Art Exhibitions
[MODERN FRENCH PAINTERS AT THE KNOEDLER GALLERIES.]
THE group of twenty-five paintings by contemporary French artists at the ICnoedler Galleries are seen under the best
conditions, and form an exceedingly attractive show. They offer no great surprises in new names or unexpected develop- ments, but include some very choice examples. The 'small still-life by M. Henri Matisse is a lovely example of the more sober side of his talent, so large is it in design, so sure in taste, and beautiful in quality of paint. Who else could make simple black, white, ochres and green yield such richness of colour effect ? By this enviable painter there are also a seascape of great brilliance but less sensibility, and a delightful Femme a. l'ombrelle, in which the movement of the figure, and the landscape background, are evoked with a summary lightness and ease that conceals great knowledge.
The deeper and more masculine notes of M. Derain am found in two landscapes, rather harsh but solemn and powerful in design, a flowerpiece, and two figure studies. A tiny busk dc femme has astonishing fullness of form, and vivacity in • the placing of rich black notes. Madame Marie Laurencin stays in the charming road she has discovered. Hers is an
art of surface decoration ; she is rather the Corder de nos fours, but her Ronde des petites fines is exquisite in movement and design. Two little panels by Seurat are both
fine studies, one of the movement and volume of a figure against bright water, the other of arabesque and colour contrast for a portion of the " Grande Jatte." There are characteristic street scenes by Utrillo, three pictures by Bonnard, including an amusing early example of the rather over-conscious pattern design of the 'nineties and others by Signac, Marquet and Roussel. But scarcely a picture here is negligible or without some beauty.
HUBERT WELLINGTON.
Previous page
