International studio (50.1913)

Reviews and Notices

period. Still, the work which impressed me most
was The Tea Party, a scene from Russian peasant
life. Though small, this picture, with its carefully
selected types of peasants in their national costumes
of bright colours, is a veritable chef d'oeuvre.
Passing now to the work of living artists, it must
be confessed that there is not a great deal to say
that is favourable about this year’s exhibition of
the “ Soyouz,” although the general level was
tolerably high. W. Surikoff, who does not produce
much now, showed a large historical painting—a
Russian princess visiting a convent—which, how-
ever, was only satisfactory in certain details.
Maliutin is coming more and more to the front as
a sympathetic, intimate portrait painter, while K.
Korovin in his Feux de Paris returned to motives
which he has ofttimes handled in the past, and
L. Pasternak displayed his wonted mastery in two
life-sized portrait drawings. Amongst the land-
scapes a large canvas by Arkadius Ryloff, Before
the Storm, was especially prominent. This painter,
who belongs to St. Petersburg, has, from the be-
ginning of his career, made a special study of
nature in the North, but hitherto he has produced
no work in which the concentrated colour of the
North Russian landscape has been expressed in
such monumental fashion and with so much virile
power as here. _
Excellent landscapes were also shown by Petro-
vitcheff and Turjanski and a flower-piece of intense
coloration by Yakovleff, but Yuon and Krymoff
were less interesting than usual. Of the younger
generation of workers mention should be made of
Mlle. Goldinger, who is making rapid strides as a
portraitist, as well as Mme. Kamentseva, Ulianoff,
Yasinsky, and Zaitseff, among others. The etch-
ings of Masiutin and Stelletski’s productions were
as interesting as ever, but Konenkoff the sculptor
seemed to be less himself on this occasion, his
marble heads revealing too markedly the influence
of archaic Greek sculpture. P. E.
ST. PETERSBURG.—An interesting ex-
hibition was recently opened in the gal-
leries of the Imperial Academy of Art.
Besides pictures a great many prints,
etchings and drawings were exhibited, and as an
example of careful study, hard work and know-
ledge of technique it was to be welcomed. It was
divided into three sections; the first contained a
choice collection of drawings by Russian artists
who flourished at the end of the eighteenth century

and the beginning of the nineteenth, from the
collection of Mr. Zvetkoff; the second was devoted
to modern art, and the third to the history of
lithography in Russia. In this last section the
work of Mr. Kordovski called for notice, and
among other examples a series of illustrations to
Gogol’s story, “ The Nevski Prospect ”—one of
which is here reproduced. Mr. Kordovski is as
yet quite a young artist, but he is quickly becoming
very popular in Russia, his remarkable technique,
acquired by careful study, his capitally thought out
subjects, in which every detail is strictly true to
the epoch he reproduces, his love of line, his
thorough knowledge of the material he uses, making
him one of our most serious and prominent
draughtsmen. Some say he lacks temperament,
that in his striving after technique and fidelity to
details he becomes too cold and academic, but the
grace, the feeling of beauty, the strength manifested
in his work make up for it; while his faultless
drawing cannot be too highly appreciated in our
days when most of our artists seem to be quite
indifferent to truth of line and form in their pursuit
of new and eccentric effects. M. I.
REVIEWS AND NOTICES.
Miniatures by Charles Turrell. With an intro-
duction by G. C. Williamson, Litt.D. (London:
John Lane, the Bodley Head.) Limited edition,
^15 155. net.—The purpose of this sumptuous
and effective book is to sum up the achievement
of a modern miniature painter who has practised
his art with distinction for some years past.
Ninety-eight examples of his work are produced in
colour and photogravure; and as among these
illustrations there are portraits of Queen Mary,
Queen Alexandra, the Queen of Norway, Princess
Mary, the Princess Royal, Princess Victoria, and a
number of personages of great social prominence,
the book is of real importance as a pictorial record
of the leaders of society in our times. It is of not
less value artistically, for Mr. Turrell is an artist
who observes the great traditions of miniature
painting and works along the lines laid down by
the chief masters of the art. He has a true sense
of style, and in technical matters he is notably
accomplished. The illustrations give a very good
idea of his way of handling his materials; they
show that he has studied sincerely the practical
details of his craft and that he has the ease of
expression which comes from sound knowledge.
A Travers Montmartre. Dessins de Henry
de Marandat ; texte par Octave Charpentier.
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