The sun., 1919-11-01
WATER COLOR CLUB
PUTS CENSOR VIEW
Marked Falling OFF in Years
Output, but the Exhibits
Are Good and Many.
RENE CLARKE Is LEADER
Other Artists Present Fine Ex-
amples of This Branch of
Their Profession.

A diligent search through the annual
exhibition Of the New York Water Color
| Club. which opened yesterday with a
private view, fails to reveal any works
of first rate quality. The lower standard
that has obtained during the last few
years at the official water color shows
might indicate falling off in public
interest in this branch Of art were it
rot sufficiently dlsproved by the FREE
quent appearance of good contemporary
water colors in the dealers exhibitions
on the Avenue.
Such men as Mr. Hassam. Mr.. Maren,
Mr.. Walkowltz, Mr.. Dougherty, Mr.. De-
muth and Mr.. Luks, who have had con-
siderable success in their uses OF the
medium, evidently find that it doesn't
particularly pay to show In the Fifty
seventh street galleries. Tht .'ublic does
see their performances, II Is true, but
II Is regrettable that some means can
not be.sdevised to induce them to lend by
their presence higher tone to an ex-
hibition that ought to be one of the
events of the winter. The club has
drifted into being an institution for the
trying out of minor talents. This -
worthy work, perhaps, but not the CHIEF
end of a society that aims at official
authority.
The pictures occupy the two first
galleries, the great Vanderbilt Gallery
being closed but as the water colors are
rightly held, for the most part, to re-
strioted dimensions, there Is room Tor
many pictures and the number OF artists
who ask for our attention Is consider
able Those who obtain It most, how
ever, are Rene Clarke. Mahonri Young
Clifford Beal and Adolf Bloudhain.
Stylistically, Rene Clarke carries on
chief honors. The two shore scenes
signed by this artist while somewhat
casual both in subject and feeling have.
nevertheless, been executed with SO
much sureness in touch and simplicity OF
means that they stand out distinctly
from all the other works In the coliec-
ton. One of the pieces shows real cour-
age upon the part Of the artist as IL
depicts a summer seashore cottage with
banal porches, lattices and gables OF
the sort that are supposed TO anilct the
souls of artists to the uttermost yet
Rene Clarke, by some subtle alcheny,
has managed to make II appear worthy
motif
Mahonri Young's "In the Apple Tree
In one of the most successful water
colors he has shown. 1t has vigor,
breadth of view and acceptable color.
Clifford Beals view of the Hudson Is not
quite up to his own standard, but 1t has
enough vitality in the color to fasten the
passing glance. Mr.. Bloudhain, whose
name Is unfamiliar. submits what APP
peared in the dim light Of the private
view to be a color print Of force and
charm.
An artist who has not been afraid OF
a little work Is ]. Scott Williams. whose
two studio interiors contain much detail
that has been achieved with facility. An
unidentified artist--the catalogue IL in
some confusion-who has painted Two
young women in corridor shows true
feeling for the technique of water color
W. H. de b. Nelson's contributions have
gained markedly in strength. His study
OF q group OF abandoned carriages going
to ruin picturesquely in a green field is
tellingly presented.
Other artists who for graces OF color
or design deserve mention are Key
nclds Beal, Felicie Waldo Howell, Bertha
Menzler-Peyton, ]. NJ Juislain, Gilberta
G. d. Goodwin. Frank Fogarty. Alice
Judson. Margie Ryerson, Lucy Wallace
and John Held, Jr. Mr.. Held, who has
much deserved fame as an illustrator
a,cng peculiar lines. signs some interest
ing and clever studies OF negro heads.