Royal Hibernian Academy

An Exclusive Exhibition

A Machine Readable Version

Thomas MacGreevy

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[p.5]

This year's Exhibition at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts is perhaps, royally exclusive, but it is hardly Hibernian in its comprehensiveness, for such distinguished and successful exponents of contemporary tendencies in art as Mary Swanzy, Grace Henry, Evie Hone, Mairie H. Jellett, Nano Reid, Norah McGuiuness, Yvonne Jammet, Francis Kelly, Jack P. Hanlon, Louis le Brocquoy , and Ralph Cusack are entirely unrepresented. So much as a preliminary grouse.

The place of honour is fittingly occupied by Sean O'Sullivan's imposing portrait of "An Taoiseach." But, as has happened before, this is in the first instance, a Jack B. Yeats year. Pretty well every one of Mr. Yeats's exhibits is a chef d'œuvre, and what will make the distinguished Irish artist's admirers rejoice is that "Two Travellers," his most ambitious picture this year, is one of his greater masterpieces. And yet the subject is nothing more than two figures on a track leading to a mysterious mountain. The whole virtue of this miraculous picture lies in the treatment. In temper it approaches the mood of ruefully exalted tragedy so nobly achieved and sustained in the artist-author's moving and beautiful play, "La La Noo" which created such a profound impression at the Abbey Theatre last year. At the other end of the scale from "Two Travellers," Mr. Yeats's small "Welcome" is radiant in colour as in mood, and his other pictures, notably the wonderful "The Man in the Moon has Patience," are all authentic poems in paint, beautifully tempered in conception and choice in execution.

The President of the Academy, who, over the week-end was buying himself happily with his varnishing, has to be welcomed back to health and to work after a winter that brought him prolonged illness and great personal bereavement. It is that his contributions to the exhibition, notably the portrait-study "Magnolias" (interesting more particularly as an experiment in colour-composition), and the landscape, "The Doctor's Oats," show no falling off in his wonted sureness of both approach and execution.

After the portrait of Mr. de Valera, the example of that particular branch of painting most likely to claim attention this year is James Sleator's "The Late Sir William Orpen ," which is at once technically impressive and humanly charming. Rather in the nature of an act of homage to his master, it reveals Mr. Sleator with his heart nearer than usual to his sleeve, but it has nevertheless all the cultivated distinction and taste we expect to find in his work. These qualities are also to be noted in the artist's " Lennox Robinson, Esq.," and (unfinished) "Jack B. Yeats, Esq." The half-dozen Leo Whelan portraits, which include studies of the Provost of Trinity College, the President of University College, Dublin , and the late General Michael Collins, have the brilliant finish we expect from this artist. Besides some characteristic seascapes and studies of Irish country types, John Keating sends colourful portraits of "The Late Most Reverend Dr. O'Dwyer, Bishop of Limerick" and "Brighid Ni Lionsigh as Pegeen Mike." Frank McKelvey, too, includes a dignified portrait, that of Lord Justice Babington with a tyranny of portrait-painting, Maurice MacGonigal too, breaks what is for him new ground with "Crucifixion," an admirable exercise in design, in which the reverent figures at the foot of the Cross wear West of Ireland costumes. It is clear that the painter of this picture has given a great deal of thought to the working out of his conception and the result justifies the hope that he will feel encouraged to develop his ideas humanly and artistically in other versions of the sublime subject.

In Landscape art, Paul Henry's "Curragh" has notably delicate treatment of the sky, and J. Humbert Craig's "Early Summer, Glendun," considered as colour and atmosphere, is one of the freshest things the artist has sent us in recent years. Charles Lamb's sense of atmospheric perspective is evident in several western scenes. Estella Solomons adds a couple of dimly lit woodland studies to a group of Kerry scenes that are more brilliantly plein-air in treatment. And Letitia M. Hamilton has a fine array of sensitively-realised, highly-keyed decorative landscapes.

Lady Glenavy's fantastical imaginings, of which the most animated this year is, perhaps, "Spring," seems to have developed a new subtlety of both pattern and colour, though it seems a pity that this brilliant artist should not extend her technical researches to the study of atmosphere and let the light of day sometimes pierce the penumbra in which her pretty marionettes are too often enshrouded. Harry Kernoff's 1943 fantasies also seem to have developed — in the direction of more assured approach and brilliant effect than those of yesteryear. Another fantaisiste seems to be developing in Colin Midleton, who sends a "Magnetic Landscape."

Among the works of Associate Members of the Academy prominently displayed are in an imaginative study called "The Broken Wing," by George Collie; a broadly-handled sea-piece in high key, "The Morning Tide," By Ernest C. Hayes; and a vigorous marine portrait called "Nearing the Pier Head," by Patrick Leonard. William Conor sends a portrait as well as a number of characteristic genre studies. Lilian Davidson's contributions include an animated "Horse Fair," whereas Mrs. Andrew Ganly's only exhibit is a quiet little genre-piece, "A Story," which seems to mark a return to the artist's earlier richness of colour.

From outside R.H.A. circles comes "Garsún is Gabhar," by Somhairle MacCana, which has fine colour as well as beautifully clean handling. There is extraordinary finish in the flower-pieces by Moyra Barry; and Patrick Hennessy's "Exiles" shows the artist's meticulous technique to advantage. Simon Coleman's " Sir James Nelson " has a suggestion of "quality," and Anthony Reford's "Self-portrait," for all its debt to Modigliani, carries sufficient conviction to make its young author an artist to be watched. A couple of small pictures by R. Kennedy have charm of colour, and there is an excellent landscape study, "The Forgotten Cottage," by Caroline Scally. Then Frida Parrott has an impressionistically-handled "Blossom," in which the accomplishment displayed may be too easily taken for granted. And there is other painted work that claims attention by Cecil ffrench Salkald, Kitty Wilmer O'Brien, Frank Jameson, Cecil Galbally, Maurice Wilks, Theo J. Gracey, Dorothy Blackman, Geraldine O'Brien, Fergus O'Ryan, Henry Healy, Phoebe L. Kirkwood, Hilda Roberts Marsh, Gerard Dillon, Maurice C. Cogan and Muriel Brandt.

The sculpture this year is dominated by Seumas Murphy's full-length "Virgin of the Twilight" in polished black marble. It suffers somewhat from being placed on the floor without a pedestal, so that the disposition of the draperies cannot be seen to advantage, the easily flowing lines failing to make their full effect. But the head is finely conceived and executed. Albert Power's exhibits include a delicious small "Concertina-Player" as well as two more ambitious and very successful works. Those of Laurence Campbell include a beautiful head of " Sixten Nielson, Esq. ," and a tondo relief of the "Madonna ," as well as the artist's smaller contributions, is of notable refinement of execution. Jerome Connor has two characteristic studies. There is a "Head of a Girl," by Marshall C. Hutson, alert of mood and sensitive in handling, and a "Girl's Head" more thoughtful cast by Domhnaill O Murchada. Peter Grant's "Blessed Virgin " has touching simplicity and genuine vitality. And Helen Hooker O'Malley's full-throated "Mrs. Kiernan " is a happy reminder of an absent singer.

The London sculptor, Jacob Epstein, sends a portrait bust of " Philip Sayers " and a head called "Ragamuffin," which, perhaps, more illustrational than sculptural, has a vividness of expression and movement that reminds one of the painted urchins of Murillo.

In this section one is grateful for the freshness of Carmel Flynn's Rhododendrons and for several studies of our own soldiers by Gerald Bruen — the latter one of the few artists in the whole exhibition who seems to be aware of the fact that there is such a thing as an emergency. Gaetano de Gennaro has a couple of portraits in pastel which carry on the tradition of those fashionable artists of the earlier part of the century, Philip de Lazlo and Jean Boldini. Lady Dobbin's unfailing accomplishment is shown this year in "Dahlias," and other artists whose work calls for mention are Paul Egestorff, Tom Nisbet, Bea Orpen, Pat Griffith, Raymond Magrath, Basil Rakoczi, George Pennefather, Helen Pennefather, James M. Brennan and C. M. Doran.