International studio (17.1902)

London Spring Exhibitions

SOME PAINTINGS AND SCULP-
TURE AT THE LONDON
SPRING EXHIBITIONS.

The exhibitions this season do not give
evidence of any great or unusual effort on the
part of those of our artists to whom we are
accustomed to look for work of surpassing interest.
Indeed, certain of the ablest men are not repre-
sented at all, or show only minor things which do
not illustrate the best side of their capacities ; and
consequently there are perceptible some serious
gaps in the record of the art of the year. This
would not be a matter of so much moment if by
way of compensation a few of the younger painters
had risen to the occasion and had provided here
and there a dramatic departure from the ordinary
course of their practice. But both the older
favourites of the public, and their juniors whose
reputations are being built up to-day, have been
content to repeat past successes rather than to run

any risks in the hope of increasing their popularity
by attempting to break new ground. The result
is unexciting and too much on the lines of what
has been customary in bygone years to arouse
much enthusiasm.

However, it cannot be denied that there is both
at the Academy and the New Gallery a very fair
amount of work that is, despite its want of inspira-
tion, worthy of praise on account of its able
craftsmanship; and there is in each of the shows
a sprinkling of pictures which are likely to be
remembered as brilliant examples of technical
accomplishment. These exceptions to the general
run of the year’s achievement are doubly welcome,
because they relieve the dulness of a season that
shows a little too plainly the effect produced upon
the profession by a long period of depression.
But for the activity of such artists as Mr. J. S.
Sargent, Mr. J. J. Shannon, Mr. F. Brangwyn,
Professor Von Herkomer, Mr. Alfred East, Mr.
E. A. Waterloo, Mr. La Thangue, Mr. G. H.

“a tanagraean pastoral” by g. h. boughton, r.a.

-a