New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-17
FINE AR18
A poMpEuAN SCENE.

POMPEllAN oCENb'
Prang g. Co. have at last published chroho
that merits the attention and deserves the praise
lovers and critics It Is spoken Of among art dealers
not only the best that this house has Produced pus a
quite equal II not superior to anything OF the KIM nm
has been produced elsewhere 1t Is much more W.
than anything Mr. Prang has hitherto attemp'eu LIZ
subjects have commonly been quite Simple" ns.-o 80,
yard scone bit OF landscape or. IL figures ".,o
duced group OF children or OF peopie 'na' n,ao,s
arranged and plainly clad. But TINS un"o ~ :, tho
figure pieco by no less artist than Coop'ano, on'
20. a,,oo,o IN .av the least of modern painters.
rho .ceua "a an APARTMENT in q Pompeiian mousse. a
th.r ats I'm an easy posture looking down AZ nor 'o
how who has broken his plaything ana 10 s'" -,
net Gazing at 1t as 1t lies on the noor' iho i" 49,,
rr,onsy furnished. The walls are denca'ey '".'
havs sngpesons OF fresco painting In the panei' Io
n"'o ..o,a,ed p,orbe The round table on which
the lady Is leaning is covered with rich 'apcsuy
"a dIsnlavs several small objects OF ART. Inc iAa'
arass Is loose delicate in fabric, gorgeous III coo
many folds Her sandaed feet rest on sou r'u
A leonardo skin spread on the moor serves NO ~.
Through the parting OF heavy drapery curtains vno ~
glimpse Of another room beyond, tho walls VI ',.
,n,ea the color OF rose. We mention all fheso uo'a
~ - ,,o may be presented Of the difficulties In tho
- rer,oauclnc the composition In chrome Inc art'
snnoyacia IA not meretrcious Tho composi.io"
Ga admirable the drawing faultless' ana INC eo'o'
| though rich and strong, are so ehqsis'eiy pio
80 aa,,catev shaded modified and sofencd ny hou''"i
,ints that perfect harmony Is preserved niousnou
! A dreamy atmosphere imparts character oi son
apguor TO the piece which, though not par MAJ -
,erest,np as work OF Imagination, Is very atrac'o
york of art IL has cost the painter much u'no hnu
cara The most delicate touches OF an ehceeuis'' "
cate poncl have been bestowed on IT. Livery Pa o"'"
| the presence of uuexceptionaOle taste' -,
This ia the subject Mr. PranS has audaciousp onooO
for his chrome and which he has sucoeedeu III rcuis
| far better than he commonly sue0o0"' w.
elaborate works as.
That hts success Is complete do not pretend 70 say
Bat the Affects are such suppose must ntonu 'o
mechanical process under the most advantageous eo
TONS What we miss Is the bloom OF the picture ITO az
osphero hs tone Of IT. the dreamy suggestiyeiess OF IT,
When we call to mind that 1t Is simply mechacai pro
ductlon we account for this unsailsiaclofhesS' no
delicate flesh tints the finely shaded hues OF drapery the
carefully indicated texture OF the cotton ana WOODEN
| stufs which tho artist has produced by hundred
touches Of the brush, repeatou -
pressions which. nGeniousy prepared do not
convey the living effect Tho rounded arms OF tho
lady have more rigid look the bare legs OF the httc
urchin lack the substance OF the ocina the material OF
the UNDERGRADUATES is less thin aud flexible than that
winch the artist gives leopard skin does not seem TO
DO 40 careessy flung upon the floor At first glance tho
colors OF the choiuo appear exaggerated, Dpt ts Is
due perhaps TO their being mechanically laid on, and
consequently missing the subtle blending OF hues 10
which the original painting much OF us CHARM
One thing the chrome docs not probably never WILL re
produce, am that ia the quality called tone the
quality which expresses tho feeling Of the artist the g
0esire character the work The chrome Is always de-
fcient In depth In this for example the perspect
i've through opening OF tho curtain into the Interior
ROOM is mperecy rendered the impression OF distance
being almost lost In the representation No doubt the
framing of the picture would modify OF these de
fects still the appearance Of crudeness belongs to this
| kind OF work.
We should not make these criticisms II this perform
ancc OF Prang less excellent than Is. 1t de
serves TO DO criticised As apiece Of drawing the picture
is remarkably eooda striking exception TO all the work
that has previously from this quarter We might
pick quarrel with It here and there, OF COURSE Tho
hand on which mother rests her head the wrist aud
hand OF the left arm not perfect but with the exc
cuon whole there is little anlt to find. II Ia
not surprising that persons unappreclarve OF the nicer
distinctions Of hue, color and effect seeing the two pic
tares framed hung sido ny sde should be at loss to
say which the original and which the copy. To
learn how make these Determinations constitutes
part Of the teaching that tho chrome will mpart the
public; 1t Is OF the advantages anticipate from
this process Of pOpulazing art The difference between
the original painting and the chrome is similar to that
between solid plate and fair plating. Or better s per
haps to that between and pressed glass They who
afford the silver aud the cut glass will find the
plated aud the pressed glass their
very we'll and satisfy all their taste for tho genuine
and the very best thing there is We congratulate Mr.
Prang on his own improved taste In tho selection OF
| themes, as well as on his gain In technical Skin.
------------