New-York tribune., 1922-11-26
The English School
Good Examples of Some of Isa
Leaders

Leaders
Thoughts Of "the renaissance ef the
'9os" come back as ons examines the
pictures just assembled for an exhibi-
lion ss the Brooklyn Museum. Young
men were all for art and the world
we'll lost in that interesting period. If
shsy listened 90 Henry James, talking
shout Flaubert and his shin sheets ~
beatsn gold," they listened also 20
George Moore. discoursins In his do
hghtfully intimate way aboue Name,
and Dsgas. You couldn't be any more
sympathetic toward Oscar Wilde or
Ferlslne than toward Charles Conder
or Aubrey Bcardsley. II yen were very
French In one moment 1t wss rather
obligatory upon you 10 be very whis-
llerlan IN the next. And everybody
vas crazy about technique. In ehis
RFooklyn show. devoted to British
aintings from private collections
8th some French cspveses added.
Aiefy from the museum galleries
asre ts q picture By Rothensts!n, San
mist Group" which revivea the very
gi5t and movement of the time. Max
there, in the center, young ex-
igisite, in q long, coat. looking ador-
oily himself Hia companions are Wall
sr.-Sickert, the disciple OF DsgSs and.
histier; p, WILSON Steer, the most
Intensely English OF them all. and ehe.
brilliant Charles W. FurSe, untimely
lost In one corner D. 8, McColl looks
on, the Scotch critic with French sym
7athies In his blood. What did these
men stand for II not protest against
he "Victoriauism" Of the Royal Acsd-
cmyf
Thst Is The Significance Of che pres-
sut collection. It is not, strictly speak
ing. RymhoIical OF British art as It
lands to-day, There are divers other
clements In that. art of which the cx-
iioisson tells "a nothing. orpeu and
John II 10 true, belong 60 the van as
1t Ia funetioning now, and we suppose
MI. Ambrose McEvoy, might bs re-
ssfdsd SO IN some sort allied so them;
ou' hs thing that counts, the thing
laas gives she big room 4Gs atmosphere.
1ast tbs progressive spirit that dates,
RoE from yesterday, but from twenty
aFs or thirty years ago. We are aos
ars but that the most telling apo&s
an the walls are those made by Condsr,
gho died In 1909. The poem McColi
note FOR him shsn begins, "You had
dream" IL wss 8 dream eS beauty.
shs most familiar souvenirs Of which
are thoss fantasies on silk which are
duly represented here. But we would
signslize as even moro typical Of the
neE spirit stirring In British art
through hts Intervention the lovely
Venice" which, despite It's Whistlerian
ahetuFe. remains essentis!ly an tn
dividusltzed impression. Is was in
work Of this kind that the Academy
Ras rebuked. It's prosaio convention
slity being put 60 sharne by Conder's
delicate charm, his freshness, his.
purely personal way Of painting.
They were all FOR individuality. AT
me game time, unlike the egotists who
russ about in the modernistie world to-
cay they were prodigiously loyal to
ne rectitude OF. painting. Look at
slmos' any Of Rothenstein's pieces, the
olg "Jews Debating" or the enchanting
Little Blue Shawl" and observe how
tarefu he is of form, how sdistinguishe
ne is In ell linear matters. Il Is tho
sshe virtue that animates Orpen and
seAa. Neither man. we submit, Isl
s1l& the master he is cracked up TO be /
y the zealcts. Orpen has In him
leain fund of ths insensitive me-.
saaflc John can deyiate into ugliness,
A'o the commonplace, with an appalling
osse- But both can draw superbly when
ss choose. Steer makes 8 somewhat
inherent appeal. His Is q rich and va. s
S'ed talent, equally az home with land |
spe and with the hgure. yet not &C
ueh an exemplar o? style as one OF !
erilltanee that is sometimes J
a.sVed through sheer manual dex-
ity. ae 10 illustrated here In many /,
s4o0os, follower of Constable paint /,
Out OF doors, disciple of Alfred.
seNens painting picturs like .The /
sn Of the Cards and wonderfully !
Asoii tn both veins. We feel nsxt to /
& concern with his temperament. His I
saasn work, In The Turn OF the Cardsp
0san Carmina," is ravishing.
3, es rarely can that epithet bs ap-
s suso 70 the technique of a modern
sa aFtist' The more character.
ss'e mood is that Of Sir John Laysry,s