The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-16
FINE ARTS.
somcrville Art Gallery.

FINE ARTS.
SOmervillc Art Gallery.
Readers OF the HERALD were reminded last Sun
day that more than usually valuable and inter-
esting sale Of pictures was to take place Ut the
Somerville Art Gallery tomorrow and Tuesday
evenings. Attention was asked to the fact that the
paintings belonged to Messrs. Williams Ever
EFT, OF Boston, and that the collection, 100 In
number had been removed to this city in conse-
quence OF the artistic apathy created in Boston by
the recent fire there Room Is available to-day
merely for general reiteration OF what we then
announced. These pictures include large proper
ton OF q particularly valuable stock possessed by
the aforementioned firm. Most OF them were
especially gathered for this seasons trade.
or the foreign ones obtained in Europe during
last Summer many were painted especially to order
or purchased directly OF the artists. Among Tor
eign names represented are Zwengaur, Zamacos,
Worms, verschuur, yerboeckhoven, Tschaggeny,
ROeOfs, Rousseau, Daubtgny. Jules Dupre Diefen-
bach, De Natre, De Buel, De Vrnt, De Comnck,
Barth, Bougereau, Remnant, Pergnon, +. Meyer,
Mali, Mesei, Meyer Won Bremen, Lejeune, Lambert,
Escosura Among American contributors are to be
numbered Weber, Bacon. TAFT, Bellows, SonDtag,
Brown, Richards, Bierstadt, Lambden Bricher, Key,
Cass, the COemans, Hetzel, Cumming, Gay Guy and
Hinckley. One OF the most sparkling gems of the
collection is Meyer Won Bremen's Eyes or No."
which during last week fifty won perpetual, enthu-
slastic and intelligent comment
The Studio OF Mcssrs. Church and Heade.
A Genuine Carnvnggio.
visit to the studio Of Messrs. Church and
Heade, in the Studio Building, West Tenth
street, Will discover several new paintings by
these widely esteemed artists, well as very
valuable relic of the antique To Mr.. Heades abors
we shall refer presently. No genuine lover of art
who has lately looked in at the painters atelier
can have failed to notice large and remarkable
picture which represents a man bearing cross,
and which, from the force and vitality of its treat
ment, Is calculated to arrest the regards Of the
connOisseur at once We understand that the work
Is for sale, and that the owner OF it is merely making
use of the privilege granted by Messrs. Church &
Heade to have IL remain for the present at their
studio. More than one expert has applied his
tests to this cher dGure and the results are all in
favor OF its having been painted by Michael Amerigl
Angelo Caravaggio. This artist was born at Cara
vaggio, Mianese village, in 1869, and, therefore,
hourished about three hundred years ago. He was
known as a most faithful imltator of nature, pro-
ceeding occasionally TO the extreme of copying
even her delormities. His great merit consists in
the marvellous effects OF light and shade he pro-
duced. Some of his cOntemp0raneeus critics
claimed that his style was marred by trickeres,
which,, though vigorous, were vulgar; but the pic
ture or which we are speaking does not bear out
this structure. His CoIOring is wonderful, and the
popularity OF his effects OF light and shadow may
such are due to INSTRUCTED situations in nature
In almost all his celebrated pictures the light ap
pears to have come through some particular aper;
general effugence. He attempted little OF nothing
IN what, strictly speaking, Is grand composition,
but was renowned Tor his half-length figures. He
idealized very little, and took small pains to spirit
ualZe the faces which, after all, were portraits of
and heroes. The picture in MI. Heade's studio,
however, representing st. Andrew bearing his
nqp n nrd tn
and deserves to hold q place among the best
recognized works Of caravaggo, such as the
del POpe.o and the "EntOmbment Of the Saviour
in the Chiesa Euova at Rome, and the "Scourging
and st. Martins "Peter Denying Christ" at
Naples OF st. Andrew. the subject OF the present
pst 9ae 9 fn ns when It's
Little is said Of him in the Acts Of the Apostles
was the son OF Jonas, the brother of st. Peter and
in alusion to his having brought Peter to Christ,
was styled BY some Of the early Fathers "the Rock
Scythia; Jerome, that he exhorted at Achaia,
ana others ,s,,. that he was rn seen IN Sog;
owns him as her principal patron saint,
and tradition ayers that ne was crucined at
as the cruz decussdtd. Hence the term "St. An
drews Cross" The face In the picture under con-
ground. 1t is that of a patient, suffering, beiev-
ing man, maintaining his lath through trials that
lead to martyrdOm. The treatment is full OF
power, and Caravaggio's fine resources OF color
and wonderful art in introducing unique and IN
usual effects Of light and shadow are made the ut
adorn a church, and may possibly be purchased
with that object. AS model in drawing 1t Is inval
uahlc, and In respect to the perfection with which
the lOreshOrtenlng Is executed we know OF no
rival to it in this city.
Upon another occasion we shall return with
pleasure to the freshest Celebrations OF Mr.. Heades
busy brush. At present his two newest and most
admired paintings are High Tide on the Marshes"
Spring rcd0lent with apple blossoms.
The Farrngut Monument.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Thirteen sketches for the proposed statue OF Ad-
mira Farragut have been submitted to the Con-
gressional Committee, and there is little doubt
that the artists who have sentn these sketches
respectively represented by Hobbies of less
strength, and that the strongest lobby will secure
the work. For this committee of congressman
cannot be supposed to know anything more Of
statues than the competing artists would know OF
Parliamentary law, SO the artist who Is most
strongly endorsed will naturally enough be ad-
judged the one to do that work.
Now the results of this absurd way OF choosing
artistic works are in nowse satisfactory. Nor
does the direction IN which the Rawlings statue
was awarded argue conditions at all Improved
since Mills was in his glory. 1t is plain enough
under government, however much they may know
OF art will seldom feel free to follow their judy
ment We ever expect to raise the
art Of the capital above the standard
OF such unfortunate cfiigies as that OF Lincoln
or OF Jackson, Congress will have to appoint
persons who are competent judges in such matters.
Certain 1t is that the intelligence of the country
will not sufIer the memory OF Farragut to be out.
ragged as the memory Of Lincoln has been. 1t will
therefore be q becoming thing on the part OF this
committee to think well before 1t decides, for
bronze statues last long time, and that they
should be good ones Is OF more consequence than
that some clamOring man or woman should be
raised into cheap notoricty At the expense OF poor
Farragut. LOVER OF TRUE ART.
THE BEST SOCIETY"