Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-10
NATIONAL INTELLlGENCER
FROM OUR PARIS CORREsPoNDENT.


PARIS, JUNE 7, ls32.
Americans who have been in Paris few months,
especially if they have any intercourse with the
American artists resident here, are almost certain to
have heard Of Mr. BRYAN, the American amateur,
and his small but valuable and painfully-aequired
gallery Of pictures. l had met with hun nrst q
cmne, Of wears since in the atelier of our distin-
pnished PAINTER, VIM. III. POWELL, where l was
much struck with the business and sagacity Of his
criticisms upon Powsps picture of the Discovery of
the Mssissippi, intended for the Rotundo of the
Capitol which your readers will be glad to learn is
now rapidly approaching its completion Meeting
him afterwards in the saloons Of club of which we
were both members, ere long gained admittance
into the saactuns sanctorum in which Mr.. BRYAN
boards his pictures and into his neat complete little
atclier (for Mr.. b. is something of an artist as well
as amateur and connoisseur in which he tests, and
In some sort creates, the value Of his new acquis-
tons. Mr.. Bryan has, perhaps, no equal as DIS
coeerer of valuable pictures. Knowing that Mr.. b.
intended to transport his collection to the United
States, and to make it there the modest but valua
BILE commencement of National Gallery Of Paint
ings for the encouragement of the Fine Arts, have
long desired notice in my letters to the ntegencer
his laudable efforts SUGGEST and purpose and have only
reraned from the consciousness of my own incompeency
do the subject JUSTICE Fortunately, French critic
and writer Of distinction has justcome to my aid M A.
MrcHIELs, whose reputation and altsraryan
afford ample guaranty Of his competency has lately pub
liShed q long notice of Mr. Bryan and his pictures
send to-day translation Of the greater portion of his
ticle, satisfied that have to-day political
Of importance the portion Of your columns devoted
Paris correspondence will be thus acceptably occupied
M. MicEIs1s says:
20 True amateurs being rare they should be held in
great esteem and be encouraged their efforts for they
often the pioneers Of historians and critics Study
ing the works which they possess wish acquire with
the perseverance OF mpassioned TASTE they discover
their origin in tracing (by the MD of catalogues their
different vcisstudes and in showing their respective
merits and ahntes. Many important works have been
saved by amateurs from distinctions many others owe
them their present celebrity. Several public galleries.
especially the National Gallery i'm London, were for
nlerly private collections.
Many years have elapsed since distinguished Anne
rican formed the project of rendering 20 bis country the
same service which NJ Angersten rendered to the capital
Of England The inhabitants of the United States hardly
know the celebrated painters except by reputation they
lack the works Of the great masters to exercise the
and practice the eye and to give just and precise ideas
Mr.. Jefferson Bryan has resolved to put end TO
this lamentable state of things He has imposed upon
himself the mission to collect together by din of time
and PATIENCE certain number Of characteristic paintings
the study Of which be useful to the young artists Of
his country and form class of connoisseurs He
hopes that this first collection increasing little by little
In value by successive purchases may become nucleus
Of transatlantic museum 1t noble project GER
tanly but like all great enterprises attended by
enormous difficulties The first in the fortune Of Mr.
Bryan which is not large and does not therefore enable
him to compete ut the sales with rich amateurs he
net contend with them for the acquisition of celebrated
works which are sold at fabulous prices But, the
other hand he convinced that prejudice and gno-
exaggerate the worth of certain works. while they
unusty deprecated others of the greatest merit He ar
ranged his plans accordingly Leaving the crowd of pur
chasers to precpte themselves into the traps Of picture
Dealers or to follow the nfatuations Of public opinion
he has judged every work by its own merits His only
guides have been his taste and his knowledge and all or
binary influences have been defeated by his intelligence
and rmness Many valuable paintings have thus become
the recompense of his enlightened efforts rather than the
conquests of his purse.
Mr. Bryan also knew that q large number Of paint
ngs had lost their primitive appearance at the hands of
They have been subjected to the caprses of
many different possessors that often scarcely tenth
part of the original work remains visible One has con-
cealed some detail another has added something third
has made some notification that every part of the
work has been changed, like the tmbers Of the Dean
ship.
% But beneath all these unskful coatngs the true
deceptive layers by which it is concealed Now in this
difficult operation Mr. Bryan exeels. He is acquainted
with process by which he reduces oil the supermposed
coors to dust SO eectualy that he finishes by finding
himself in presence of the original picture 1t is unne
cessay to say that this original generally superior to
the false coating which overlad it. Having purchased an
apparently mediocre bad painting, Mr.. Bryan finds
himself the Possessor Of an excellent remarkable
less than the person who accompishes it, important pic
lures shrouded in veritabe windingsheet and which
seemed likely to remain there forever restored to life
Mr. Bryan has accomplished . kind of resurrection 81
The most difficult thing in this work of research on
examining painting to determine the probable value Of
the portion which is invisible The bases of induction
furnished by terrain touches which remain pure the
gacy of the judge follows this clue the hunter follows
track Without doubt he may get the wrong scent
but he may also arrive at result On many
occasions Mr. Bryan has INDUCED in vain hopes he does
not pretend TO be infalib In the beginning especially
he often deceived. Since then he has been deceived
less and less. Purchasing, then sometimes works
restored sometimes works hidden layers
Of clumsy restoration which he removes he has made at
last an, extremely remarkable collection Never losing
sight Of his original plan Mr. Bryan has been guided in
his choice by historical considerations He has sought
less to acquire several interesting works by the
ter than TO procure one painting BY each, of nature
topetsons but little familiar with the different styles He
has, for example, twenty works by the early Italian
painters, composing series from Guido Of Sienna TO
Perugino.l We specify only the most important.
First, there is q VIRGE,s BY Guido bearing on her
knees the infant Christ adored by four saints The
titudes are still stf but they betry already great OBJ
servson Of nature The coorng fne and intense s not
wanting in analogy with the school Of Bruges although
it is evidently clearer It would be Impossible explain
the beauty Of the dapery unless we knew that the BY
zantne srsts throughout the middle ages adhered to the
ancient traditions in all that concerned the arrangement
Of costume This picture formerly belonged NJ Araud
de Monitor; is mentioned by Gault de Sant GERMAN ms
of the works which best illustrate the style of the
master. 4W
Mr.. Bryan possesses curious painting by De Giotto
representing the preparations for tournament In the
centre, Fame, standing globe, holds in one hand
sword and in the other statuete of cupid shooting
row. From the globe are seen to issue trumpets-the
nwrIv ~~- n - ~. H.