The New York herald., 1873-10-01
THE VIENNA EXHIBITION.
Art in the French De
80 partrnent-
General Features OF the
French Schools.
Color and Form and Beauty
and Expression.
BLESSING THE HARVEST. !"
Breton, Delacroix, lsabey, Meisss-
nier, GerOme.
TEEFkMCUS PICTURE OF MISSIONER
Charge of the Cavalry at
E'riedland.
FRENCH SKILL IN PORTRAIT PAINTING.
General Results of Modern
49, French Art. s..s

ae ~ es.a4 VIENNA, Sept. 10, ls7&
rms Art Department OF the Exposition may, per-
naps, be more properly called museum OF arr
than an exhibition. museum shows the world
what treasures we possess; an exhibition what We
are Ut the present time capable oi producing In
the formation oil the large collection OF pictures In
the Exposition the limitations III the Austrian
pr ,gramme providing Tor the reception OF those
PICTURES alone which have been produced since
the second London Exnibition OF 1852 were not
adhered 10 the slightest degree and the Louvre,
the Belvidere, the Ducai palaces, the private gal
leries queen Victoria and countless other coec-
tions have been drawn upon largely, and the
Standard works oi art make good proportion OF
the 1000 pictures shown. The advantages
OF this system OF forming an exhibinon cannot
Se denied. We can better compare what works
OF the present day we may have with
the well Known and always welcome
models OF those artists whom honor
the masters IN the past generation. But then the
system has its drawbacks as WELL Artists must be
handled with circumsl ection and great tact. lhe
experience OF the commission IN New fork s but q
counterpart OF the difficulties encountered IN the
z .tllerng OF the canvssses In other countries and
tne vacancies occasoned by the ruptures and the
feuds were easily 1lled rom the bounuless stores
In the possession OF the governments. II less de-
pendence were placed on museums as never
falling source which bubble at command the purest
gems art TO honor the country IN any exnipItiun,
undoubtedly there would be more solicitation TO
eulrrvate this good ieeng between the artists and
the selecting committees aud the traditional cash
ing or these Two bodies would cease. The produc.
tons o artlsts should certainly be treated watn az
great respect as literary works are. Compositors
and prooi-readerH 90 not judge OF the value OF .
wrtten article. Neither should irame-masers, no
matter now wealthy they may be, .politicians
however influential, decide upon the merits ol
creations larger brains than they possess Artists
anu como .sseurs have much to iearn from the
history OF the art depaStment Of the Vienna exi O.
s.tIon, and in the future we may hope or ana even
expecia more harmonious course OF action In
regard TO the choice oi works Tor public display.
THE SALOON OF HONOR.
The main art ball contains the salon d'honneur,
sixteen large halls and twenty small rooms. OF
she large apai tments, France and Germany each
occupy lour with the adjoining Cabinets: Austria
three; Belgium, Holland, England. Switzerland and
Hungary, one eacn. In the rear OF the main hail
are two pavihons with the collections oil the re-
naming nations, and the covered passages, the
terraces and entrances, are hled with satuary.
The salon Ghonaeur holds such canvasses "a,
from the immensity OF their extent, could ac-
conmodated elsewhere, and the intervening places
are filed by pictures OF every nationality. The
French exhibition, both in its extent and In
its merits stand well at the head OF all the rest.
Stepln moment to one OF the well-hed rooms
OF the French departments, after delay In any
Otner collection, aud see how your senses
awaken how you lind your sentiments appealed TO
on every side. The pictures touch you where you
least expect It-now demanding recognition AS the
expression OF some deep, earnest, serions eenng
ana then dealing with the most TRIVIA, ludicrous
resource 10 the piodding conventlonalties OF ex-
preston or the overslrven caricaturing OF other
nations. The nude predominates, and the changes
that are rung on the iayorite pose that gives a
OF throwing in the long, powerful line from
the TIP OF the toe TO the extremity OF the out
stretched arm are numerous. II ls a weakness OF
The French TO attempt the nude so much. and the
weakness becomes crying evil when the nude
Is painted only when all other subjects tail, when
10 ceases to express any idea, and stands
simply as a representative OF the artists crude
conception OF the form and color OF the body. The
painters mistress IN lmpudent, unbushIng naked
ness, surrounded by the draperes and accessories
OF the studio is too often chosen the subject
whIch 10 waste the talents which, IL differently
applied would bring the artist wealth and reputa-
tion. Human nesn, 1t mas been painted In all its
brllllancy OF color and velvet texture, with the
magic effects OF light and shade, IS undoubtedly
the highest effort OF the artists sklll in execution
and simply as sucn may take strong hold on our
feelings. The qualification OF refined sense OF
color Is, as well, one Of the highest ends painter
can aim at; Tor delight in color takes rank among
the supreme enIoyments OF our nature. But when
theimtation OF he human form Is In the hands OF
an apprentice we ind neither the one virtue nor
she otner, and rigid and FAULTY contours joined
with crudties OF color and weakness OF touch, and
Up ne m
whchning defects.
+, t 'BLEs5Isa THB HARvEsT.r
IN honest singIeness OF purpose, truthfulDess OF
color and tone, and fine conception Of the subject
jules breton takes the highest POSITION Beside
the onion-skn insipidites OF Cabanel or the stony
groups OF Bonnat the interpretations OF peasant
lie by the hand OF M. Breton shine out supreme.
His "Bessing the Harvest,r from the Louvre, IL =
remarkable example or his best work. Apriest,
with the host, preceded by white-claa maidens
carrying the image OF the virgin, and accompanied
by the censor swingers aud the boys with candles,
ID passing through the fields o. ripe grain, and on
every side the humble peasants kneei In worship
as the. holy symbol ia SHOWN them. The winding
line OF the long procession IL seen the yellow
tops OF the grain, and the train OF simple followers
leads away 70 the middle distance. bright sum
mer sky, with sun tnat foods everything with its
rays necks the white robes with brilliant masses OF
warm light shimmers over the golden gram and
msxes oftne whole efasepsb OF warmth nd light
Tue unity in color and sentiment the very perfect
harmony, 50 well carried out, and manly con.
ccptOn and fine intuition OF the limitations and
the picturesque sides OF the subject make the WORK
mas, erpiece. How well every peasant plays h,s
parr. No one s snpcrnuous; each gives Us a ges-
tsre. pose, or an expression, through which we