The New York herald., 1921-12-04
BY MAY BIRKHEAD.


ence to balls and receptions. The chief
event OF recent art shows the inaugu-
ration of the exhibition OF the recent
works of the Spanish painter, Senior
Federico Beltrcn- Masses, at the Union
Interalliee when the old Spanish Gus
tom OF combining was followed a
vernissage with soiree de gala and
making OF II a social event, a recep-
ton and ball.
In this case it proved to be one of
the most brilliant parties of the sea-
son. The Union Interalliee lends it
self well to such occasions. The spa
cious salons with their exquisite
tapestries, which had been the scene
of so many artistic social functions
when they were the property and resi-
dence of the Baron and BARONESS
Henri de Rothschild, are always more
or less brilliant, but when hung with
the extraordinarily decorative work of
this Spanish painter they offer a most
wonderful background for truly pic
turesuue party.
Spanish society In Paris turned out In
full force and there was more than a
sprinkling OF Americans, owing to the
fact that the painter is known In New
York, where he painted the portraits OF
several American women prominent in
society. There were some fifteen hun
dred or more persons In the salons
where the pictures were exhibited and
some two or three hundred more in the
ballroom and music room, where a pro-
gramme of the most artistic Spanish
dancing was given by Miles. Maria del
Villar Lizica Codreana and Aurea and
by the krettly Quartet.
Infant don Luis OF Spain Present.
The Infant Don Luis OF Spain was
among the Spanish celebrities present
and others who were there to see their
own portraits were the Marquis de
Hoyos, the Spanish writer, and the Pc
ruvian poet Ventura Garcia Calderon.
Others at the eoiree were Lord Har-
dinge, the British Ambassador the
Italian Ambassador and Contessa Bonin-
Lohgare, the Belgian Ambassador and
the Baroness de Gaiffier d'Hestroy, and
the Ministers from the Argentine, Bo-
livia, Chilli, Uruguay. Venezuela and
Mexico. Then there were many promi-
nent members of the Interallied Club,
including the Due and Duchesse de Ca
fHdSIid, Sointe anu COInleSSe ue Beau
mont, Corntesse r. de Bearn. Comte de
Rougemont Marquis de Faura, M. Gui-
rand de Scevola, NJ. and Nine. Jules
supervielle. NJ. and Nine. l.. G. Moyse,
M. Francis de Miomandre, M. de Moro
Giaferri and M. Arbellot de Vacqueur.
The Americans IS present included Mr.
Walter " r. Berry, Mr.. and Mrs Lau-
renee V. Benet, Miss Margaret Hume
Mrs. William H. Ross, Mrs. William l..
Flanagan. Nine. Edouard de Mora and
her daughter, Miss de La Balze, Mrs.
Burr Mcintosh and Mrs. Forester Agar.
The most talked of American portrait
which Senor Beltran-M Masses has painted
In recent years Is that of Mrs. Rita
Lydig OF New York. He also has paint
ed Mrs. Peter Cooper Hewitt and Mrs
Marthe Leishban Hyde. Expressions
of praise for the artist are being heard
on all sides, the most frequent remark
being that such q decorative collection
of paintings rarely has been seen in
Paris. He Is showing about eighty can
vases, the majority OF which are de-
voted to glorifying the feminine beauty
OF gorgeous creatures of the imagina-
ton. There are two or three legitimate
portraits of men apparently to prove his
classification as portrait painter, but
his most striking pictures are pure pro-
ductions of fantasy, Oriental princesses
ascetic virgins and ethereal maidens
adorned in weird draperies and mag
nificent Jewels, such as only an imagin-
ative mind could produce. One of the
French critics described his women as
being by no means the kind one meets
every day. but belonging to that strange
exotic type which Oscar Wilde and Jean
Lorrain had made familiar to the
imagination.
views of Critics.
The critics have pointed out that as
painter Senor Beltran-M Masses seems
to have come under various influences.
the most noticeable of which Is that
OF Fernand Knopff. the Belgian artist,
who died recently In Brussels. The
Zuloga Influence also has been re-
| marked. but all emphasize the fact that
there is O great deal that Is wonder
fully charming and individual about
his work. His simple. direct work,
such as the painting of Senorita Albar-
ran. has been very favorably criticised
In the press. but his essays In symbolic
are are perhaps more highly compi-
mented by the majority. Practically
all OF the critics have pointed out as
the most striking exhibits In this line
lie Jugement de Paris" LES Danes
de Ia Mer," "Gaditana." ''Vers les
Etoiles" and la Maja en- Deuil."
The Union Interalliee has become
more and more OF a social centre each
week, and with this exhibition of pic
lures drawing so many more women of
society the tea hour has become quite
gay Wednesday has been the smart
| lay for tea, but there Ia little differ
ence in the days now with so many
coming to see the Spanish pictures.
| Another reason for its being more of
q social centre than ever is that so few
Parisians or members Of the foreign
colonies seem to be doing any enter.
tanning I'm their homes. The big after.
noon receptions. dinner parties and
dances that occupied society In pre-
war days are entirely thing of the
past The present day Partisan woman
small groups at the clubs or fashion
able restaurants, so the whole scale
OF social events has apparently under
gone a change.
Teas at the Union fnteralliee seem 10
have taken the place In great degrt
of home receptions. Among the
Americans entertaining there recently
have been the Maruuise de Talleyrand-
Perlgord giving tea for the Baronne
de SelIlere and vicomtesse Benois'
d'Azy: Comtesse Cardelli entertain n 9
for Mrs Dwight Proutv of Boston. who
recently has come to Paris to live pe~-
manentiy: Mrs. Morton J. Henry hav-
ing as her guests Mrs. Clarkson Pot
ter. Countess Tedechoska, Mrs. +. II
Dewing OF New York, who Is here fot
n short v.Pit. and Mrs. Leslie Cotton