Galleries 37 and 40 contain an excellent collection of miniatures, ranging from a work by Malbone, the first important American in this field, to that of such notable contemporaries as W. J. Baer, Laura C.
Hills, and Lucia Fairchild Fuller.
In both miniature rooms there are a number of paintings and drawings, in various mediums, including, in room 40, a few oils by Jules Guerin, the color wizard of the Exposition.
American Section: Sculpture
Of the monumental sculpture of the American Section most of the finest examples are out-of-doors. The central hall of the gallery building contains a collection that is worth studying piece by piece, including such notable things as Daniel Chester French"s "Alice Freeman Palmer Memorial," Karl Bitter"s "Signing the Louisiana Purchase Treaty" and "Tappan Memorial," and Robert Aitken"s "Mausoleum Door."
But by far the most notable thing about the sculpture display is the extensive collection of charming small bronzes, which is scattered through the many rooms. The visitor should especially make sure of seeing certain individual group exhibits, such as the very freely rendered figures by Paul Troubetzkoy in the International Room (108), Paul Manship"s groups, with their touch of cla.s.sic appeal, in gallery 93, and the cases of statuettes by Abastenia St. Leger Eberle and Bessie Potter Vonnoh, in gallery 65. Very rich in interest, too, is the collection of medals and plaques, shown in galleries 38 and 39.
Foreign Sections
The foreign sections are in two groups, at the two ends of the building.
There is no system in their arrangement, and they are treated here in the order in which they happen to be placed, beginning at the far south end.
The j.a.panese Section occupies galleries 1 to 10. To appreciate j.a.panese art it is necessary to become accustomed to the conventionalization of treatment-to understand what the artist was after, and to judge from that standpoint. It is well to begin by studying works that are more like Western art-such things as "Moving Clouds" (15) and "Evening: Nawa Harbor" (12) in room 1-and then to progress to the works in which the conventions are more p.r.o.nounced. Note, throughout the paintings in rooms 1, 2 and 3, the delicacy of tone, the color harmony, and the fine sense of composition and pattern.
In galleries 8 and 10 are collections of j.a.panese sculpture and painting, done in the Western manner. It is interesting to see what the Oriental artist can accomplish in an alien medium; but neither for the j.a.panese nor for the American can these works have the same genuine appeal as those in galleries 1 to 3. The other rooms contain a varied collection of porcelain, embroidery, wood and ivory carving, and prints.
The French Section is one of the most interesting, but is hardly representative of the best that country has achieved in art. The general average is such that it upholds France"s traditional standing as the home of "good painting," but this is by no means a collection of masterpieces. The most noticeable tendency is that toward the decorative. The galleries of the French section have been re-numbered, beginning with 1.
Gallery 1 is a rather poor room on the whole, though it, contains two canvases on the north wall by Lucien Simon, typical of that artist"s masterly breadth of treatment. On the west wall, beside the doorway, are two of Aman-Jean"s portraits. The little landscape (429) under one of these, by Marcel-Clement, is notable, as are also Jean Domerque"s decorative canvas on the south wall and Maury"s three nude girls on the north.
Gallery 2 is most interesting for the group on the north wall, where the place of honor is given to Henri Martin"s work. Here is an artist who has carried Impressionism to its limit of vibrating light and color. The large central canvas should be seen from the j.a.panese room. The self-portrait (433) is even more interesting. On this wall are pictures that offer a striking comparison of methods of painting.
Gallery 3 is made especially interesting by the domination of one man, Maurice Denis, who is the leader among the "advanced" decorators of France. There is much that is worthy of study in the simplicity and in the color of his panels here. The room contains also a number of examples of the new and ultra-new schools, from Monet and Degas to Redon and Puy.
Gallery 4 contains few outstanding features, the more conservative element predominating. There is charming color in Caro-Delvaille"s canvas on the East wall (279), and there is a Lucien Simon on the south wall. Gallery 5 likewise is not very important.
Gallery 6 especially ill.u.s.trates the decorative tendency. On the north wall are panels by Auburtin, a follower of de Chavannes, and by Devoux, which are pure decorations. On the south wall is a large canvas by the celebrated Menard; but his little seascape on the west wall (445) is more appealing, being one of the most attractive things in the section.
Note how the decorative tendency characterizes not only these outdoor pictures, but the neighboring portraits as well. On the east wall is a canvas by le Sidaner, a leader of the plein-air school, which reminds one that good French landscapes are few in this exhibit.
The Italian Section is the best arranged in the galleries. There is a general feeling of orderliness and rest that is quite welcome as one comes from the overcrowded American rooms. The Italian paintings do not give the impression of an exhibition of masterpieces-indeed there are very few canvases that demand special notice-but they are well up to the average set in the other sections.
Gallery 21 is the most interesting. On the wall facing the main doorway are five pictures by Ettore t.i.to, perhaps the greatest and certainly the most popular, of Italian painters. All are strong, and they are painted with a bigness and a sureness of touch that are compelling. Very interesting too are the canvases on the adjoining wall by Camillo Innocenti, who has achieved the vibrating light and fresh coloring of the Impressionist School in an individual way.
Gallery 22 contains a varied collection, ranging from the academic to the radical. Here are two canvases by Arturo Noci, one of the leaders of the Italian Secession. Gallery 23 is given up mainly to sculpture. The most compelling thing is d"Orsi"s realistic "Tired Peasant." With the exception of some of the small bronzes, the rest of the sculpture of the section is hardly notable.
Gallery 24 contains a very interesting canvas in Plinio Nomellini"s picture of a woman and child in a boat drawn up under a tree. The thing is full of sunlight and sparkling color; and it strikes a good medium between the old tight painting and that which carries Impressionism too far-both of which extremes can be seen in plenty in this room. Gallery 25 is an average room, without special features.
The Cuban Section occupies gallery 20, next to the Italian section.
There is hardly a picture here that does not seem labored in comparison with the freedom elsewhere.
The Uruguay Section, in the adjoining gallery 19, is just the opposite full of freshness and vigor, and brilliant in color. But the gift of brilliancy is rather undisciplined, and while there is unmistakable promise, one feels that the art of Uruguay has not yet found itself.
The Chinese Section occupies galleries 94 to 97, and is notable for the paintings on silk and paper, the cloisonne, and the lacquer. There is a wealth of interesting material in the display, but it really requires a great amount of study for full appreciation. The Chinese Commission has prepared a special catalogue, which can be had in the rooms if one is specially interested.
The Philippine Section, in the adjoining gallery 98, is almost negligible in a building where there is so much really worth seeing though some of the paintings by Felix Hidalgo have a dramatic interest.
The Swedish Section, in galleries 99 to 107, is one of the most important in the building. One who likes a gentle, polished sort of art will not be at home here; but for virile, fresh and colorful painting there is no other section that achieves the same high standard. Many of the pictures are so strong and big that they never should have been put in these box-like little rooms, where a proper perspective is impossible. In the paintings there are traces of French and German training, and especially of Impressionism; but the exhibit shows more true national feeling and more individual independence than any other in the building.
The two featured groups are the remarkable paintings and tapestries of Gustav Adolf Fjaestad in gallery 107-well worthy of long study-and the paintings and prints of Carl Larsson in gallery 101. But there are many other things quite as important: the brilliant and fresh canvases of Carlburg, the snow scenes touched with late sunlight, by Schultzberg, and the compelling autumn decorations by Osslund, all in gallery 102; the ill.u.s.trations by Bauer in gallery 104; the big landscapes by Hesselborn in gallery 105; and the deep-toned studies by Anna Boberg, and the virile portraits, in gallery 106. If you doubt that these Swedish painters can do the polished, poetic thing, as well as the big vigorous sort, go back to gallery 103, and look at Bergstrom"s atmospheric "Spring Day."
The Swedish sculpture is not so remarkable as the painting; but the print section in gallery 99 contains a number of very interesting etchings and wood engravings.
The Argentine Section, in gallery 112, shows much that is fresh, strong, and brilliant in color. It is interesting to see how much closer these South American painters are to Spain than to France and Germany. Here are many echoes, not only of Velasquez and Goya, but of the vital modern Spaniards like Zuloaga. The collection is very uneven; but in the work of men like Jorge Bermudez and Hector Nava there is a mighty promise if not any great achievement. The few sculptures are unusually strong and interesting.
The Portuguese Section, in galleries 109 to 111, has the appearance of belonging to an older period in the history of art than the present. One feels that the artists who show pictures here have not that mastery of light which marks the Nineteenth Century"s greatest advance in painting.
Certainly there is evidence of a general reliance on the older standards. Perhaps the best works are those of Columbano, in the central gallery. Here too, and in the next room, are some realistic works of Malhoa that compel attention.
The International Room, gallery 108, contains all that the Exposition has of German work. On wall C are such splendid things as Leo Putz" "The Sh.o.r.e" and Heinrich von Zugel"s "In the Rhine Meadows;" and on wall A is Franz Stuck"s "Summer Night"-by no means one of this decorator"s best works, though characteristically rich and deep-toned. But one feels the lack of those others who have lately lifted Germany back among the greatest nations artistically: von Uhde, Liebermann, von Gebhardt, Klinger, Erler, and von Hofmann. In the same way the young and virile English group is not represented, though in this room is a pa.s.sable portrait by the great John Lavery. On wall D are two Spanish works of Lopez-Mezquita, that are worthy of attention but nothing of Zuloaga or Sorolla.
The Holland Section, occupying galleries 113-116, contains a display that is well balanced but without outstanding features. There are echoes of many departed glories, of Rembrandt, of Hals, and even of the French Barbizon men, and a few typical beautifully lighted Dutch interiors. But there is none of the work of the men whom the art magazines have taught us to consider the representative Dutch painters of today: Israels, the Maris brothers, and Mauve. The print room is likewise good rather than splendid, unless one excepts M. A. J. Bauer"s fine Rembrandtian etchings. Charles van Wyck"s small bronzes are notable among the sculptures.
Scattered Art Exhibits State and Foreign Buildings
The Palace of Fine Arts has been reserved exclusively for painting, sculpture and prints, with the result that the material of the usual "arts and crafts" exhibitions has been badly scattered. Certain exhibits have been taken to the state and foreign buildings, some of which are also of interest architecturally; but most of the craftswork is to be found in the four exhibition palaces on the Avenue of Palms.
The Palace of Varied Industries contains, between 5th and 6th Streets, three important displays: at Avenue A is Denmark"s exhibition of porcelain and pottery, with a small section devoted to the book arts; at Avenue B is an excellent display of German porcelain; and at Avenue D is the Netherlands exhibit of porcelain and pottery. At 4th Street and Avenue C is the exhibition of Chinese arts and crafts. The American section of so-called "Domestic Arts and Crafts" is at 1st Street and Avenue C, and contains a very small but select showing of all the usual handicrafts. Elsewhere in the building there are minor displays of textiles, ceramics, tapestries, silver work, and interior decoration, installed by commercial firms. One can see looms working, jewelry being made, and China being painted.
The Palace of Manufactures is notable for the extensive arts and crafts exhibit of j.a.pan, which covers almost one-quarter of the building"s floor s.p.a.ce; for that of Italy, which includes a large number of statuettes besides the usual departments; and for those of France, and Great Britain and Ireland. One will find all of these displays by walking along Avenue C.
The Palace of Liberal Arts contains a few exhibits of the book arts and architecture. The most important architectural display is that in the United States Government Section, shown by the National Fine Arts Commission. On Avenue D between 1st and 5th Streets there are displays of fine photography.
The Palace of Education contains the exhibition of the American art schools, at Avenue B and 6th Street. At Avenue E and 3rd Street pottery is made.
In the group of palaces on the Marina there is little to interest in art matters. In the Mines Palace the Government"s exhibit of coins and medals is of some interest. In the Transportation Palace the student of applied art can find much to think about in the relation of art to automobile design. In the Agriculture and Food Products Palaces there is little to attract the art-lover except at meal-time.
The Italian Buildings contain an extensive museum of national historic art and archaeology, which is well worth seeing. The mural painting in the Royal Salon represents "The Glorification of Italy." The buildings reproduce historic Italian styles of architecture. The charming central court, the gardens, and the buildings contain many replicas of masterpieces of sculpture.
The French Building was unfinished at the time this was written (June first), but it is to contain an extensive art display. There are to be a number of statues by Rodin, the greatest of modern sculptors, which alone would make a visit imperative for every art lover.
The Swedish Building is one of the most interesting architecturally, suggesting the fine originality of recent Scandinavian architecture. It is worthy of note too, that the Norwegian and Danish buildings strike a note of freshness that is in fine contrast with most of the foreign pavilions. In all three of these buildings there are small exhibits of painting and handiwork.
The Turkish Building contains an attractive exhibit of rugs; and in the Philippine Building there is a display of metal work and basketry.
The State Buildings are in general designed for social purposes. That of Pennsylvania is an interesting bit of Colonial architecture, and contains two virile and colorful decorations by John Trumbull, representing "Penn"s Treaty with the Indians" and "The Industries of Pennsylvania." The Maryland Building is also a simple, dignified bit of Colonial design. The Ma.s.sachusetts Building reproduces the famous "Bulfinch front" of the Boston State House. The Mission style of architecture is pleasingly exemplified in the California Building.