Studio: international art (12.1898)

Studio- Talk

DOUBLURE. " SUNDERLAND DECORATION "

FROM A DESIGN BY LEON V. SOLON

(See Newcastle-under-Lyme Studio-Talk)

been better for once not to have had an exhibition
at all. About 2100 art works were displayed, and
how many of these had the slightest claim to
serious consideration?

One may say, without fear of contradiction, that
in all these galleries there was, with few exceptions,
absolutely nothing to charm the eye or awake the
imagination; almost everything left one in a
state of perfect indifference. As a rule one can
walk through a picture gallery, admiring this and
condemning that, finding a certain power and indi-
viduality in the works, whether good or bad : at any
rate one's feelings are appealed to. But here, all
these " pot-boilers," were they by Mr. X. or Mr. Y.,
left one quite emotionless; and indifference is
the one feeling which is most fatal to art. But to
be just, I must admit that many of the best and
most famous names were to be sought for in vain.
A Berlin exhibition without Menzel is like a head-
less trunk. However, we had a fine collection of
the works of Max Liebermann, who has at last
gained the large gold medal, and this exhibit formed
an oasis towards which the visitors flocked, to rest
and refresh their eyes. Liebermann was represented
in all his stages—from the dark and melancholy
124

manner which he took from Munkaczy, to the full-
coloured, gladsome style of the present. And in
them all we saw the same personality, the same
power, which only truest art can produce, the same
joyous revelation of nature, and, let his opponents
say what they may, the same capacity for seeing
and reproducing its beauties. The unusually taste-
ful arrangement of this gallery added not a little to
its excellent effect.

Close by in a couple of rooms was displayed the
work of the Union of Karlsruhe Artists. Last year
I observed that a most praiseworthy school of
painting had quietly sprung up in South Germany,
under the influence of a few artists; and this year
there was again a very good display, although not
quite so satisfactory all round as that of 1896.
Landscapes predominated, not " open-air " work a
out?-ance, but revealing rather the more sentimental
tendencies in accord with Germany feeling.
Among the landscapists may be mentioned Schon-
leber, H. von Volckmann and Potzelberger. I

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DOUBLURE. " SUNDERLAND DECORATION "

FROM A DESIGN BY LEON V. SOLON

(See Newcastle-under-Lyme Studio- Talk)