New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-17
FINE AXIS.
A NEW PICTURE by GEROME.


A painting, the like of which has seldom been
seen IN this country and ia in any country, has just
been hung in one picture 1t is picture by
the French artist Gerome, and is the most pleasing II
not tho nost specimen OF that masters work that has
come to our side OF the II represents soldier
bargaining weapon at one Of the open street shops
OF Constantnopo Damascus lie stands with his back
to tho beholder his hands umbng each other behind
his head bent slightly forward in parey aud showing
Just enough OF his profile 10 indicate the cast attitude
and expression OF his counenance. With Gerome the
least suggestion Of line is sufficient for that The whole
man is intent on the trade he thinks al overs his fingers
paaver; his back deiberates read his emotions in
the features only conjecture. On the mat inside
the bazaar sits the dark passive, impcrturbable Turk,
feeling the edge Of the broad blade with his finger ana
turning his steress eyes toward the eager face Of his
customer Close by, outside the bOutique sits the
owners dog Off duty now, but consequential as ever
interested I'm the result OF the trade but grayey and con.
slcraely So q slight lift Of contempt his nose at the
soldiers meanness profound satisfaction In his half
shut eyes with his masters wares the very picture OF
an Old servant concerned In everything which concerns
the establishment The shop is full Of weapons pistols
and sabers OF many patterns and degrees OF richness
Some hanging inside and suspended from the low
roof attached the edge Of the great shutter that
closes the shop coat Of steel il displayed on
the street. ard buckers OF shining metal adorn the
entrance. Overhead is costly powderilask, along
with other attractive pieces Of work. inaid with gold
and SILVER Every part OF the picture Is finished with
that exquisite nicely which only the most faithful copy
from life Each weapon has an individuality
OF It's own. The steel coat heavy the bucker CLEANS
The articles OF dress worn by buyer and yender are
rendered with absolute fidelity to fashion and color, as
il the artist would give the very texture Of the leather
tho cotton and the silk and yet it never occurs to the
critic that point has been overdone-the elaboration
of the details instead OF weakening the effect OF the
whole piece only serving TO bring out its reality ana
intensity its life Gerome excels all living painters in
the combination Of the imaginative with the executive
power His conscentiousness in the finish OF each
minute part that no has been known to
shut up his studio in tho midst OF work and make
VOYAGE TO Egypt in order to verify imperfectly
remembered incident connected with his subject; yet
go great is his force OF concentration that the nina
asens on the thought If exquisite elcites OF art
stood between It and the eye His pictures fasclnate as
by a spell. most OF them it IS spell OF terror,
weird tragic influence from which the mind would tear
Itself away In the present instance 1t Is spell OF
Truth without mixture Of irony or sadness Gerome
seldom exctes SMILE IL is said that he never smiles
himself He loves the terrbei his imagination hoyers
on the edge of mystery and the mystery is usually the
mystery Of death He is best known in this country
through his death Of Cesar" "Gladators Salutng
Augustus" and "The Duel after tho Masquerade" In
looking over complete set Of his works reported BY
the photograph fnd very few that snsuggesuye
OF pain FORM and these are not ioyous-a spirit
turks In them, sentiment OF dread. sense
Of drcarness that brings up the mesncholy,or disas-
trous or perishlng fatal side OF experience. The
beauty he paints dangerous and the pleasure he de-
scrbes borders closely sensuaty, much tho
child OF ignorance the mother OF vice. that prefer
the deliberately and carefully deneated pain. Whatever
beside there may DO In his art there is always pathos
"The Weeping at the Ancient Foundations OF their
Temple" the Greek Girls at Prayer" the Dogs Watch
Ing the Camp" 1.-THE Call Of the Muezzln to Vespers
1.-THE Augurs," "Diogenes Trimming his Lantern"
appeal TO the pensve emotions His humor and he has
rich fund OF it, is apt be and bitter He is
cynic; he has fondness for introducing dogs into his
scenes and humanity in the dogs is often deeper than
the humanity expressed In the human figures.
But In the picture noticing there ia much
less than usual Of this dark broodng and bodng
spirit and In the dog there Is touch OF the comic The
desert dogs OF Gerome have tho desert keenness and
resignation Tho dogs about Diogenes philosophers
This dog is sleepy seneschal whose struggles to keep
his eyes open to extent that his dgnlhed position
requires are delightfully."- and laughaby human
than anything else In the composition But for the mir
rory cleaning Of the naked blade and the smoderlng
fire In the Turks eye, the work would be simply and
tirely pleasurabe.
AS study in color alone the piece would be remarka
BILE. Not because the tns vivid and lustrous but
because they are so strangely, yet 80 tremendously
blended Uncongenia bues which would seem likely TO
hurt another, disposed to produce agree
able effect Oh the eye
We hoped to be allowed to call attention to another
exquisite painting "a Mother OF Peace by Prof Itten
bach OF Dusseldorf marvel OF loneliness In expression
and execution but wealthy gentleman OF Philadelphia
II before II could be displayed. and carried
We will not therefore, by describing IT, tell the Newfork
pubic what they have lost
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