The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-09
xEW YoRk,s Ant TREAsURBs.


| Exhibition, and who have had the opportunity
OF visiting our Loan Exhibition at tho Metro
| politan Museum and the Academy Of Design,
are quite surprised at the number and the excel
lence OF European pictures to be found In this
city. II Is no exaRReration to fay that the m cd
ern schools OF Italy, France, Spain, and Germ ny
are more richly represented in New York than
In any city in Europe. The works OF English
artists only are scarce; but, with three or four
exceptions, England has not had much to boast
OF In the way Of painting within the last twenty
years.
II the French, Italian, and Spanish painters
have occasionally had larger collection Of their
works assembled at museums and salons Of the
Old World, they would be unable to get togeth err
from private galleries. there, a loan exhibition OF
the value and magnitude Of the one now on
view 10 this city. Besides the interest which
our Loan Exhibition presents to the gener / pub
lie, II has an Immense practical Importance for
artists, both foreign and American, showing
them, as IL does, what the taste and artistic
notions Of the New York collectors are. ANY
one OF them can see, for instance, that heshly
and sensual subjects can have little success In
this country. Last winter a large picture of
Leloirs, representing white slave and Nubisn
master, was offered here at auction by Mr..
Kohen, and had to be taken back to Europe for
want OF a purchaser. Two or three more pic
lures OF the same kind remain unsuitable 10 the
possession Of other picture dealers Of this city.
Not much more success in the artistic market
OF New York have the European landscapes and
marine paintings. The Americans seem to be
too proud Of their own scenery and of their own
workers In this branch of art TO care much for
foreign landscapes. They are bought only In
cases where the prestige Of a great name Is at
tached to them. The favorite subjects here are
those which produce historical events OF scenes
from the home life OF European countries; and
II the artists manage to put sentiment In tho
treatment OF these subjects and some bright,
striking colors in the rendering, they are almost
sure to find here . good market, and a much
higher price than they could expect to get in
Europe.
The exhibition at the Academy Of Design sup
ports these assertions still better than that AZ
the Metropolitan Museum. Tho largest coIlec-
ton in the Academy Is that OF Gov. Z. ID. Nor
gan which contains as many as eighty four pic
lures. only about a dozen of which are by
American artists, and one by an Engllshman
All the rest are French, italian, and German
works. The Spanish school Ia but little repre-
sentei In this collection, Alvarez's Birthday
Festival" and Madrazo's Butterfly being the
Only spanish works. American art among Mr..
Mcrsan's pictures is mainly represented by por-
ira Is and fruit pieces. Out Of the dozen pieces
half are family portraits by George A. Baker
and Charles l.. Elliott. All Of them are good
works, but they present. as all portraits do,
more interest to their owners than TO the public
at large. In the way Of fruit, the Governor
seems to be particularly fond OF raspberries. At
all events, he has several canvases devoted to
the reproduction OF this aromatic. but not very
mr. TO har ha Ind ~ "a A
pictures are landscapes, among which the best
10 J. NJ. Harris Winter on the Hudson"
The great majority OF Mr.. Moreans pictures
are Partisan. He has several specimens u Fir
mln-Girard, OF BouRuereau, Of Jules breton,
and one each at least from a number OF other
artists no have not attained quite az great rep
utation. Though this collection IA the largest, 1t
would be unfair toward the other collectors
TO say that It 10 the most valuable. Picture buy
Ing, like everything else. requires experience,
and II IL evident that MIR. Morgan has been
guided In the beginning OF his career as q col
lector much more ny kindly feeling towards art
lists than by knowledge Of art. Al all events a
considerable portion Of his gallery consists Of
works which could not stand the test of the
present artistic standard OF New York pictu
BUYERS. large number, however, OF his pic
lures are very valuable, and some OF them de-
and a tendency 20 select, not on the strength
name OF the artist but on the intrinsic
merit Of the work. Prominent among
these are the Prize Horse" by Franz
Defregger OF Munich. The Turkish wo-
man." by Edouard Dubufe, would have been
a perfection IN its way II the concentrated
EXPRESSION Of the facs Of the reading odalisque
had little less nerceness about II. The Wedding
Eve,' by Dierenbach, Is asomewhat ovefcrowd-
ed canvas, but an excellent one as far as compo-
sition and drawing goes, aud justas successful,
perhaps, is " The Scene IN Court" by Kronoerg-
er Of Munich. Mr.. Morgan has had plrticularly
good luck with the Blvarian painters. pic
ture Of Dogs" by OTTO Bach, being a very 1ne
canvas In Its way. We DO not know Of better
specimens OF the Munich school In this city,
There IL also an admirable dog In a piece OF cat
tie painting by Braith. and some admirable
sheep In a large canvas OF Pollok Beta, two 9TH
er artists OF the same school.
Tho hest French picture In this collection Is
probably that OF Firmin-Grard, LA Peche,"
representing a Partisan bourgeois angling for
gudgeons, with hts wife standing by his side.
and a little daughter handling the Ash lust
caught genuine poetical feeling ia spre d
over the whole scene, and the correctness II de-
tail and the quiet, unpretentious. but intensely
natural drawing and cOlOring IN Ike the picture
subject worth the study of those young ar
lists who aspire to ideallze family life IN can
vas, aud always cOntrlve to render 1t ahsurdly
sentimental. Tho Young Nurse" ny Bougue-
reau i.in the usua style Of that palmer, with the
difference that instead OF corpuleut mother we
hive here little girl nursing a half naked baby.
1t is as well painted as all Bouguereaus pictures
are, aud lit IN the same way peculi II to him
but the impression produced is rather more
favorable probably Of ha ha