SUNDAY MAGAZINE
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1923
Aspects of American Painting
A general review of modern artistic CARL E. GEHRING lovely "Brook by Moonlight" of Ralph
tendncis miht ell e bsed il ineBlakelock, Unfortunately Blakelock
tendencies might well be based on thse
is mentally unbalanced, but has lucid
work of leading Americans and be abroad, and, indeed, the English have' representation entitled "Gassed" will intervals in which he does very cons-
censidered as representative of art long considered him in the light of a amply testify. On another canvas he mendable work. Of Charles H. Davis,
endeavor the world over. Our coun- transplanted genius. Such examples depicts the departure of American William Howe, the cattle-painter once
try, with its population drawn from are not infrequent in art. Was it not troops, remarked, "When you see hins, re-
the four corners of the globe, cannot Lully, an Italian by birth, who, mi- A comprehensive list of our modern member me to the greatest of living
help but absorb ideas brought there- grating to France, came to be the landscape painters would include landscape painters."
to by an ever-infilowing stream of im- father of French music? America has such names as Blakelock, Metcalf, Winslow Homer was the first of the
migration. Thus it can be said to re- more than her share of these acquired Redfield Twachtman, Davis and Berg- American uarine painters. No one do-
flect world though. We hear much artists, as one might well imagine. dorfE. This school probably owed its piced the strength and tremendous
about the great American symphony, Sargent was not born in this country inception to the movement first start- surge of the ocean belier tha he. Not
about the great American novel, which in the first place. The son of Ameri- ed in France at Fountanebleau. Then a great colorist, he could do vast ex-
are to be developed throuigh the pro- can parents then residing in Florence, William Morris Hunt came under the pauses of snow just as effectively as
cess of the melting pot in the years his early life might be likened to that influence of the French Barbizon he did the sea. His "Fox and Crows"
to come. Will it te so, though, will of Mendelssohn, in that it was so vslt school, and, returning to this country, is the best examnle of his snow scenes.
it be so? I feel rather inclined to re- ordered and that he was always in brought with him many of their tra- Countless marine pictures by Homer
gard these dreams of future glory in touch with the very best a high sta- ditions. "The Bathers" is one of his iiclide "The Gulf Stream," "The
the light of a composite European, tion in life could afford him. During best works. This artist was a con- Storm Signal," "All is Well," numer-
perhaps world, thought, particularly his youth he traveled much and made temsporary of a similar movement ous rocky coasts and seascapes. "The
If the gates of immigration are kept noteworthy contacts. Hie teacher nore geopraphically marked. The Castaway" is probably his best known
open. This would naturally tend to was Carolus Duran, whom Sargent has Hudson River school was agroup of work.
place us in the position of well qual- immortalized with a splendid portrait. men including Doughty, Cole, Durand,
ified leader in all contemporary Incidentally, many of his best works Biersadt Church, Kenselt and Moran, Innovators scarcely arise, but they
thought and ideals, if such exist. The are those done in portraiture. The who did nature studies almost exclus- tusMartin, had flue s River
American Indians are the children of man paints not so much as he sees ively and specialized largely on the ns, have and u te H odsng
the soil here. Theirs would have been his subjects, but rather as he con- beauties of the Hudson valley. More- school have an unlimited following
the great American novel, the great ceives them to be. For this reason, ever, George Innes collaborated some- with and carried on the traditions of
American symphony. Ours is but much difficulty has resulted with a what with this school. His'works, fol- n
European civilization transplanted. number of wealthy people, but his loHing closely on those of Whistler, Homer. Four painters might be call-
An YPeolebut is owig cosel anthoe ofWhitle, Ied the nucleus of our modern snarin
An unequal degree of development commissions are so numerous- as to were described as being perhaps more ed the and they are Dougherty
is the salient characteristic of the render him quite indepenedt of the typically American, but not possessedWaughool, Richards and Lever. Although
various fields of artistic endeavor in caprice and whims of offended noil- of the originality and spontaniety of itWat tremendous spirit of restfu ghcalm,
America. Although the matter might ity. the more cosmopolitan painter. ha calm enforced to the point of monot-
be argued pro and con with consider-, Today Sargent stands as one of the Of our modern landscape school, ony, or even the terrible fury of the
able to be said for all the contending leading figures in art. His best works Redfield and Twachtman devote them- sea, harrassed by strong winds, Is not
parties, it is generally acknowledged include a "Carmencita," which sub- selves almost exclusively to winter done with the convincing brush of
that the greatest strides have been ject was also well done by Charles subjects. Both paint in a rather im- Homer, novelties and new depart-
made in painting and sculpture. Our Merritt Chase, a work of children en- pressionistic style. I find myself par- tares are introduced nevertheless.
men of letters have done much to titled "Carnation Lily-Lily Rose" ticularly attracted to "The End of Through their medium we have the
make known and respected the Ameri- which reminds one of similar sub- Winter" by the latter, which presents introduction of the impressionistic and
can literatures, but architecture seems jects by the Spanish master Velas- a little brook just released by the mom- more brilliant color effects into sea-
to be but a replica of work born and 'quez, and the famous portrait simply ing of spring, running through the scapes, harbors, and even rocky
perfected elsewhere throughout the 'known as "The Lady in Black." This fields. Bits of snow are still apparent coasts.
ages. Music in this country is still vies with the Whistler "Lady in the along the water's edge, but the atmos- At present, we of Ann Arbor, are
in its infancy, no true school having Brown Cape," and the "Lady in the -phere is one clear and refreshing. particularly fortunate in having on
been established as yet. White Shawl" by Chase. A study of Spring has come! His Niagara Falls exhbit in Alumni Memorial Hall twen-
In considering the field of painting two Venetian women at a well recalls is representative of extreme impres- ex-ibi i Ainin al Hal en-
j i ty-five oil paintings and ten etchings
we find that two veritable Titans have days spent in Italy. Among his better sionism, and I doubt if there are many by Haley Lever. His works are most
done the most to identify canvasses known portraits are The Misses Hunt- who could identify the subject as such. virile and impressionistic in style, and
of Americans the world over. The one, ington, The poet Yates, Lady Church- Metcalf is chiefly remembered for hisjwere almost all done at Gloucester,
John Singer Sargent, is still living ill, Henry G. Marquand, and the Coun- charming "Apple Blossoms," and Massachusetts, and at St. Ives, Corn-
and will be discussed with the con- tess Warwick and her son. The Tryon, for a number of important wall. The artist concerns himself
temporary groups of artists. The oth- great war also received attention at works. One of his moonlight scenes rather with patterns than with color,
er, J. A. MacNeil Whistler (1834-1903) the hands of Sargent, as the horrible might well be compared with that and the effect is more often one of
with all justice to Smybert, West, boats dancing upon the waves, The
Copley, Stewart, Morse, Chase and a reflections are excellent. We find
host of athers, was the first American Levermor
painter to cause a furore among Euro-th E thics and the Press Levesoreteer suggesting the
pean artists. Like so many of our marine than presenting it, Homer-
great men he was asked to leave col- q Talk With a New York Editor le
lege, failing miserably at West Point,1 A Tl k it a N w orrdior lke ibounding main and gigantic
where his father had achieved such rocks, Thus Lever owes more o of his
distinction. He came early under the EDGAR H. AILES artistic heritage to the English than
distncton.He ameeary uderthehe does to the Anmerican, and he Is
influence of the Frenchmen Millet and.he.osrouemstaaneait
Monet, who were his models of en- mWhen, in recounting the lugubrious I think repressive action is entirely er today.
deavor, and whom he later totally tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, the poet warranted." The collection is not devoted to Le-
eclipsed. Originality was the keynote Ovid observed that love burns more Dr. Gay is a fascinating converse- ver alone. The balance of the works
of his work. His butterfly signature ardently the more it is suppressed, he tionalist. In private, he vouchsafes in include oil paintings, water colors,
was but one item among many so appears to have uttered a truth of abundant measure an enthusiasm and and etchings, which give a most com-
characteristic of the man. Very fond contemporary application. Such, at a personal force which are not strik- preensive idea of our national art
of music, he produced works which least, is the view of Dr. Edwin F. Gay isngly ovident in his forensic manner, tendencies. Among them we find ten
he called symphonies in tone, and '9o, editor of the New York Evening t i'e every mas of intellectual dis- water colors by Jean .I Haffner, some
thus originated the term "tonal paint- Post and Thursday's Convoation tinction, he interposes no barrier be- excellent etchings y Robert T. Logan,
ing." His later years were marked by speati er , in re ard t l freedom os ' the tsseen himself and the reporter who twelve water colors by Ruel Tuttle
his impressionistic tendencies. Co n press I had the hnor of a brief con n tws ush e swa .. lust ttlk i-{sis- andtwenty oil ointings by George P.
paratively late in his career he came vrs ain sith tDr. i isuThursday Lisnd ply, dirse.tly and with great rapidity Itaker. These men are not auisiateal
sdecidedly under the spell o Oriental learned froIss hirct15 555'is 'sn stli-sans'fncy. Our mestin was a brief wi h eitheros tIe schoolsi 5''ioned.
art. We may douitless thank thfs iely oposed to any c..si tsaiu' of on ,s scarcely more than ten minetesuotherusaistes:usuteSs-sging to this ca''-
'surce of inspiration for the beaut-u w siers or maZines1 to be exac, yet it is st' tos assume gory are I-elches, 't'ir, BltshfieltI.
ful "rincesse du PIys de la Poee- ' "Generally peakin ',i dedared,t a " li. v G tiy aid more in that time Hawthorne, . B. Davis, Hassan, R-
laine." Other well-known works or, "freedom of the pteus I rrgaida1 'nOst ic us could isn an hour. Be- dr, fusler, Nochuls, Bellows, and
his are the "Lady in the Brown Cae" fundtsmecnsal in a republic. Tos'tin e n0 t i 5 ' newspaper an he a- Benson. A lot of their work borders
"Portrait of Carlyle," a harbor called who are continually agnitatinug sup-I'recsate' th i beauty of conci'Pnss oI the fantastic. Take Davis sad Has-
"Nocturne," and the "Portrait ofs My uression of radical journals and un- and .ssistsnc. san, for ecaule. hure we have tfo
Mother," that cultivated wonan who, patriotic literature would defeat thei' The wave csf r a l s ts'nrtely' ac'"ists who concern themselves wi
recognizing her son's artistic tenden- own purpose if they succeedel. T'' sponsred by the "ungi intellectu- figres alone, and rseser the swork
cic's. sssdo psuihc Isis stuics sbrh. would shut off tIhes iety valve thros' ab:su which 5 is aing ovr the s'n- highly interc stin. G hood examples are
Modern American painting might which the e -s fradicalisn can try," r. Gay does not consider a men- "The Rainy Night," "ouselei," "Listoss-

possibly be resolved into three distinct safely pass.ly n. Assi-conscra sm is n ac. "Criris,1s is essentiftl," he stat- irs'is to the Oriole " by Ilassan, and
channels of endeasor. On the one snt inevitable reaction to as' s erce ci-st e,"fos Without it there s'ousd he no "The Iasdy)" by Davis. As Chehllov
hasnd we have Sargent, who stands tin of social and tolitical evils by a Pr'Cugress. But the foundatinis o " our took little incidents of life anti wove
quite apart, not only for the very iual- young, inexperienced observer. We: government and of our civil sc"ety about them the very best of short stor-
ity and .cope of his w-I, but for be- should permit this tendency harmless- re too securely laid to be d-stroyed ies, just so dot Isi( arts ismmiss1ortal-
ing a most unusual personality as ly to exhaust its 'f instead of encour-; by so light and transient si ea . The ize Seesmies'ly comen-lace bitsof
well. The other divisi-ms of our con- aging it by suipprssion. In wartime, young intellectuals bis to -'ten Buv as it takes persor:-
temporary painting are the two f cusie, this suiI not h1 tsnue. l for his zealcu inteeSin in pr' g i sr eiperlir apls'eciate us 'oiati y,
rshools of landscape and marin. the nation is imipieri:I and national Iis aiss semis to be a more beutisirft s:} ;csth:2 tr artist to diiet -:1
Hiost of Sir-'s:i's life is lvet alationIiis ,tep. s' .f ty. is f i.usc i' Pin :nr:'r situati ni