The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Artist Once Ridiculed Now
Has a Chance to Do the
Laughing.
BY HENRY MCBRIDE.

~ OMETHING of a change has taken
place in the status of Matisse
~ since the first big exhibition of
his work in the Montross Gal.
leries some years ago. and doubtless
there will be fewer to laugh at the latest
manifestations of his genius, now visible
in the De Zayas Galleries, than there
were then. Most of the laughing may
now be done by Matlsse himself. and by
those who early backed him to win.
Runor hath 1t that both the Matisse
exhibitions in London and Paris have
ar. Nevinson. who exhibited in the same
gallery with him in London. says that
most OF the Matisses sold. and
for $1,000 each---and 1900 is very good
in London for the work of a living man.
From Paris similar tale arrives,
though without the exact amount of
francs.
These tales of barter and exchange
that come to US from Europe are very
gratifying but n bit puzzllng. Here, at
the first hint of financial distress, peo-
pie retrench on pictures. Abroad. where
distress has gone beyond the point where
it may be described as n hint they
have not retrenched. Why Is this? Per
capita, of course. in the old countries,
art anna tours rate higher than in this,
but the prevalence Of art collectors and
their astuteness scarcely expla ms the
discrepancy between the situations in
the art markets of the two worlds.
Human nature is pretty much the same
the world over. European art collectors,
no matter how young and enthusiastic,
cannot be Imagined as going without
bread TO obtain pictures. There must
be some practical basis for the buying
that, we are told goes on. Possibly it's
due to the taxes Perhaps there, as well
as here, there are ways of tempering
the wind to the shorn lamb. Pictures
are good investments. you know, If you
buy rightly. They have a way of going
up-if you buy rightly. And perhaps
they can be charged to expenses" and
become non-taxable But all this is
mere surmise
The Matisse exhibition in the De Zcras
Galleries is resume affair. There are
several Of the newest canvases. but most
OF them have been seen at various times
IN New York. There is the large re-
cl.ning nude that used to adorn, l be-
lievc, the Stein studio in the Rue re
Fleurus there is the Spanish Girl |" the
two dashfng still lifes of apples. and the
charming little portrait OF Il girl that
first appeared here in public last spring |
These now belong to New York ccllec- |
tors. They date from different periods, |
ard have a certain educational value to
the newcomers who are just beginning |
their Matisse. but do not provide the
same amount of subject for conjecture |
as would collection made up exclusive |
~ Of the recent things
Matisse and Van Dongen are the rul- |
ing powers of the season in Paris Cpl |
ca $50 seems to think the night raids are |
still on and hides his light under a |
bushel for the moment). and a discus
sion OF the comparative success or fall |
ure of their tentatives is part of the in |
tellectual daily food OF good Parisians. |
But we are not Parisians. nor anything /
near II, and with the best will in the |
world ii is hard to come TO blows with |
ones neighbor (metaphorcally speak,.
ing. Of course) over the one example of |
Matisses latest style that hangs to the |
right OF the door as you enter. Mr. De |
Zayas chose 1t from this years vintage. |
as being best fitted to represent the |
artist in America, before all the croi, of |
Matisses were despatched to Bernhem- |
Jeune's, and where they did. they gay. |
make more than the usual sensation.
II is n slashing, forceful beach scene. |
Those who like to know ALL may care to |
know that the particular beach is !
Etretat. Miss Florine Stettheimer, who
attended the private view on Monday, |
recognized Il 10 he such. She says the |
PLACE in the foreground is the one
whereon fishermen sell fish directly
from the nets. As only one fish and |
that one a particularly Shiny. eel,ike |
creature. reposes upon this beach Il is
Z