ART
The Philip Guedalla Collection of Caricatures. By Max Beerbohm— Paintings by Dorothy Annan. At the Leicester Galleries—
Paintings by Henryk Gotlib. Roland, Browse and Delbanco.
I HAVE returned to London to find an exhibition of works by young Mr. Max Beerbohm in progress at the Leicester Galleries. One
hundred and sixty-four drawings and water-colours, no less, and some of them possessing, apart from their wit, aside from their literary interest, and in excess of their, historical value, the most exquisite qualities of line and delicacy of colour. I have read some- where that Mr. Beerbohm is dubious as to the validity of the title " incomparable " conferred on him some years ago by George Bernard Shaw. With the diligence of Henry James I have person- ally pursued researches into the exact meaning of the word, and I have been at great pains to discover any suitable standards of com- parison by which the work of Mr. Beerbohm might be judged. I have
found none. Sir Max Bzerbohm is therefore in my eyes, ipso facto, " incomparable." Such is the drawing, holding and staying
power of Max that few people seem to have penetrated into the third room of the Leicester Galleries. It is, I admit, difficult to get further than the two rooms full of these caricatures, but it is hard on Dorothy Annan, who is having her first show in Room III. Her work has promise and her still lifes, which derive something of their sombre richness from Mathew Smith, are very pleasant.
Mr. Henryk Gotlib occupies all three rooms at the Roland, Browse and Delbanco Gallery, so if you go there you can't overlook him.• I must admit that Mr. Gotlib paints a kind of picture which is not to my taste, but he paints it very well indeed. A hasty glance gives the impression that these pictures are no more than derivative exer- cises after Bonnard, but this is not so. Gotlib's approach has much in common with this development of Impressionism, but he has made his own additions to the manner, and contrives a formal solidity, without loss of freshness, which is sometimes actually lack- ing in the work of the great Frenchman. His work is uneven, and he is not at his best on a large scale ; at his worst he is woolly, but some of his portraits and landscapes, notably Nos. 2, 7 and 21 are masterly.
Lack of space, and the fact that there is not the same journalistic urgency about permanent exhibitions, prevents me from writing at length this week on the pick of the Tate and National Gallery pictures assembled in the latter building. Suffice it to say that I doubt if at present there is any exhibition in the world which maintains so flawless a standard of excellence. The sight of comparatively few of the finest Turners, refrained, well hung, and seen with other masterpieces, is a revelation. I have always felt that it was a pity this artist left quite such a number of pictures to the nation, and that for so many years so many Turners were hung together at the Tate. His pictures are overpowering, seen in the mass. Singly, their superb handling and emotional power may be fully appreciated.
MICHAEL A YRTON.
Previous page
