New-York tribune., 1870-04-21
FINE ARTS.
THE BELMONT GALLERY.


Fifthaye., will be opened TO the public tomorrow
and saturday between the hours Of "A. III. ard
& n m The admission will be by purchased card
10 be obtained at Goups The number OF cards prhteu
is limited the number of people who may DC preSWeu
able to visit the gallery in the aforementioned space vi
time There but it Is not large ana deSe
crowd would make the enjoyment of the pictures nhpos
sibe.
Twice before to our knowledge, these paintings have
been exhibited for benevolent purposes. Once, many
wears ago they were taken TO the Tenth galleries ana
once during the war; Mr.. Belmonts own gallery was
open, during whole week, in aid OF the sanitary 'o
mission. The managers of the popular charty KNOW" aS
The shelterng Arms" an asylum for homeless me-
elected abused disabled but not necessarily orphahedor
abandoned children who do not fall naturally under the
care of other institutions been fortunate enough
10 secure the third opening They who pay their dollar 10
see the pictures will have the pleasant satisfaction ol
knowing If such other satisfaction they require tha'
they assisting the poor and frendless ior "hon ~
world possesses beauty whatever.
But visit to the gallery will he alone worth mort
than the time and money costs to for though not
large and not comprehensive, it is one Of the most
unique, beautiful, and valuable in the city. IL cotas
no reputed originals the old Italian masters ana
no copies Of their well-knOwn works. circumstance
that at the start progresses the honest mind III s
favor. The pictures are modern, aud almost WITHOUT
exception European. They are Of the Dutch, Gerna'
and French schools One example Of Eastman J0hnsohs
work Is hung on the upper ne of DE Haass Is on
level with t. A small fantastca piece by George H.
Boughton the only specimen OF American art at least
the only one that will be noticed beside these Mr.
Belmont being himself German and man OF me
aesthetic taste, naturally chooses the eanVases OF coh
mental masters. The collection is by no means Station
ary one though the walls completely covered There
have been several changes within few years AS ne"
and better works purchased, older ones OF less
20 aya
process of wedding out be carried little further ana
some ten or dozen paintings be displaced, the gallery
would contain o collection Of gems.
j. l.. Geromes "Dogenes" is here, hung too high for
best effect but well lighted and they all are There are
two pieces by Merle that will delight the admirers OF his
tender gracious, but pad and over sentimental stye
Meissonner appears in of his very best examples
and I'm another of inferior excellence and interest Rosa
Bonheur has a cattle scene and scene with horses ana
dogs hammered of course all her things are but good
examples of her power. TrOyOn appears to SIN
prlar advantage, one of his landscapes being
very rich in natural feeling. Horace VernetS small
pantng of street fight in Algeria holds the eye by It's
deadly fascnation and close by it is L. Gaats picture
Of the bloody Duke Of Ava with his Secretary and Con-
fcssors swearing in nqusitor There are two Bou-
lerauds the Italian Mother and Child, which, beautiful
az it is. never seemed to quite iaultleSs In
the proportions of the main figure aud the two sleeping
children which, delicious 1t is in color, substance, ana
EXPRESSION would be interesting II the Two seepets
were not so precisely of the complexion Better
samples need not be desired Of Wiems, or Guemn or
Meyer Won Bremen Plassan or L. Meyer, or Edouard
Frere or Chavet One of the most interesting pictures
is by Hebert--a poor organ-grnder sitting on wall,
tired and sick OF heart Zems little the Grand
Canal in Venice gives hint Of what Venetian pictures
might be- in color and poetic feeling. A. Achenbach OF
Dusseldorf represented by two canvases one showing
how breaks against rocky Shore the otherte
I.f fr,fl,
ing dusk the first remarkable for the sheen OF the water
as 1t trckes down the spit after the retreang
wave second for the rich color OF the twilight scene
and the sentiment Of tranquility thatbroods over land
and sea- small twilight piece by Th Rousseau peases
by depth of color and its serenity of expression
Theodore Rousseau is genuine artist, reallSt,
socaled OF the new school, but man OF
Imagination too, and a poet, more delicate than
Troyon though he too, notwithstanding Mr. Jarvess far
too sweeping judgment is not always maeralist nor
invariably Here is one of Decamp's peculiar
pieces strong in conception, in feeling, pOetical,
sused with the almost oriental angour to which he Is
responsiye and here the opposite side of the room is
Robert Fleury telling of his historical tales tragic
but inteecual grave, condensed. We need not call at
tenton to knauss two pictures, the "AdmOniti0n and
the Marriage Procession" for will fail to admire
them both for their humOr and hOmey yeracty. The
latter especially is admirable as deineaton OF village
life in Germany not beautiful In the ordinary sense
not beautiful Merle is beautiful not fine In feenng
like Bougueraud pretty like Willemsi but strong,
sensible hearty full OF fun and handsome enough for
its occasions subject to cheer the heart and treat
ment to satisfy exacng taste They would be
ments in any gallery.
Before leaving this elegant ro0m with its inaid foor
its decorated ceiling its luxurious Ottomans and chairs,
must pause long before the truly great work of Baron
Henri Leys-one Of the finest IL not the very finest,
have ever been permitted to from the hand OF that
with her mother observed by Faust and Mephstophees
1t the profound and beauty that belongs
absolute truth. Literal it s certainly every detail being
drawn and colored with the most exact fidelity. Forms,
costumes headdresses, decorations, stones buildings
even the grass in the yard But these would be
nothing apart from the firm imagination that makes
each part feature OF drama. Here is the spirit Of
TRUTH and not the letter only Amid all these different
personages each individual, the high gentleman and
lady, the priest the simple citizens, the crippled beggar
at the gate the little boy giving him aims the pious in
nocence Of Gretchen shines mOdesty conspicuous her
peace Of mind shedding oveness over the scene while
shadowy forms OF the demon and his victim indicate
the tragedy that is to follow 1t is great work Of art
beside which other works in the gallery called great
inferior To call it the masterpiece Of the gallery would
scarcely be exaggerated praise.
The ante-chamber, through which visitors pass into
the gallery contains portrait Of the Queen of Holland,
which presented to Mr. Belmont by her Majesty and
af amily portrait which possesses more than private
interest being the work Of AIRY scheer That artists
defect colorist less apparent here than in most Of
his works but the other hand his poetic feeling
also less conspicuous But for the reputation OF the
ter the picture would not probably attract much atten
ton.
There marbles both in the anteroom and the gal
lery; but being inferior in excellence TO the paintings
they will excite les interest than they deserve perhaps
They did not impress AZ being OF remarkable merit
but being, as well in subject as in treatment conven
toDal. few drawings OF Rosa B0nheur remarkable
by he nencil than nnx