International studio (21.1903/1904(1904))

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A MERICAN EXHIBITION OF THE
/\ INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF
\ SCULPTORS, PAINTERS, AND
' ^GRAVERS.
It was in 1898 that the newly formed 7MAy7M-
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held its first exhibition at Knightsbridge, London.
Whistler was its president, as he continued to be
until his death; and the watchword of the Organ-
ization was free expression. Naturally it was a
very interesting exhibition, — although, so it seemed
to me at the time, a little lacking in force,-—more
distinguished for preciosity than for stalwart con-
victions. Especially did I question the
22w7a'27'y777 of a society which had overlooked the
art of the United States, including only one or
two Americans who were knocking at its doors in
London, or rubbing shoulders with it in Paris. I
gently urged my objections to the secretary in
charge of the exhibition, who seemed quite sur-
prised, and, to do him jnstice, very interested to
learn that there was anything of the nature of art
in America. You will remember that this was be-
fore the Paris Exposition of 1900, up to which
time there prevailed in London a more than Egyp-
tian darkness on the subject of American art—a
darkness not illuminated by such Americans as
resided in Europe, with whom it was a comfortable
doctrine that all that was worth consideration in
American art was demonstrated in themselves.
This, as we know, was rudely upset by the awards
of the Paris Exposition, but I have yet to learn that
this International Society has taken any very serious
cognizance of a fact too patent to be ignored.
It is, indeed, very characteristic of the difference
between the European and the American point of
view that while the former is satisHed with a con-
tracted purview the latter looks across space, Scan-
ning the horizon for anything in the shape of a hand
that may grow into a cloud, with possibilities of
abundance of rain. And, again, it is characteristic
of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts that
once more it should take the lead in a new enter-
prise. Under its auspices and with the coöperation
of various other institutions, a collection of works by
members of the International Society has been
brought to this country. It is now on exhibition at

the Pennsylvania Academy, whence it will proceed,
in turn, to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, Buffalo,
Boston, and St. Louis. Thus we get the benefit of
what the Society has to offer in the matter of in-
spiration and enlightenment.
Perhaps our first impression of the Society's
make-up, as illustrated in this exhibition, will be
that it would be greatly reinforced by an infusion of
real American blood. It does not, at present, ap-
pear to be overburdened with convictions; it
conspicuously lacks force of purpose, and not infre-
quently assurance of technique. We may be con-
scious that among ourselves the Hgure is used
pictorially to very little substantial advantage, and
we shall scarcely find among these foreign examples
much more conviction or convincingness. We find
ourselves, in fact, thrown back upon a suspicion,
more or less prevalent, that, outside of portraiture,
the Hgure presents little inspiration to the modern
painter. It is a suspicion not fully justified, for in
the northern countries of Europe, particularly in
Holland, Denmark, and theScandinavian kingdoms,
and in Finland and Germany, the Hgure in the
hands of some artists is still a medium of personal
and vital expression. But these artists are not rep-
resented in this collection, and the latter, so far as
Hgure subjects are concerned, shows little that need
have meant very much to the painter beyond tech-
nical problems, or can rnake a very serious appeal
to ourselves.
Many of us have been disposed to feel that in
America there is very little 7V2AW3 for Hgure
subjects, unless used decoratively. We may attrib-
ute the fact to the all-men-are-equal theory, which
lacks the picturesqueness of contrast; or, perhaps,
with more Htness, may have found the reason in the
dwindling of faith in things divine and human ; in a
lack of human sympathy among men who are try-
ing to show themselves equal by proving their
superiority; in the mad hunt for material advance-
ment, which crushes out the Hner sentiments and
leads us to Hnd in human nature nothing better than
a tool, or source of pleasure, or a dangerous rival.
Our artists operate in congested cities, jostling un-
comfortably with crowds, and missing the intimacies
of human fellowship. So their studies of the Hgure
are for the most part without sympathy or penetra-
tion, lacking the exultation or tenderness, the depth
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