones view OF her
right elbow. One wonders instantly
what could have been wrong about
that right elbow.
Looking for a Reason.
One sees at a glance the reason for
the slippers--the young persons feet
are regrettably big. but the yelled ell
low, In default of any other mental
stimulant, will remain the academy's
one big mystery. The young woman's
complexion is q steady. unfaltering
p!nk-the kind that is so mistakenly
urged in the advertisements OF cold
cream. The draperies of the couch
also have pink lights In them. so the
pink atmosphere may have resulted
from reflections from outside. Studios
that are built too near brick walls
sometimes play these tricks upon
artists.
John F. Carlson's winter Rlgor,"
which won the $500 Carnegie prize. is
Of the correct prize winning size, four
by four and half. or thereabout
Landscapes of that size can hardly
fail to win a prize ut the academy.
Miss Lawson's group won the Barnett
prize, and ia an advance upon any
thing she has shown. II portrays
Belgium and does It well. except. of
course. that the mother clasping her
babe is American in type. The mothers
forearm and hand. in particular. are
Of the kind that are not seen in Bel
gium. The best Of all the prize win
ners, from the point Of view Of style.
e Charles Grafy's portrait head. in
bronze, OF Childe Hassam.