Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-30
Letter from Boston.
Pictures EducntiOu of Women gsr.
WATSON on social IdeaIs-EOrd Ban
tam.
lrRoN OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

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terestcd by the ardent disagreement of the doc
tors. Then the Athen@um has added TO its
collection about fifty CT the acknowledgements
published by the Arundel society. This society
1 was formed in 1S49 by Ruskin, Rogers, Layard,
the marquis Of Langdowne, and Others, "for the
purpose OF preserving the record and diffusing
the knowledge of the most important mouu-
ments of painting and sculpture remaining from
past times, especially of such as were difficult
of access or were threatened by violence or de-
cay" The society first published reproductions
of early Italian frescos, but are now giving
specimens of the Flemish and German schools.
The pictures in the Atheneum are Italian,
with the exception Of one by Albrecht
Durer, three by Hans Memling, and one by
Hubert Van Eyck. The collection is an inter
esting and curious one, representing twenty-one
artists, and notwithstanding the newness and
necessary shortcomings of the chromolithogra-
ply, probably gives to person of any imagina-
ton, an excellent idea of the different STYLES of
painting. The prophet jeremiah, by Michel
Angelo, is grand and powerful, not disappoint-
ing ones conception of his work. The tempta-
tion is great to speak at length of these pic
tares but it must be resisted, yet knowing how
many persons are interested in Andrea del Sarto,
"thc faultless painter" and how rare any re-
productions of his pictures are, thought even a
slight description of his treatment fthe nativity
of the virgin might be Of some use. The fresco
is in the convent of the Annunziata at Florence.
1t represents large chamber with rich olive
tinted walls; a high, deliberately carved bed
stead with canopy; a mantel similarly carved,
also a seat-or a sort of settee with high back.
The curtains Of the bed are dark crimson, the
sheets and counterpart white and pearl
colored. Saint Anna is sitting up in
bed, dressed in dark purple, with
white zap and collar; her sandals are
placed beside the bed, as if she had just taken
them off. Near her stands an attendant in pale
pink, with small dark cap combining a mass
of golden hair; her face is partly turned toward
the spectator. AT the foot of the bed stand two
women in heavy drapery, very oddly arranged;
it is gathered up in front somewhat like muff,
and the hands and shape of the figure are con-
| cealed bv it. One of them wears a robe of eX-
| quiste color, a sort of opaque amber, with
bit of green under robe showing bordered with
orange-red, with a deep plumcolored under
dress. Sitting on the canopy of the bed, and
lowering about it, are little angels and cherubs
with dark-red wings, and Just beyond is a sort
of vision of an angel richly draped, and sur
rounded by stars and clouds. All this is on the
right of the picture. On the left is a low blaz-
| ing fire, with young lad warming himself
| by it; and directly in front of it a group of
women. One with the naked baby, the little
Mary, in her lap, sits on low seat, with
basin and some linen on another seat
close by her. She wears green
dress the sleeves, lined with white,
are rolled up, leaving the arms bare; and the
ends of the white scarf, which is thrown loosely
round her shoulders are tucked up to be out of
the way. She is quite absorbed in washing and
dressing the baby; the maid, who is helping
her, wears golden brown, with pink sleeves; and
a woman, standing behind her, but looking
across the room at the group by the bed is
dressed in dark reddish purple, and wears
string of gold beads 'rOuLd her throat On the
mantle is carved ornament with the words,
aadredS tdcierdt ON the base, and terminating
in stiff stalk bearing three lilies and with
large twisted about the stalk. Notwithstand-
ing the great variety of coors and tints, the col
oring is perfectly harmonious, and the general
tone of the picture, which is very beautiful is a
subdued golden brown, 1t is well worth while
for any one who has an hour to spare here, to
climb to the picture gallery and see this collcc-
ton.
French pictures have been quite the fashion
here, have filled the exhibition rooms of the art
stores, and have sold WELL The paintings of
Stuffs and clothes have apparently been
most admired One tall, idiotc look
ing young woman, with a most slovenly
dress of pink satin, exquisitely painted, leaned
back against table and gazed with weak rap
ture at some ornament in morocco case; and
was immensely praised. Another picture, en-
Enthusiastically admired represented a pretty lit
tie servan t-maid nine or ten years old, carrying
a tray with glasses on it, Her dress was short,
and her white silk stockings and white satin
slippers were miracle of correct painting, the
texture Of the silk and Of the satin were so per-
| iectly rendered But to the uncullivated taste
this whole class of pictures is uninteresting, and
looks like great waste of fine work. One day,
81
was filled with these paintings of clothes, and
after a rapid glance round, said audibly to him
self with smile, "a picture gallery-eh" One
could not help wondering whether he were not
in doubt for a minute, if it were not the show
room of fashionable dressmaker. Judged by
the definition once given of art-a
worthy subject worthily represented-all these
pictures would be rejected, for the subjects are
utterly unworthy of the time and labor bestow-
ed on them. De Haas large picture of "a praise
meeting at Cape Ann" is a noble landscape,
lighted By a magnificent sunset. The praise
meeting is not the important feature of The
painting, and does not dispease me, though |
believe the proper thing is TO dislike it.
Next Wednesday Leonard & Co. are to sell at
auction "a choice private collection of fine orig
inal paintings" there are sixty-seven pictures,
some of them said to be of great value. A
barnyard and fowls, by Coutourer, is good; and
so is smaller painting of the same subject by
Soddf. cottage in Surrey, by j. +. Meadows,
is a charming picture; and there are several
pretty sea views, especially calm, by f. Alu-
sin. By far The most beautiful picture in the
collection is a splendid portrait of the Duchess
of Cleveland, by Sir Peter Ley; and its com.
panion by the same artist, the Duchess of Rich
mond, is fine but less beautiful. winter
Scenc,i by Kluyers, and another by Leickhert,
are very pretty Christ healing the sick, by
J. Starck, is marked "a valuable work of art"
but is disagreeable picture, and looks as if it
were badly done; Romulus brought before
Numitor, is an original Benjamin West, chiefly
noticeable for the quantity Of yarnish laid on
the canvas An original Copey also is wholly
uninteresting picture of fresh young man on
big horse. Near him hangs curious paint
lng, by Denis Calvert, 1860, representing the
virgin, the infant Savior, saints aud angels. 1t
Is still fresh and bright and though it has ten
der purple tints in it, and some red, the whole
effect Of the picture is the pure, clear, delicate
blue OF summer sky. There are two other old
paintings; the Interior Of Cabaret. nv Van
Craesbecle, 1850; and an historical nicture Inv
Ferdinand Bo, 1860. "View of the pier ot tbc
Island Of Jersey, with a squoll coming up" is
peculiar and, think, a pleasing picture, On
the right are green sea, white crested waves.
and hurrynu clouds On the left the amy and