The New York herald., 1922-12-10

icicle. Everybody raves about the
warmth Of her impersonation of "St.
Sebastien," but as for myself re-
member very well that I caught an
influenza that night at the theater
that lasted me full month.
But enough of these details. Disre-
garding all danger the ladies of the
company crowded this portrait, partic-
ularly on Tuesday. 1t may have been
Nine. Ida Rubenstein or it may have
been the costume. The robe had been
especially designed by the artist, had
then been carried out by one of the
foremost couturiers and then painted
by Bakst. He had seen Nine. Ida Ru-
benstein through, in other words
The Russians are as thorough almost
as the English. But the end justifies
the means. Ida Rubenstein conquered
ell beholders, as usual.
The rivalry of Arthur Rackham and
Leon Bakst is like the old time rivalry
between Duse and Bernhardt, who al
ways used to be arriving In town at
the same moment and forcing art low
ers to unheard Of agonies Of choice.
Arthur Rackham is at Scott &
Fowles's, Bakst is at Knoedlers; art
lovers will end, as the theatergoers Of
years ago ended. in going to both
shows.
Arthur Rackham "Collected."
1t is tossup as to which of the two
has the stanchest admirers. For one
thing. Arthur Rackhem Is collected"
His drawings are usually made for
books that are within reach Of the
many. There are those who leave or
ders at brakes in advance for every
thing by him that comes out, and nat
urally their loftiest dream is to pos
sess an original 1t is. upon the whole,
astonishing to how many Americans
this dream comes true. Rackhams are
owned here in quantities.
The present exhibition will probably
go down to history as the best of
Rackham that has occurred. The zest
os the artist shows no diminution; in
deed. augments. There seems to be no
end to his fantasy, no end to his in
genuity. no end to his industry. Trees
still present an extraordinary fascina-
ton for him. and there Is no little kink
or curl in their roots or in their
branches that he does not insist upon
loving and playing with. He Is, as is
we'll known, n believer in fairies,
gnomes and the various bugaboos that
only children and the best artists take
seriously, aud the landscapes that he
uses as backgrounds serve as ad-
mirable meeting places for his mortals
and immortals.
These mortals, these children OF
Rackham's fancy, are drawn with in
creasing care. Mr.. Birnbaum of Scott
& Fowles's. who knows the artist per-
scnally, says he makes countless
studies for these lively little figures.
and Il Is easy to be believed. Mr.
Birnbaum has written an "apprecia-
ton" for the printed bibliography OF
Rackham, compiled by Mr.. Coyken-
dali. and in It he holds that Rackham's
advancing years have witnessed an
Improvement in his art and the latest
drawings for Milton's "Comus" are
among his most attractive and dream
like.
Furthermore he has recently begun
10 forsake the printed page for oil
and canvas. and his Undine' and his
Coming of Spring are surprising
first achievements in a new medium.
Being primarily graphic artist .
his color hitherto merely enhanced the
beauty of his drawings. and his devel-
opment as painter in oils will there
fore be followed with special interest.
We may even hope that he will not
always be forced 10 exercise his incom-
parable fancy in an effort to bring an
authors word painting before the
vision of reader.
Palette Too subdued.
"The old charge that his palette was
too subdued was at one time quite
fair. but It should be remembered that
the salient characteristics Of Rack
hams art is it's Gothic spirit. Had he
lived five centuries earlier he would
have been animating the borders of
parchment missals with demons, myth
zeal unicorns, necromancers and floral
D forms, or carving gargoyles, intricate
traceries and lacelike arabesques In