New-York tribune., 1921-05-01

the galleries of the Societe Anonyme
consists of two groups of pictures. One
is devoted to studies of New York, i'm
pressions Of skyscrapers among them.
The other is given to cottage interiors
painted in Holland. In the same build
ing, at The Oasis, Miss Sydney Dyke
is showing number of symbolic pic
tures."
The Enrich gallery, so long known
for it's exclusive interest in the old
masters, has been giving attention to
modern art of late and now opens
purely American exhibition. A dozen
artists are represented, Arthur B.
Davies, Jonas Lie, George Bellows,
Cullen Yates, Robert Henri, Robert w.
Vonnoh and others. The incident is
significant. American painting is no
longer presented to the collector as
secondary to foreign. On the con-
trary, it is everywhere coming more
and more into the foreground.
Just at this time, when the American
artist is receiving constant recognition
from his countrymen, it is interesting
to note what is thought of him in some
quarters abroad. The collection sent
over to the Grafton Galleries in Lon
don by Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, ac-
cording to the catalogue, does not pre-
tend to be fully representative. 1t is
introduced simply as "the elimination
of the pleasure which an American
artist has had in working for and with
her fellow artists" Sir Claude Phillips,
writing in The Daily Telegraph, ex-
presses appreciation of the sentiment
here indicated, but regrets the absence
from the show of "the very men whose
presence we SO greatly desire, such
men as Winslow Homer, for instance"
Taking the exhibition as he finds it, he
says:
The level of technical merit is quite
as high as it would be in a British
exhibition OF the same type; but where
we might have expected youth, bolster
GUS strength, an exaggeration of mod
ern methods and the modern stand
| point, we find an inclination to sub
tlety, to reticence, to that over-ripeness
| which characterizes modern Partisan
art of the last quarter of century
The exhibition-whcthe in this akin
| to other displays Of contemporary
American art, we have not the material
for deciding from a singular
poverty OF content, from an absence
n fo ivy
that is the reverse of invigorating
BY this is not meant that we deplore
the absence in the majority of cases
OF definite subject-for the best mod
ern art inclines in this direction-but
| that loftiness of vision and intensity
of artistic passion should, as a rule, be
so conspicuous by their absence.
Turning to specific instances, this
critic begins with an allusion to "The
Murder of Edith Cavell," the familiar
picture by George Bellows. He finds
the conception painfully melodramatic
and artificial" and protests against
"such rendering of subject as SIM
pie as it is terrible" He makes friend
ly comment on Robert W. Chanler's
screens, on a picture by Maurice
Sterne and on the "mild and agree
able" modernism of Arthur B. Davies.
Guy Pene du Bois is characterized as
over-prodigal Of contributions, a clever
but distinctly unpleasant painter. New
ertheless the writer appears to have
been exceptionally interested in this
artists work. "In two of his duo
logues In paint he very nearly succeeds
in making our flesh creep. We
feel ourselves in a Grand Guignol at
mosphere." Eugene Speicher is sig
nalized as an imitator of Renoir. The
decorations of the late Howard Cushing
are dismissed as "idealistic in a pretty,
/ Intellectual kind Of way" Attention is
drawn to the good landscapes in the
exhibition, works by Ernest Lawson,
Rockwell Kent, Abbott Thayer and
Childe Hassam and "The End of
March," winter scene by Allen Tuck
er, is singled out for its beauty, its true
poetic feeling and the complete ac-
complishment shown in it.
Apropos of the foregoing comments
on American art it is perhaps legiti-
mate to point to the British represen-
tation at Pittsburgh, traversed in an
other column. There is certainly "food
for thought" in the comparisons that
may be made. Also, by the way, con-
tribution is made to the subject in the
exhibition Of British Autographs now
at the Brown Robertson gallery. A
good many of the draughtsmen remind
us of what Sir Claude Phillips has to
say on "vision and intensity of artistic
passion" They are sadly wanting in
these traits. On the other hand, there
are some brilliant figures in this com
Epany. One Of them, Charles Shannon,
is richly lowered with vision and pas
sion. His designs are eloquent Of
Imagination, of an instinct for beauty,
and they disclose noble style. He
is, indeed, the only artist present who