American painting and its tradition : as represented by Inness, Wyant, Martin, Homer, La Farge, Whistler, Chase, Alexander, Sargent . ion-strung. A latecanvas like that entitled Husband, Wife, andChild may suggest sentiment, but only as asuperfluity. The painter meant to stop withthe completed pattern. Almost always the pattern is agreeable andsuflScient in itself as art. The space is happilyfilled with one figure, sometimes two, but sel-dom more. The linear design meets the uprightof the frame with flowing lines in which repetitionplays more of a part than contrast. The BlueBowl is a good ill
American painting and its tradition : as represented by Inness, Wyant, Martin, Homer, La Farge, Whistler, Chase, Alexander, Sargent . ion-strung. A latecanvas like that entitled Husband, Wife, andChild may suggest sentiment, but only as asuperfluity. The painter meant to stop withthe completed pattern. Almost always the pattern is agreeable andsuflScient in itself as art. The space is happilyfilled with one figure, sometimes two, but sel-dom more. The linear design meets the uprightof the frame with flowing lines in which repetitionplays more of a part than contrast. The BlueBowl is a good illustration. The figure is placeddiagonally upon the canvas, the bowl lines arerepeated in the head and shoulders, the dressis spread in fan-like lines toward the far cornerof the canvas. The whole design is unusual andextraordinary but very graceful. So, too, withThe Ring, in the Metropolitan Museum,where a young woman seated on a lounge w^itha large straw hat in her lap is holding up a ringfor admiration. The round hat somehow suggestsa repetition of the round head, and the dresslines repeat its curves. Great care is taken with. TIk- Kill-/ ,I,.l,ii \V. Alcxaii(l( III the Muscniu ..f Art. JOHN W. ALEXANDER 281 tlie linear arrangements of all these single fig-ures. The composition is carefully thought out,^wrought out, brought out. Just as important as the design is the colorscheme. It is, in fact, so prominent that the titleof the picture is often derived from it. *TheGreen Gown or The Blue Bowl are hintsthat green or blue is the key in which the pictureis pitched. The continuance or repetition orperhaps slight variance of the green or blueruns through the whole picture and produceswhat is called a tone or harmony or symphonyin green or blue. The aim with Alexander isprecisely as with Whistler. Neither of themharps on the one note to the exclusion of everyother, but the one note nevertheless prevailsthroughout. The picture by Alexander called*The Rose shows a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectamerica, bookyear1920
