The sun., 1919-02-16

BY HENRY MCBRIDE.

academy have not been unrolled as
vet, It probably will not prove an
sxaggeration to say that the British
gar art in the Anderson Galleries is
RHE exhibition Of the year. This is
because of the Orpens. Numbers Of
people have already asked me have
I seen the Orpens?' and I have caught
myself several times saying have
Buzzing tongues, 1t is true. have not
wagged about them quite to such an
extent as they did for the fashionable
Bakst when he was first shown to us,
nor even so much as for the Sargent
portraits in the old days; but all the
same there has been the first genuine
buzzing Of the year. II people don't
flock to Anderson's in crowds 1t will
be solely because they think they can
not afford the admission fee of so
cents. Americans see so much art for
nothing that they do hate to pay for
1t. About the only time that Ameri-
cans ever paid much money to see art
was when the famous Armory Show
was on; but that, however, was our
first glimpse OF the notorious cubists-
success dc scunddle.
Orpen is one of the few who has
made out of the war. One might truly
apply to him the odious French term
profteur- de Ia -0uerre. He even got
titles out of the war. He Is now Major
Sir William. But it is not the title
that will make us run after him as
much as the mere fact that he made
out Of the war. Most OF us in America
and apparently most of 'em in France
were so distracted by the magnitude
OF the events that we all laid down
our pencils. thinking it, perhaps, not a
time for personal expression. The few
who persisted trembled so that their
lines were bury. Even the great
Forain in France made but one hit
and that was early in the game, be-
fore he became really frightened. But
Orpen, who is not Irish for nothing.
sharpened his wits and his pencil
with the danger He came out Of the
scrimmage with his portfolios bullying
with trophies that give him a just
right to say "ici present when the
fellow that manages the final roll call
shouts out Major Sir William"
Even before the war he was the
ablest draughtsman in England. Muir
head Bone could do better landscape,
hut in every other department Of the
science OF drawing Orpen was prac-
tically unrivalled. He appeared to be
able to do anything he wished to do
with a pencil, and his dexterity i'm
pressed very much the other artists
who could not draw so well. To say
the public took him to its heart would
be perhaps to exaggerate. for "Opens
merits and subjects at that time were
too technical to impress those who did
not themselves paint; but he was quite
famous. The homage he compelled
from his rivals was reflected upon the
general public. who grasped the idea
that his were at least the sort of
things one ought to like, and tlas
there was prestige to be CARED in
possessing works so evidently up to
date.
But the Irish in Orpen saved him,
made him. at a time when other men
wilted at the notion that civilization
Was about to crumble. Civilization,
they say, has never done anything
else than crumble in ireland. and per-
haps there was something exhilaratin
TO a native of that isle in the notion
that their own particular specially
was to Re vamped upon the entire
world. But however that may be. our
Sir William certainly became eX-
hilarated, and drew with an intensity
that even his pencil had not previously
known. ! should not like to say loud
amen TO Arnold Benefits dictuIa.
I'm the whole history of graphic art
there can have been few artists who
knew their job better than William
Orpen knows his, and few who knew
1t even as we'll" for one mustn't talk
nonsense, and in the history of the
graphic arts there are many, many
draughtsmen able as Orpen; only. and
unhappily. there seems to be a scarcity
OF them to-day. Sir William. in fact.
energies from the war as the best of
our draughtsmen. All hail to him.
therefore; all the titles. and all the
loose change in our pockets to him.
For 1t is something to be the best
draughtsman OF ones time. II the
time Itself seems out OF joint and not
comparable in art production to other
times. so much the worse for IL. II
will have to answer for itself 20 the
hiSloiidHs, DuL lIe heroes OF the pres
ent are entitled to such crowns as they
may snatch.
You observe that ! laud Sir Will
Jams pencil. but say nothing Of his
colors, of his paint brush of his poetry,
OF his profundity, feeling or wit.
These things are important in art,
very; but unfortunately Sir William
cannot be given such high numbers
for them as one would bestow I'M
grudgingly upon his pencil work. But
before few necessary words are said
In regard TO his limitations ! must
quote you what Arnold Bennett said
OF him in the preface to the catalogue
OF the London exhibition. In review
ing feel that all the kind things that
may be said for an artist should be
1tssp nbled In full, and the reverse
things. IL there are any, should be
squeezed into little out of the way
corner just at the end, where they
may, perhaps. not be noticed, or at
least not minded. Said Mr.. Bennett:
ITO write an introduction to the
pictures OF William Orpen is more
than work of supererogation; it is
piece OF COMPOUNDED cheek. He
needs neither to be taken down. for
he Is modesty incarnate, nor to be
written up for he is one OF the most
celebrated painters OF the day.
His pictures explain themselves in
their own wordless language far better
than any words can explain them.