The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-11
Foreign Art Mems.


prudlsh. ANY one who has not got beyond the
point OF being shocked by the nude female form
coniesses that the pure sphere of art is still
ABOVE MS naDlt OF mind. And we freely admit
that this Birth of Venus possesses rare quali-
tes that the flesh is pearly that the figure floats
lightly on the waves, and rises as a vision of
beauty IRON the sea-foam. Lovely too are the
Cupd-likc creatures that dance on the wing as
butterflies. Yet of all the Venuses we have
known, whether in marble or on canvas
whether IL be the Venus de- Medici or of the
Capitol, or Titans Venus in the Florence Tri-
bune-ths figure by Cabanel is the most volup-
tuous, not to say lcentious. Artists of all
times naturally strive to give expression TO
their highest conceptions of beauty, and our
objection to this Partisan Venus is simply that
the conception is low 1t was considered a
sign of the debasement of manners under
the Roman Emperors that the ideal of the Greeks
the pure type of beauty, the symbol of love, be-
came identified with courtesans. And this is
precisely the reading of the character given by
NJ Cabanel; yet this same NJ. Cabanel has been
created officer of the Legion of Honor and he
received the grand prize in the Universal Exhi-
tions of 1855 and 1862. 1t is hardly possible to
give greater emphasis to the statement that since
Ingres, Flandrin, Delaroche, and Aug Scheffer
the artists in France have suffered serious deca-
dence. They have fallen from classicsm through
romanticism down to voluptuousness they are
severed from the intellect and the religion of the
nation; and they answer the ends of the ruling
dynasty sufficiently well if they do but pleasantly
divert the minds of thepeople from weighty mat
ters and more serious thought. Neither do the
prevailing phases OF French art appear in n more
favorable light when we pass from VI. Cabanel to
NJ Gerome, painter who for genius, though
msdirected, is by common consent second to
none now living. Yet can it be that the great
Gerome is human? Have not his works some
times been inhuman is there not in his match
less productions absence of the finer traits of
our common humanity, such as mercy, CON
science, and the sense OF responsibility? NJ.
Gerome, has, in fact taught us to look always
n stealth somewhere
now a poor Marchand de Tapis' cannot sell
rug without the intrusion of tiend who is made
to howl from corner at the passers by. In
short, Mephistopheles after the Goethe type
with leer in the eye and cold shudder in the
touch, looks over the shoulder of NJ. Gerome
while he paints. This Marchand de Tapis'
has been produced for the sake of the carpet.
The comIositonES awkwardly out of balance,
and tie color somewhat opaque and heavy. Next
as a master-wOrk, though in a different way
may be noted Napoleon /, 1874 by Meissonier.
The picture, strange TO say, was exhibited in
January last, at the Royal Institution, by its
owner, Mr. Ruskin, in illustration of the rela-
tions OF Flamboyant Architecture to contempo-
rary and subsequent Art This amazing
achievement, supposed to represent in
money value G1000, received from Mr..
Ruskin, in printed appendix to his most elo-
quent lecture, the following depreciatory and
somewhat unintelligible criticism-'R Realistic
art of the lower school, but consummate of its
kind. Look at it with the lens Showing the
relation of the disturbed and dramatic manner Of
modern art to the disquetude of national
character We must confess that this disturbed
manner is not very obvious in the stern resolve
and imperturbable bearing of Napoleon; neither
does the disquietude of national character seem
to be of much concern to the war-horse that
carries the great and ponderous emperor. This
work, Notwithstanding criticism, remains truly
grand 1t was said, if we mistake not, of
Michael Angelo that he could have carved n
giant on u cherry-stone, and Meissonier can
on the scale of miniature impart large signiti-
Al,
few square inches shadow forth the destinies of
empires. Mr. Rusllin, in the words already
quoted, adds weight to what we have ventured
to say on the decadence OF French art; yet this
picture of Napoleon l. though realistic art of
the lower school, is consummate after its kind
the slightest touch could not be changed without
abatement of its perfectiOns."
"A sad story was told at an inquest held in
St. Pancras, London, on Friday, April 16, by DR..
Lancaster on the body of Isidore Magnes, aged
fifty-nine, q French artist who was found at his
rooms in Charlotte street, FitzrOy Square. 1t
appeared from the evidence that the deceased
once held high position, but being anxious to
make a name in the world" he five years ago
commenced q large picture which he hoped,
when completed, to have in the gallery at Yer
sailles, and with that view he sent Il photograph
of il to the French Emperor. He also had m
idea of sending it to the English Royal Acad ny.
He had named the picture-a crayon drawing
which he intended to bring out in oil En-
tente Cordiale: an Episode OF the Crimean War,
He labored on this picture, neglecting
other work which would have paid him well,
and gradually sank lower and lower into poverty.
His friends assisted him, but, being absorbed in
his great work, he did not heed their advice,
and they left him. His principal food was a LOAF
of bread and a pint of milk daily. A fortnight
ago his landlady, to whom he owed six weeks
rent lent him a little money to buy food with
He was last seen alive on Sunday, the 1lth
ultimo and on the following Tuesday was
found dead in his bed. The doctor who wa;
called in said he had been dead two days. a
most qloYten, examination showed that the brain
was entirely gone from the effect OF decompos
tiOn The cause of death, the doctor stated, wal
fatty degeneration of the heart, which had pro-
badly ceased its action through the mental eX
citement of the deceased. The jury returned {
verdict of death from fatty degeneration OF Tho
heart accelerated by want and anxiety OF mind.
A collection of drawings and pictures, inclu-
ding 16 drawings by Turner, the property OF the
late Mr.. John Dillon, which were sold in LondoT
bv Nessrs. Christie Manson and Woods on Satur
day April II, realized prices even more surprls
inc than those at the sale OF Mr.. Ruskins an(
another collection two days previously. The
total proceeds of the sale amounted TO upward
of sl5OOO Turner's 16 drawings were sold TO
f780l lOs an average OF nearly E5OO each, ant
f120O the highest price OF all, was pald ior on'
of the least interesting OF the set-a purely artl
fcial composition, representing lake over
sbadowed by trees, with cattle gong TO water
In contrast TO these prices, a lin
drawing by Barrett and "Gisborough Fnory,
by Girtin, went for a mere song :
Iondscone bv Gainsborough, formerly in tn
cnIiectan of Samuel Rogers sold for 720 guineas
4 sketch bv the late Mr.. Phillip for his "Anda
Insian Petter-writern brought 200 gulneas;
moor specimen of Leslie, 'Jeanie Dams, IL
auineas; and a rough though vigorous itCl
work of the eldest Linnell, l65 guineas. In
explanation of all this is simple, and no secre
- hxt tbn Themselves,