Studio: international art (67.1916)

Studio-Talk

with their tragic tales of suffering, and the sole
portrayal of the Russian soldier was an expressive
statuette in wood by W. Massiutin, who, though
known best as an etcher, has in this work proved
himself to be an equally talented sculptor.

Apart from this single exception the display of
the “Soyouz” this year presented very much the
same appearance as it was wont to in peace times.
Russian landscape was perhaps more prominent
than in recent years, a circumstance which gave to
the exhibition a certain monotony, all the more
apparent because the members of the Union who
were represented by works of this class had very
little that was new to offer, and for the most part
claimed attention merely by the evidence of mature
technical accomplishmentwhich their work afforded.
Amongst the most successful of them was N.
Krymoff, with his verdant symphonies of bright

Britishers know much more of
the later work of Mr. J. Kerr Lawson
of Chelsea than do his fellow-
countrymen, and it was a special
pleasure to get a glimpse of several
of his exquisite lithographs, the
fame of which had already crossed
the Atlantic. H. C.

MOSCOW.—Those who
ascribe to art the task
of mirroring in rapid
succession the important
events of the times would on visiting
the recent exhibition of the
“Soyouz” (the Union of Russian
Artists) have experienced a severe
disappointment. Of the World War
which now for more than a year and
a half has disturbed our social and
intellectual life to its very depths
there was no trace, and indeed in
its external aspect it differed scarcely
at all from the exhibitions of
previous years. Not a single battle
picture, nor a single motive, in fact,
emanating from the field of opera-
tions, the barracks or the hospitals
274

‘ THE MARKET TI.ACE, ST. MALO

BY J. W. MORRICE

( Canadian Art Club)

pieces, yet in A Village Street, Quebec—Winter,
he showed that individual vision in the matter
of colour and mellow charm which at all times
characterises him. A painter of somewhat similar
inspiration is Mr. W. E. Atkinson of Toronto,
whose studies in low tones are good things to live
with and who is a prolific worker. The best of
his many canvases was January Thaw, at once
decorative and thoroughly realistic. Mr. H. Ivan
Neilson of Quebec is another man habitually
rich in colour and harmonious in his patterns.
Especially good was Sandy Point, St. Lawrence,
in which the suggestion of wind on waves was
intimately conveyed.

Mr. A. Curtis Williamson of Toronto, though
he is a slow and meticulous worker, is perhaps the
best portrait painter in Canada. He rarely exhibits,
and his Portrait of an Old Lady was therefore
doubly welcome. It showed an
exquisite psychological analysis of
every wrinkle and shadow of ex-
pression on the aged face, and the
eyes had a peculiarly tender and
haunting quality.