New-York tribune., 1919-08-24
The London Salon

echoes of an ultra modernism that is
already become unelastic and mean
ingless. That in the movement which
is fast dying inglorious death there
have been figures which have lowered
above the rest is undoubtedly true.
But that any Of these have grown to
maturity and struck out deep roots
under the protecting agis Of this So
ciety we take leave to doubt. Its debut
ten years ago in the vast circular gal
lery of the Albert Hall gave an im-
preston of something uncouth and dir
queting, something on a large scale
and of a dcep-seated vitality. which il
might be necessary to assimilate or to
combat.
Now, the difficulty is TO main
tain even the most languid interest in
the artists who present them selves,
their aims or their performances. Here
and there in this vast heterogeneous
mass Of work we find things of merit,
by artists whom We are accustomed 20
meet in other galleries. and wonder
why they should think it necessary 10
put in an appearance here. They are
welcome, nevertheless, since by their
presence they add something appre-
ciable to an exhibition which would
otherwise be commonplace indeed.
Paintings in Detail
Appropriately gaunt, harsh and cruel
are three military subjects by K. Haga-
dorm, 'Dugouts Near Kandahar," "Pela-
war Farm, Near Wolverghem" and
devastated Area, Mount KENNEL" A
really powerful conception is "Trili-
thon," by Ernest H. R. Ceilings. Grim
and terrible stands out against a
strange background of sea CD and sky
gateway constructed of three mighty
stones of prehistoric type. Here is an
effect which more tamely given would
not in the same measure impress. And
so we must needs concede to the artist
his own methods of expressing his own
conception. Orovida, whose name we
cannot remember to have seen in any
exhibition for some years, shows
"Triptych" and Tiger with a Bone"-
designs, both of them, which strongly
SAVIOR of the Japanese. Alfred A.
Wolmark brings forward an elaborate
but dull and expressionless COMPOSE
tion, Medical Board" Hugh Baker,
restricting himself in the delineation
of the human face and form to purely
geometrical forms, manages, neverthe-
less, in Mother and Child" and in an
other not dissimilar combination of
figures, to infuse into his work GER
tain seriousness and pathos. Does he,
however, gain anything of seriousness
or pathos by adopting this particular
method? If he did, there would be
ample justification for this or even
greater eccentricity. Miss Therese
Lessore, whose compositions, all too
toneless and fat as they are,' do not
lack dignity, is represented by Walter
Sickert engraving" and "The New Bed
ford" Miss Margaret Morris, whose
technique and point of view recall not o
little those of Mr.. Ferguson, is seen to
advantage in fine broadly generalized
head, PORTRAIT Sketch"
One Charming Picture
Almost the only picture in the exhi-
bition to which the word "charmings
might be properly attached is The
New Moon," by Miss Harriet Halhed.
Pensive, lost in thought. fair young
girl, seen in profile, looks down, her
face and form wrapped in warm twi-
light air, through which throbs already
the pale yellow Of the moon. The chief
attraction Of this quiet little prose-
poem is its unity of color and feeling.
It is pleasant, indeed, TO come upon so
brilliant piece of work as Miss Ger
trude Fawcetts flower piece "Anem-
ones" OF not less fresh or trans
parent beauty is the study, "Irises," by
Mr.. Ernest Yarrow; pharaoh and Jo-
seph," colored frieze. done in pastel,
in the Egyptian style, by Mr.. Carlo
Norway, is weak and lacking in definite-
ness Of rhythm. Genuinely powerful,
on the other hand, with its exasper-
ated and exasperatng, yet finely ball
anced tints, making together CO.
herent whole, is the same artists pass
tel, THE May Tree" This is a piece
of decoration pure and simple. which
would gain greatly by being carried
out on a larger scale. As such it is,
even now-though its violence. as it
were, stlngs the eye-novel and effect
i've. The portraits are relatively few
and mediocre, among the best being
the broadly painted, fresh and simple
study, desmond. Grandson of Lady
Boyle" by Miss Ella Sandon.