New-York tribune., 1920-02-01

ancient legend, but the woman no be-
guiles is the fashionable woman Of
modern life, wearing her appropriate
garb. In that panel in which she is
clothed In tho boots and bresches Of
tho modern hunt tho lmecling faun al
lures her with a high-heelod ahoc, and
their background is filled with such
an array Of footgenr as might be found
IN any Fifth Avenue shop. Again, In
Les Plaisirs 4 la Champagne" M. Caro-
Delvaille's dancers wear the dress and
have the carriage of American dancers
In the year 1920. In ono series--And
there Is nothing moro brilliant In the
show-the dining or breakfast room
series entitled "Le Coqs," he dispense
altogether with the human figure, but
his gallant fowls still preserve for US
tthe atmosphere Of the living. breath
ing world. 1t is an atmosphere good
to breathe. Only TOO easily. on this
luxuriously decorative enterprise Of
his, could M. Caro- Delvaille have de-
Waited into tho artiAciality Of eigh-
teenth century France. There mus,
have been a thousand precedents tug
ging at him from that direction. But,
with the sincerity which contributes
heavily to the value Of his work, ne
has remained faithful to a modern
key. AS he does so he develops q mo
tive. an idea, which We need The
tendency in the decorative painting o.
the present tme is toward formality
which, even when it turns from the
sober splendors of the Italian Renais-
sance to later and more French ele-
gance, takes itself pretty seriously.
NJ. Caro-Delvaille reminds us how pos
sible it Is to be amusing, to let the Joy
Of living, as We have said, fling win
ming radiance upon our walls. De-
cidedly he gives us something to think
about.
IT js the decorations which are thus
suggestive. Tho portraits and nudes
in the show, good as they arc, form no
such significant addition to current
art. Musing on II. Caro- Delvaille's
new and original contribution, We find
ourselves wondering Il in those tech
nical aspects Of the problem to which
we alluded at the outset he has kept
pace with the improvement in the sub
stance Of his work. Ge has dono 30
in SO far as he has maintained his
familiar standard of knowledgable and
polished craftsmanship. He is ado
quate, as he always is. Under the
pressure OF his charming inspiration,
too, he obscures for us II he docs not
altogether conceal that Aplomb Of the
Salon which we confess We would some
times like to see little shaken. In
word, he very nearly allows Us TO
forget his technique in our relish Of
his ideas. And yet we cannot quite
forget his technique nor can We avoid
wishing that 1t were to suffer GER
tain broadening, gaining in hexthtlity,
deepening In quality, acquiring some
thing which we caA only describe as
tenderness. Where the art Of this
painter requires enrichment Is In what
the French call "envellope." It cries
aloud for moro atmospheric quality,
for more bloom, for more Of that tonal
suav!ty and unity which has Its origin
in more fiery attack Tx reader
who will recall some OF the best deco
rative work Of Besnard, his ceilings in
the Petit Palais, for example, or "The
Happy Island" will the more v1v!dly
enforce this point for himself. II Is,
We admit, severe test TO employ. But
perhaps Its very severity gives the
best measure OF the high appreciation
in which we hold the work of NJ. Caro-
Delvsille