American art and American art collections; essays on artistic subjects . ith and clearinterpretation of to-day, are visible in other works by Mr. Chase, in the Fishmarket for ex-ample, in the Duveneck, — though here a little obscured by the slight alteration of dress, — andin some of his simplest portraits, such as the one of Mr. Muhrman. Many hasty studies, too,show the same power, as we find in a series of pencil sketches made from the lace-workers ofVenice, one of which is here reproduced on a smaller scale. There is no search for a so-called picturesque subject, merely an artistic little g
American art and American art collections; essays on artistic subjects . ith and clearinterpretation of to-day, are visible in other works by Mr. Chase, in the Fishmarket for ex-ample, in the Duveneck, — though here a little obscured by the slight alteration of dress, — andin some of his simplest portraits, such as the one of Mr. Muhrman. Many hasty studies, too,show the same power, as we find in a series of pencil sketches made from the lace-workers ofVenice, one of which is here reproduced on a smaller scale. There is no search for a so-called picturesque subject, merely an artistic little glimpse of a prosaic and quite pitiable these sketches are bits of real life, touched with something of the genuineness and sympa-thy that Millet was the first to introduce into modern art. It is this side of Mr. Chases talentwhich to me seems most interesting and most susceptible of high development. When a mancan realize to-day for us, vividly, truthfully, yet artistically, can paint the things nearest to us, .:UZ;-;~-:r^ --?* ^^X^Z^fc^-^ 1 VN \. AMERICAN ART 229 best understood by all our world, he will fall below his own possibilities if he deals with thingsless immediate, less real, less instinct with vital contemporary interest. There is but one more word to say with reference to the chances of this artists future. Iam not among those who disparage simple portraiture in the least degree, or exalt high art,so called, as superior to it in the nature of things. But if the power that goes to realize astrong and clever portrait is backed by dramatic instinct and a mastery of composition, it canput the world about us on canvas in a wider and more impressive way. No one who remem-bers the boy in the Fislunarket picture, or many of Mr. Chases study heads, will deny that hehas the dramatic gift in so far as the vivid characterization of the human countenance is con-cerned. Is this power to be supplemented by the power of dramatic composition, and appliedto the r
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