The New York herald., 1921-03-13
A Great American Painter Of Dreams

Marshall and in the antique class at the
National Academy. Then he worked out his
own salvation.
Mature is a teacher who never de-
ceives," he afterward said When / grew
weary with the futile struggle to initiate
the canvases of the past I went into the
fields determined to serve nature as faith
fully as I had served art.
THE artist should fear TO become the
slave of detail 1t is the first vision that
counts" he has also declared. The artist
has only 70 remain true to his dream and
it will possess his work in such a manner
that il will resemble the work of no other
man. Modern art must strike out from the
old and assert it's individual right to live.
The artist must buckle himself with infinite
patience His eyes must see naught but the
vision beyond. He must await the season OF
fruitage without haste, without worldly
ambition without vexation OF spirit. An
inspiration is no more than a seed that
must be planted and nourished.' Upon the
potboiler is inscribed the epitaph of art"
For himself all he cared for was enough
to live on" HIS dusty old Fifteenth street
studio in which ''the confusion was unimag-
nable incredible" with chairs, packing
boxes newspapers. teacups covered with
saucers oil cans milk bottle &c. all about,
he said he would not exchange for a palace
which offered a less inspiring view. Here
he saw only green laden branches over the
easement sills, filtering a network of light
and shadow on the bare boards of my floor"
and beyond the low rooftops-the eternal
armament
He was exceedingly fond of music and
the tale is told that once (whether in tn ;
studio building or another we do not know
he was so entranced listening to neigh
boring violinist that he suddenly appeared
and offered his hand in marriage. There
seems to be some doubt whether he had ever
spoken to the musician before. II was
probably after this that several friends got
him Off to Europe. where the old masters
made little impression and the impression
lists none at all; and where he longed 70
get back to the quiet of his studio
OF himself he said:
THE smallest thing, I do II as II my life
depended on it-then the great shadow al
ways OF the impossible and the unohtain-
able"
II was no uncommon matter FOR him 70
keep a patron waiting for years before q
picture was finished. Mrs Richard Watson
Glider waited twenty years lie was always
sorry TO be delayed and was always doplor-
ing the lack of time.
A recluse he was. but not merely because
he was sensitive but also because he wished
To- give all his time to his work And no
matter how sensitive, wherever he went his
personality commanded attention. His
speech and manners had an old time havor;
he was we'll informed he talked well when
interested, and his simple courtesy was
never falling. His fruitful period began In
1873 and ended about 1898. The last years OF
his life we're given to beautlfying some OF
his best canvases. or where he had used poor
pigments or had been careless I'm the under
painting to restoring cracked or dmmed
surfaces.
Many OF the famous Ryder canvases are
individually discussed by Mr.. sherman. In
all the painter left about $50 paintings. all
or modest size. and not enough 10 I'LL more
than moderate sized gallery. These are
cataogued at the back OF the book giving
the names and cities OF their respective
owners.