New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-22
FINE ARTS-MUSIC-DpAM,
THE METROPOLITAN MJsPIv

hylI
gashght view OF the new pictures Of our Ne,,anis
Museum is fully sustained on more ,Uopohts
ton by the light of day They are wen -. e'snls
the spacious dancing hall OF Mr. Dodwor,b a,poed
to have been providentally built for I'M, ssns
pOse. The walls are comfortably alled 80 'a'
crowded and the pictures are generally hung W., d
ngent reference TO their requirements in ljgs, e
tlon The coup d@A as you enter IA very sA.. pa
prepossessing, and your pleasure increase. nj
every hour which you give to the e1uyV,a
OF the paintings. They are to 10 uaiIc,
nent advantage iand permanent grat,so.asY'faa
all our artists and lovers Of art ~ 70
unable TO study paintings in the great artist. q,
Europe. We do not wish to exaggerato The v,,..'S
collection. 1t does not pretend to be a., ia
even OF Dutch and Flemish paintings. II a. sa&1
O complete representation OF the artists :, : gn
and the works i contains are with few ~ SS3,
Secondary In rank and merit. But It doe, 49, tH
beyond the power Of any copy or any eng,,v,,'Ah
cient specimens Of the work OF sOoae q tbs .s' M
masters that have ever lived, to give % ,t-s. sa
amateurs definite idea Of the touch and n. SA
which greater works were accomplished T,,, aT
New-YOrk an opportunity for study which tr'a
before existed, and which has long been ,.-1, N'i
have reason to congratulate ourselves Uus. 80 "
action OF the public-spirited gentlens, t'-N
cured this collection. 1t Is very seldom r,,,a
good and rare paintings are exposed for sale =,
time Certain classes Of pictures are Of eOurs
reach. The Duke OF Ripalda has Raphael. COM
called the Colonna Raphael, which was ptesep.ss,L
by the King Of Naples, which he Is nov Of rns -
He at first asked for it $4,000, but has il a -,
gradually fallen to half that figure. 1t sno,o0,,a
,,j.,s 6ess 1ar%i but Is Of course WORT any pr ).
caprice of wealth or the competition Of go7efunssl
nay place upon It. Any OF the capital works Of RlSi
wo lid bring an almost eqDa pr'Oe' Inc precious It'd,
painti, es Of the Dutch School are ,"a IN FasGa
SQUARE In, III. We see even the pretty eshvs*'dsna
and Bougu, 'reau and ToulmOUche, which Ia %-J
artists are able TO repeat for many year, 10 ,,.,.
for enormous price every day in our shops. Az -.
general growth Of wealth and taste, collector, a.
and competition becomes more animated, even e.
ondary works Of old mas,ers such as those We n,..
will become dearer and harder 10 get It is no,m.,
that our Museum will have funds enough 10 NJ,
any other extensive purchases Of nd painting aais
therefore subject for congratuatioa that cur p,,
acquisition is so respectable.
We have one Rubens Of good rank and s,andlse-s,
Holy Family on the Return from Egypt Thovrs, ~
painted with that full power and lift Of msprst,,
that gave such glory 10 his Descent from the Cou a,
although 1t lacks that riotOus richness Of eorvhA
lights up his Alteration Of the Mag this "a gOda,i,
valuable picture. 1t Is equally removed from thshr
ness Of his earliest and the carelessns VIA
marked those later works which he merely sketedsM
then left for his pupils to finish Il Is accutsYsa md
decisiyely drawn, and the cOloring Ia clear and saz
If you want TO see how much betterit than bis ves,
STYLE look at that group of Lions Chasing Deer vhAs
also ascribed to him. If Rubens painted this :ts snd
grOtesque group of heraldic beasts, 1t must have been
before he learned the Of the mastery brush that
drew that marvellous study Of tigers in bis -Four
Quarters Of the World" piece Of Characterization and
drawing never excelled by any painter Of animals 10
this day.
We have q fair representation Of Rubens great pupil,
and friends, Van Dyck aud J0rdaens. The Saint Martha
of the former is Of those pure and earnest works
which give so clear an insight into the gentle and c
tured nature of the artist 1t does not need the great
name of Van Dyck to attract attention to the grace and
vigor ofts composition and the tender and delicate sen
ment with which it is filed. II is well known thai
Murllo gained his first ideas Of the true capacities o.
art from few stray pictures OF Van Dyck that came II
lfs way and it is not impossible that this unpeenuhG
york4nay have been the germ Of some Of those MadoR
mas which he afterward poised among clouds and ocE'
OF cherubs VanlDyck has characteristc portrait Of
delicate young GIRL Of kind that artists must pant b
cause they are rich and beloved Of their parents ou1 who
ire Of no interest TO u.s. except his subjects Whn
vas painted Miss de Chrstyn was Is, and Van DyE vas
70 and much more beautiful than she was So thatu ny
construct romance out OF the inscription on tie hl1
yOu choose
Jordaenss principal picture here is the Visit Of A
% the Infant Jesus. 1t ia large and important picture
n inches by 3d. and in intention and power deserves
DO ranked among the more successful efforts Of tbs
master. 1t is true that JOrdaenss strength lay mors
his scenes of real life than in these sacred subjects M
his is on unusually yaluble specimen OF the haS
There is no more instructive study than comparsond
he manner of Van Dyck and Jordaens with each oha
md with their master. Jordaens has two more pctEr
n the collections Triumph OF Bacchus aud sEeei
ull Of power, for picture which was probably heVa
painted.
Gaspard de Crayer, another master of the Flemis
chool is represented by OF his principal works
one of the largest and is certainly the most ambition
cture in the collection. 1t gives the scene betEee
Alexander and Diogenes, where the conqueror caf ID
ynic, WHO retorts by asking him to get Out OF his SUI
hine. 1t is remarkably well-balanced eompOston
The artist seems however, 10 have taken peaar
n the philosopher than in the king, for the bearded an
Inl1empt head OF Dogenes is drawn with great Onc
Dality and vigor while the face OF Alexander compr
lively expressionless.
Both the Teniers father and son, are seen almost
heir best in two admirable pictures. "he Temptation
If St. Anthony" OF the Elder is his favorte subject and
ound repeated in almost every gallery OF Europe bu'
here are few IL any specimens TO be found superior 70
his. You will see great prominence given IN 'As pc
re to the artists inveterate practical joke upon '
wife, who IL presented to the fasting SAINT o. %.
strongest of temptations. 1.-THE tormented lermI s'
90 long at her fresh and rosy face be weald De ' "
he hoofs and tail of the Arch Enemy are peeTnS GU
below the hem OF her robe The picture which np"
,ents the younger Teniers does 81 most worthy hS
he celebrated Lendemdn des 6oceS (The Day Aiti
he Wedding), which Lebas made so popular VIE -
engraving. In this instance we can thorough! S.'"
With the catalogue which calls this composition ul
spirit, of an exquisite slyery tone, and incomIaI'A
ineness OF touch"
There Is one of the vegetable pieces OF sYoe''
pleasant italian Landscape by Huysm ans; tVo el'p
ent specimens OF that microscopic workman, blssI-
,alled "Velvet," who was very fashionable IN De -.
lay and ras reganed his fashion in ours, to the
of better men and better schools. For exquisite w.
ion Of handling, in which there is no thought nO
10 feeling, he was alone while he lived ana "- =,
even now in the day OF MeiSs0nnlef -0~