The New York herald., 1922-04-02

Mr.. Davis is a modest man-that'
can be read from his pictures-but the
writer OF the appreciation in the cata-
logue, speaking of the rating to be
given him. says: Probably no one
would be less likely to put himself for
ward for honors of this sort than
Charles II. Davis. Living a retiring
and studious life in the beautiful sur
roundings of his Connecticut home. he
is quite content to work out his own
salvation and to let time decide as to
what his place is to be.
He is a true academician in the
sense that he is not an innovator. but.
unlike many who paint in the "ac-
cepted" manner, he does not appear
ever to have been cramped. Within
the limits he has set for himself he
moves freely. He has distinct poetic
motif in each instance and attacks IL
in a painterlike fashion. Once in a
while he commits the peculiarly Amer
lean sin OF expanding a subject until
it becomes thin, but on the other hand
often succeeds in giving command
ingly large style to a large canvas.
His "All Halloween" iS an example OF
this and it would put to shame all OF
the too large landscapes of the pres
ent Academy.
The nearest approach to the class
of Mr.. Davis In the Academy Is tte
Mount Mansfield. Vermont" by
Chauncey F. Ryder. 1t is somewhat
too big. as apparently all academical
landscapes must be, but 1t has con-
siderable feeling, quite juicy greens.
and much decorative charm. It did
not get the prize. The chief Altman
money went to commonplace work
by Daniel CARRIER. called "Tohickon."
In this big tree sprawled across the
foreground to achieve a fiat. tapestry
effect. The touches OF paint were
small. which added to the textile quail
ity. The second Altman prize went TO
Gardner Symons for his large CLEAN
on the Hilltops," snowy and cheap
effort at realism.
Everybody agrees that the spring
Academy Is rather better than usual.
but how to prove It with outstanding
results is difficult. Pictures that rival
Bernard Shaw's Back to Methuselah"
as a topic of conversation are rare.
The nearest approach to an argument
is provided by the "Still Life Decora-
ton" by L. w. Benson. This has been
given the place of honor In the Van
derbilt Gallery. At the vanishing day
reception was asked by three sep
arate and distinct ladies IL l did not
think It mice" truthfully replied
to each that it was very nice" / did
not think 1t polite to add that a still
life could be nice without being great.
Mr.. Benson does not achieve In it.
what Sir Joshua called the grand
manner" He manages several happy
passages, such as the fiat table cover
that marches out to your eyes
triumphantly, and the small bowl at
the right, and the shiny background
that appears to be TIE whole thing at
a little distance. But near by the CEN
tral bowl OF fruit seems to be a bit
mushy and to need accentuation and
the bronze figure In shadow calls too
much attention to itself. But 1t Is
rather disheartening. is it not, TO be
reduced TO talking technic of the prin-
cipal picture in the rooms?
The portraits present are not of TIE
first order either. Mr.. Hassam's por-
trait by Mr.. Wayman Adams is the
iiveliest of them. but II Is almost ap-
oplectic with hot color. Mr.. Ipsen's
version of Mr.. Ryder is better in this
respect. the color throughout being
vibrant and harmonious. The drollest
portrait is that of President Hadley
by Mr.. Sergeant Kendall. The feeling
for the form beneath the academicai
robe has been quite lost, with the re-
suit that the feet appear at the bot
tom in the least expected place. IL
remains TO he added that I got more
unalloyed pleasure from two litto-
graphs by Mr.. Bolton Brown In the
Academy room than from any other
OF the acauemical exniDits. One OF
these called Trees: Rain" is an es-
pecially agreeable and competent per-