The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-19
MIR. JonNsroN,s PtcruaEs.
The Great Art sale which Bclins at Chick-
cIirg Hall Tonight.

crirg HAIL Tonight.
Tho sale OF the magnificent collection OF
painting, draw logs, and statuar}, the ropcry
Of Mr.. John Z. ylur johnston. VIII begin tni-
! evening at CAicsedng llrl. lhcrc Is rot 20 lover
Of ar, who will not feel deeply gricved That a
collection of such maguit .de and v.lue Is Aoins
/ to bc broken tln and its coutcuts scattered. We
understand th t stvDrlof ;hc best Of these
pictures are 10 he bid f'r Ia the Interests Of
European purchasers, aud that Mr. ;. p. Avery,
on the other hand, has orders from all parts 4
this country. How mauY Of those treasures OF
art arc to remain in ~ York will therefore
depend upon the liber,lity Of our own wealthy
citizens.
Tue general public had good opportunity to
become acquainted with the merits ~ this col
lection during the Loan Exhibition recently
closed. The collection has again been rtexuosed
IN Its present complete condition for the st
three weeks at the Academy OF Design, where
intending purchasers have hal ample oppor-
tuniiy 10 examine II In all its details. There is
no exaggeraton In saying that not only Is this
tho finest and most valuable collection ever
brought tog Their in this country, but that II
stands second 20 but few private European
collections OF modern works OF art. The most
veal by and celebrated amateurs In Europe,
such as SIR Richard Wallace or the Rothschilds.
lures Of old masters and with such galleries
that # MIR. Johnston i, Of course, not TO be
compared. But among men VINO devote their
attention to nd spend their money on modern
paintings. Mr.. Johnston will always have a rcpu-
tatOu as u man of taste and sound collectors
experience. lie does not show, however, pre-
election for any particular school or schools.
You ind In his gallery almost eyery imaein. bic
suffice aud every IMAGINABLE manner If pro-
ductiun. He doe not even seem 10 have a
fvorite painter. Like most American anna
tours he app reniy made no preparatory study
Of art, hut developed hi taste ami artistic cul-
ture as he progressed With lis purchases. 1his,
however. did not prevent him from bringing
together, as we have said, one Of the nnest rrl-
vat collections We know OF. Il contains alto
eether jJ pieces of pairting and drawing md
three ntr lta'le pieces ~ statlary, ami repre-
senis the work Of over one hundrsd ana nfy
ARTISTS. some Of whom are among the most
eminent u outrage.
AT the time II the Loan Exhibition The svS
gave fiil review uf This AZ wcll Other c1llec-
lions then exhibited. so thlt present We have
only to 9 ID tia readers attention to the most
remarkable works to be sold on each OF the sue.
ccssiv. days.
Io-nishrs sic viii comprise fewer canvascs
than the lists Il the two subsequent evenings
but Il viii be in man, respects the most impor-
tant. To BEGIN with, there are the twD Eurlish
pictures to be disposed o.. = which 50 much
bias been seid. aud fur.whirh SO much money
has been paid. rhe S2l.ujJ sid t. have been
paid for Turner's 81 We sYip" is a sum large
enough ia itself TO att.lct LuJic attention.
HOLMAN Hunt, " isabella and che Pot o, Basil
"a also great Nv rte with many people and
there can be little DOUBT that, II there are any
lsiisn orders for turcuase. ih.y must be for
these two plriurcs, with p...iolv tac edition
OF SIR Joshua KeynolI-'s " ih.ophil II .linsr."
which ia 90 he sold on "Wednesday. White all
three pictures have great historical importance
a.. not .blo specimen, Of the d.yelaptn. n. Of
Lnslsn art. two 10 least have divided puUu,
opinion on tue question u actual mort. lac
Isl We ship" e-ueri lly isa pfrtur, tho me. rl,s
OF which many have never necn ,hlo tounuer-
81 nd, discriminating Mr.. Rt.s,.u's yehef that
II ie were to rest turner. Immortality upon
any siIele WORT. he should ,.ia1.e THIS
NeNt in historic inter.. t q aad the " jris. ~
ThomI- CJie. confusing 10 series Of four ilr.o
pictures. the sul iec II winch is An allecoricl
repre- ent.tiIu II tHs "Nvylse u Lie" These
large ctny. have for the history Of Ameri-
can ant the same importance as the three above
named pictures have Tor the hnsIlsh. They are
not WORKS OF genius; out tney are highly in
tcrc-tin- relics. the value Of which Will con
stantly approc lie az the country grows " years.
They lecoiae, perhaps, It'll mere important on
account OF the small number Of good American
paintings TO be found ia this collection.
OF the celebrated fOteisu masters there arc
numer ms excellent eciurns, Which We can
onl' enunerate here Neiss0u.er ia represented
% bis admiral lc "Suldiers al Cards, from the
renowned bemidon collection; Decamy by Ms
well known suicide" D,lacroix 10y his 9opu.
lar but not very attractive Virgil and Dante