International studio (27.1905/1906(1906))

The National Academy

humiliation, andeven passed to their graves before
the seal of approval was hnally set on their work.
Some innovations have been permitted in the
National Academy of Design in recent years, but
they have been few and were grudgingly given.
Occasionally a jury has been catholic; now and
then one has been drastic in giving as few rights
to the older men as they could possibly avoid and,
with commendable kindliness to the public, have
relegated their works to obscure rooms. But the
fact remains that the members of that body^ have,
as a right, certain wall space and the privilege of at
least one canvas on the line. With such a hard and
fast rule, it is practically impossible for any hang-
ing committee to make a decent display, and, of
course, rnuch that is worthy is necessariiy crowded
out to make room for these incompetent though
eminently respectable old gentlemen who have
either fallen by the wayside, or who were never
in the first place destined for the careers they have
unfortunately chosen. Survivals of a wretched art
epoch in this country, their unfortunate pictures
lower present Standards, offend in a colour way,
and generally make for apathy on the part of the
public. This year’s exhibition—the eighty-hrst—
of the Academy is unusually aggravating in the
large number of these contributions frorn which

it is impossible to escape and which drag down the
show to a hopelessly low level.
We admit it is a perplexing Situation, but for the
general health of the whole body artistic, some
radical measure must be taken, some one must have
the courage of his conviction and concerted action
alone will save the remnants of the Organisation.
Out of the three hundred and forty pictures which
are hung on the walls of the galleries of the Amer-
ican Fine Arts Society, where the display is held—
for the Academy is still homeless—there may, of
course, be found work that is interesting, if one will
look for it, and, since there are half a dozen or more
prizes offered annually, we may turn our attention
to the canvases that have been thus signalled out
for distinction, to which, happily, little objection
can be offered, for the awards have been made with
discretion; and it must be remembered, since an
artist may not take the same prize twice, forty of
the present exhibitors are thus debarred frorn
competition. No one, surely, will question the
excellence of Frank W. Benson’s canvas, to which
is given the Proctor Prize for portraiture and which
is a full length, life-size hgure of a beautiful wornan
Standing, with one hand at her hip. She wears an
evening gown of some yellowish fabric and both
face and hgure are curiously lit. Behind is a drapery
with a great
stork thereon,
and to her right
a blue vase,
which gives a
harmonious
note of colour.
Painted with
breadth and
certainty, the
work is impres-
sive frorn its
sincerity and
earnest, if un-
conscious, ren-
dering of tex-
tures and flesh,
whilethecharm
of femininity is
ever present.
Mr. Benson,
whose Studio is
in Boston, is a
Veteran at prize
winning, not
alone in New
York, but


PORTRAIT OF BY ORLANDO
MISS GERTRUDE HALL ROULAND

LXXXIV