The New York herald., 1874-09-16


competing warmly with the "Proaigal Son" fol
popularity Ritche's engraving has made 1t ia
mllar TO many people, and the element OF histori
cal interest, superadded to Its own excelen ce and
truthiuiness, naturally conduces ~ make 1t q CEN
ire OF attraction. IL is an ideal gatheying O
course the artist grouping some sixty OF the most
celebrated Americans OF the last decade OF the
| eightee century at his own will to produce ,he
best possible effect. The picture is suficIen 1y
well known. Washington Is the central figure
little to the background, with the Duke
OF Kent, and neighoored by Jefferson and
! Trumbull His wife occupies the lett receiving
! her guests at dais, supported by Mrs Robert
Morris and Nellie Custis. Adams and Hamilton
ale further toward the right, and form probably
the mos dignified and Impressive part OF the pie
ture. Washington suffers nttle, as all centra
ngures must do, and there is the inevitable draw
back OF conventOnalIty In his case. The righ
foreground lights into beauty and grace with the
Jay, Mrs. Theodore SedgwicK and MIS-. Bingham
while III the subordinate groups are such historic
faces as those Of Morris, steuDen Livingston
knox ana score OF others, 0i course there Is III
the picture much til b may be considered the
work OF the portrait painter and the antquarv
nevertheless aoove and beVond this there Is the
work OF genius The perfect balance OF the picture
as whole Is attained without any evidence
and graceful and the colorIng perfect This latter
detail perhaps Is one OF the most impressive on
close considerations because the artist has Deep in
some measure restricted by considerations of MIS-
torcal accuracy. HIS materials have been FUR
nished ana he has had to maze the best OIL them
ones own cholce after ones own fashion.
>, Another Washington picture familiar 70 the pub.
lie ~ Rosslter aud A. MlgnOts "home OF Washing
ton after the War; Q75.) lt attracts attention
rather, think, from the historical interest OF the
picture than rom aught eise since there Is moth
lug particularly fresh about the subject or vleor-
Gus about the treatment. AT Mount Vernon,
Washington tconventonaD is talking to Latay-
cite upon tue Steps OF the veranda where sit NJ s.
Washington 3nd Mrs. Custis. negro nurse. with
children aud dog.eefve TO emphaslze, though IN
somewhat ''stOck'' fashion, the peace OF the
picture, further worked out through the quiet Po-
tomac on which floats pleasure boat.
Gabriel MaX's "AnatOmistn l6s) Is one OF the
sensation pieces OF the collection. The unclaimed
bocy OF beautiful girl iound drowned IN the
lake has been taken to a hospital ior dlssectiOn
and placed on the table beside stand furnished
with instruments, books and ~ skull The lace IS
beautiful and very peaceful one; the hair, long
less starting contrast, with the gray pallOr or
body than would have been secured by more con-
and penslve, pauSes u thought ere ne uncOv Is
the body 10 proceed with his work. That is ALL
and II is either too much or not enough, lor the
effect OF the picture is unsatisfactory. 1t leaves
/ an lnelaceaole and constantly recurring memory.
1hat Is SO much, and possibly wnat the artist de-
signed that II should do. But there Is no story in
! the lace OF the dead woman, and no sentiment In
that OF the living man. 1t Is an unsatisfactory
true picture OF an educated anatomist paying the
passing tribute OF u musing look to the body
which a moment later he WIN explore thor
wltcn Endor's self
Wlnterhalter's susanna and the Elders" Q2o)
is the only large nude figure OF the exhibition
and Is admirable botn for drawing and as q study
| OF nesh tlnts. me beautiful Jewess-possibly the
characteristics OF race, might have been more
| clearly worked out, though possibly at the eX-
pense OIL beauty-alarmed at her bath by the ap-
proach OF the Elders, turns startled lace in the
with Dlnd hands
"pauvre Amour" u7), by Compile Cax is one
! or the gems OF the collection, q piece OF human
nature IN French. married couple, out OF the
honeymoon, and lust awakened TO tue fact that
they are boring each other and that there is no
help Tor 1t, are strOlllng down woodland walk
He list!essly knOcks or the heads OF the flowers
by the pathway; she, nall in listessness, hall In
Sadness casts sldewise glance AZ a IorOrn little
! stone cupid on a fountain.
Another French picture worthy Of even more
attention than 1t seems thus to receive Is Leon
Oleve's 'Fastan and Doll 1earsheet" CSO9). That
Frenchman SHOULD successfully enter into the
| spirit OF Shakespeare, particularly OF shakespeare
In MS most Englshy Jovlal, r0llicklno mood and
! life seems at first incredible. Nevertheless Olevie
has produced an English and a Shakespearian
made up tue Faistaff who Sits IN his chair e King
henry H., 4receivng vltn dignity the caresses +
buXOm Don Tearsheet, while behind her Dame
Quickly, arms aklmbo, beams her satisfaction at
the sight and the compelled exit OF Pistol. Prince
Hal and Poins have entered behind as drawers,
according to the stage directions, and agrotesdue
band OF musicians are thrummlng and blowing.
The detail Is as good as the conception and Is
| worked out with French care and correctness.
GerOme's "Iurkish Merchant" QS5) is probably
familiar to many readers OF the HERALD. The
figure carries a gun upon the shoulder and u stee
helmet and corset In It's hand. Nothing could De
simpler. Nor could anything be more patient
without degenerating INTO mechanical and weari
some detai than the working out OF everything In
the picture-the fagree on the helmet the gun
barrel, the embroidered robe the smooth and deli
cately tinted lace ana, above all, the exquisite
satiny texture OF the drapery provoke admra-
Hubners historic "Silesian weavers' (55) is
known to many OF your readers. by reputation at
least. 1t inspired one OF the most ringing lyrics OF
/ OF suppression by the Prussian authorities when it
was first exniblted. 1t is another ''Song OF the
doomed to hard labor W thout even the consoa-
ton OF desperation-that Is the picture, painted
with repression and reality that intensities It's
expression and renders utterly super1uous ideali-
zatlon or any trickery of art.
Rotnermel's ''MartyrdOm OF Hypatia,n from
Charles Kingsley's book is small picture, full OF
action; perhaps somewhat crowded. The bowling
mob presses forward with lifted hsts, pOtshe DIS,
stones, knives dragging her to her naked DUTCH
! idea OF compensation in all subjects OF the sort,
there Is q not very successful attempt to realize
martyr OF Ne0-Plat0nism, ana the drawing OF the
central figure leaves somewhat to be desired IN the
! Tilton's ARTISTS Vision" (59 ls a rather washy
| treatment OF very hackneyed subject. Three
! ideal beauties-o1 course-appear t0-oi cOurse-a
| sleeping artist.
Infinitely superior is H. Merle's "Right Path"
| 46) both In idea and execution with a whole
someness OF tone often conspcuously absent in
French pictures OF this class The artist, with his
palette ana sketchbook passes b, the entrance OF
Il BANQUET chamber, rich with mosaics, marble ana
! gliding, and displaying medallions or Venus and
her son. On one side flushed and beautiful wOman
reclining IN the arms OF her tipsy companion, beck
|
| as beautiful, leaning gracefully against a marble
column, tenders HIM golden wine cup with half
smiling lips like those described 0y AnGcreOn as
.'provOKing kiss" The artist with MS eye
berry and sombreiy fixed on duty, passes them by.
There Is no grossness IN tne treatment OF the
fcent SOupcOn OF the actual character OF Gree
| The figures are light and graceful, and the artist
! has improved to tine utmost the ample Opportu.
| mites afforded him for successful treatment OF the
! drapeties and marble surfaces and the cOmbina-
ton OF rich colors.
! p Van Schendel's "Annunciation" Q0D is a
! large and ambitious canvas after the classic fash
! ion Notwithstanding an admirable effect OF the
! light that foods the picture from the top and u
judiciOus management OF draperes the picture
is hard and cold. The artist had made effort to
realize the scene and spirit OF his study-of that
there be no doubt, Ior 1t Is visible throughout
| the picture and constitutes Its defect.
Fitting Moses Out l0r the Falrn (217), by Mr.. A.
II. Richie. probably stands at the head OF the
figure pieces by American artists, and suggests
strongly the English picture "keturn OF Moses
from the Fair" made familiar to Americans, II
am not in error, by Sartain, OF Philadelphia
| ftv,v tn IA a,n,r