New-York tribune., 1918-03-06
Art
Portraits by MIR. Haggin, War
Lithographs and Some
Antiques
By Royal Cortissoz

NE cXhlbltlon of portraits which
Mr. Ben Ali Haggin has opened
at the Seligmann Gallery there
- one OF Mrs. Haggin which charm
insiy summarizes all that is best in
MS art' The face and head arc drawn
win delicacy and precision. The
green dress, with it's fur trimmings, is
painted with deft gayety befitting 50
viva note of color. And the figure is
see against exactly the right back
ground OF gray The canvas is prodir-
lously clever. That is Mr.. Haggin,s
reading Characterization. His clever
ness brlms over. There is nothing in
the least Whistlerian about his tones;
their intrinsic quality is thin and a
little hard, compared with those of the
master, but he has taken leaf from
Whlstler's book where the matter of
arrangement" is concerned. The fig
ure, generally erect and posed at full
length, is stated in few direct tints
and placed against neutral or dark
background with no accessories. The
effect is always piquant and sometimes
handsome.
The portrait of man in a long,
tawny coat is like faraway echo Of
Velasquez. The lady in black por-
trayed In the next canvas is similarly
engaging. One feels somehow an in
tsnsely modern sophistication beneath
the nominal simplicity of Mr.. Haggin's
schemes. Many Of his sitters are from
the theatre or opera. which may par
TALLY explain the essential artificialty
OF his mode of approach. 1t is undo
nlabiy effective, but would only be bet
tered II he were to refine his color and
give his surface a richer, deeper quail
lty That he has the talent to develop
these improvements is to be inferred
from one salient merit he possesses
the merit of strong modelling The
heads of two Or three of his men are
capltaliy painted, SO good as to sug-
gest far greater possibilities in sheer
workmanship than he seems to care to
exploit. 1t is announced that if Mr.
Haggln receives any commission as
the result of this exhibition he will de-
vote the entire proceeds to the funds
established for the benefit Of French
artists left in need by the war.
At the same gallery there is an ex-
hibition, held under the auspices of the
British government. Of war lithographs
made by Frank Brangwyn, Murhead
Bone, Charles Shannon and others. 1t
IS the most interesting show of the
kind that has thus far been presented
here, for the reason that it embraces
both imaginative designs and drawings
illustrative of scenes at the front and
behind the lines. One of the two sec
tions into which it is divided is for
mally dedicated to "Britain's Ideals"
Thus Mr.. Shannon's superb lithograph
superb both in conception and in
cxecution-fgures "The Rebirth of the
Arts" moving allegory of the spir-
from the devastation of the war. Mr.
Gricffenhagen pictures the restoration
of Alsacc-Lorraine to France in two
pathetic types clinging to the bosom
Of a triumphant goddess. In Mr..
Clausen's Reconstruction of Belgium"
an old man brings his memory to the
aid of two younger artisans engaged
in the task of rebuilding, while the
populace streams across the back
ground under flying flags. Al! the ma
tons are commemorated, Poland, Ser
hia, Italy and the rest, and in few
powerful designs Mr. Brangwyn treats
of the freedom of the seas, MIR. sulli-
van of the rehabilitation of justice,
Mr.. Nicholson of the eternal mprison-
ment of the spirit Of war. The great
ideas of our time are symbolized in
this series. 1t should have a profound
effect upon all persons Of thought and
imagination.
Beside it the drawings of Brit
aims Efforts" make a milder appeal,
hut there is much that is of poignant
enough interest in them. They show
the making of guns and the building Of
6 !.
factories and in various civilian en-
ployments, the tending of the wounded,
modes of transport, and SO on Some
brilliant men are representative
men as William Rothenstcin, Claude
Shepperson, Brangwyn and Bone. The
set of Autographs on view belongs to
the Harvard Club, having been pre-
sentcd to that institution by Cam
bridge University as tribute to the
memory Of Harvard men fallen in the
British army. But impressions may
be obtained, singly or in sets, by pr
vatc collectors.
The American Art Galleries, recently
SO crowded with Mr.. Hearn's pictures,
are now for the moment occupied by
totally different kind of collection, q
body of faience, glass, majolica and
similar antiquities belonging to the
firm Of Kouchakhi Frercs. 1t is to be
sold next Friday and Saturday after
Moons. The pottery is of extraordinary
rarity and beauty. The Mesopotamian
Rakka faience makes glorious array,
including vases like No. 313, or the
example of turquoise blue glaze (No.
312), which are pure symphonies of
heavenly color. The Hispano-M -Moresque
platters and the pieces Of Italian ma
jolica are very fine. In the midst of
the dazzling ceramic display there is
a little group of Greek and Roman
fgurines, bronzes of exquisite beauty.
Rugs and Persian miniatures round out
the collection of about $50 pieces.
In one of the large upper rooms
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