The New York herald., 1921-05-01

intollirent i'm London and Paris hayet
had their topics, but participation III
The formative debates has been denied
An us. The English pictures were
chosen. so was told, by Mr.. w.
Elmer Schoiield, though as a consid-
crable list of Englishmen are men
TONED in the catalogue as advisers II
IS evident there is some misapprehen-
sion.
At anv rate whoever chose the
nictures of England did that country
n grievous wrong and in times IKE
this when such a great effort is being
made by political leaders to bring
about international UNDERSTANDINGS
failures of this sort are not to be
lightly submitted to.
The detection of the French is held
nv. some to be traceable to the dill
clSties that NJ Andre Dauchez, one or
last years jurors, met with in Pitts
burgh. But NJ. Dauchez is not great
figure in France. He is a dyed in the
wool Academician but that does not
make him so all powerful a dictator as
rumor would suggest. Lucien simon,
Charles Cottet and Rene Zavier Prinet,
who seem to be strongly in favor with
Pittsburgh authority, are among the
French advisers. These able but far
from great men faithfully exhibit and
apart from their canvases in the
French department there is almost
''rien a signaler." True, there is a
Henri Matisse, actually a Henri
Matisse, but it happens to be one of
his least characteristic portraits, and
the only thing diverting about it is
the fact that it is hung in absolutely
the remotest corner of absolutely the
remotest of the galleries. 1t got in.
but there was nothing worse that the
hanging committee could do to it than
what they did do. This remote little
gallery, by the way, comes nearer to
affording innocent pleasure to weary
art pilgrims than any of the
other rooms. 1t corresponds TO the
"morgue" in our own dear Academy.
There are put all the dubious things
that had to be accepted for one politi-
cal reason or another but at which
the hanging committee felt alarmed.
THE knowing in Pittsburgh now all
make for this little room first thing.
Here follow few comments upon
certain Ol lAt pictures dpOloSitS pt-
ing offered for their lack of effer-
vescence:
George BelloteS's "Old Lady in
Black" shown to us In the National
Arts Club is one of his best achieve
ments in recent years. 1t Is con-
spicuous among the American things
and would undoubtedly have received
y prize but for the fact that the ar
list himself was upon the jury of
awards. 1t has ALREADY been reviewed in
these columns, but there is no harm
i'm this connection in repeating what
was said before. 1t is marked by ear
nestness. Mr.. Bellows has made an
effort It is somewhat heavy and la
bored as are all of this artists paint
ings, and the color is so negligible
that It might as well be called a black
and-whte, but nevertheless the artist
does succeed in saying all that was
ON his mind in regard TO the subject.
This subject, tine old lady In black is
horribly old. There Is none of the
beauty OF old age that Whistler saw
in his mother and reverently recorded.
This is not homage TO old age but an
invective.
In a literal. obvious way Mr. Bel
lows has painted the haggard eyes
that have wept too much and the
,lSnotted. rheumatic hands that have
toiled too long. Old age is crime or
the powers that permitted such an old
are are evil Shelley the poet saw
differently into old age. In letter
lie once said that the reason he spent
himself so ardently upon generous
projects was that his white hairs i'm
old age might be honorable. But then
Shelley was Il poes. And Whistler was
poet. Mr.. Bellows is earnest but
literal His old lady in black, I fear,
would not be a continual delight in
long acquaintance.
Augustus Johns Canadian Soldier"
is but a sketch, but II Is fun Of clever
ress and not without feeling. II cam
not be compared with the similar
things Of Sir William Orpen for
strength, but It probably has more feel
ing than any of his. It lives upon its
craftsmanship. ms there is little color
IN it and the values arc all askew.
Nine. dc Bosndnskas Portrait OF
Young Woman" is one Of the best
French portraits. it has been limited
plainly enough in the preamble to
these notes that no single work In tho
collection pretends to the first rate
in style, so IL viii not be necessarv to
explain continually that all subsequent
compliments arc relative. Mime. dc
Boznansla.~i is not great but sincere.
like Mr.. Bellows. though In different
way. Hers Is the hushed method She