New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-26
FINE ARTS.
THE BLODGETT GALLERY.


The large collection of paintings made by
the late william T. Blodgett exhibition at the
Kurtz Art Gallery, will be sold at ChickerDg Hall To-
evening They attract an unusually large num-
Der OF visitors the spacious hall Is crowded day after
day the time draws near when this gallery the work
OF so many years. such ample means, and such welId
rected TASTE be broken UP and divided new
owners.
seeing the pictures now, under better conditions Of
light and contrast than possible In Mr. Blodges
residence, is struck with the intelligence exhibited
In their selection or the 20 American and A foreign
artists represented there but few who lack good
title 10 appear in such company aud those few offer
their best because simplest and least obtrusye work
The owner betrays marked prejudice preference,
except for pictures which adequately illustrate each
artists STYLE and this rule seems to have
guided him In buying a Tr0yon or Church,
BOuguereau a Meyer Won Bremen, Couture
or Viegas The single MessOnier, for instance,
dminutYe lay figure called "The Smoker" probably
shows much Of that masters technical quality his
last "1sO7" The Gericault. although evidently onya
strong study male model recalls the great Ship
wreck Of the Medusa in its treatment Even where the
artist with genuine real gifts is usually pretentous or
merericiOus in his manner, we find him represented
by pictures wherein these faults are least apparent
Turning TO tho left as we enter the gallery the eye
at once caught by little landscape of Diaz beamng
with mellow daylight that is neither silver nor gold,
but and pure the other the trees exhas
delight as they bask in It. Near 1t back street or
water lane in Venice. than which Mr.. Cranch has
painted nothing better little further hangs large
landscape by Constable very strong and solid in color,
with surplus of bottegreen in the foliage but with
sky OF such broken luster rarely see Rosa Bon
heur is represented by landscape with sheep and
cattle. full OF pure daylight and sincere color
barring the almost impossible tint OF the
meadows In the middle distance and there Is
Troyon somewhat larger wherein the turned edges OF
tho wet willoweayes make feel the wind that follows
the retreatng rangust There three excellent Cou-
lures the best OF which is "The Police Court the cul
prits being two students, the morning after masked
ball. from which the sleepy judges and attorneys have
evidently escaped without disaster We miss the larger
picture OF Gerome which Mr.. Blodgett owned; bis
"Piayer in the Mosque" is a small realistic study I'M
usually agreeable color. The slipper shop" Of Vile
gas is masterpiece Of blazing color and technical skill;
matters little that the slippers arc more Interesting 70
us than the men, the latter il fact being merely Access
series to account for the former
Mr.. Churchs Heart OF the Andes ana Aurora
Borealis are old acquanances, and presume there
Is now no great difference OF opinion regarding their
distinctive merits and dement's. The former attempts
much OF what is possible. the latter attempts what
scarcely possible at all yet the quality OF the intel
gence which dared them is ndisputabe On either side
OF the Heart OF the Andes hang Cropseys Morning
in the Olden Time" and Evening ditto. In the latter
the full moon only about 90o removed from the setting
sun, which may have been phenomenon Of the olden
time, but does not happen now One Of the loyeness
landscapes in the collection is Daubgny, low dark
plain with few trees Overhung by transparent gray
sky it is picture to be desired for lifelong eonpan-
ionship. There also Rousseau, Jules Dupre, and
a Lamblnet, nearly equally good; an early Summer BY
W. T. Richards full OF sap and sunshine; an excellent
specimen OF Oswald AchenbIch, and largo Schreyer-
two Arab no SEES fountain, Of the best examples
OF this master which has to America. Kensett has
two landscapes s. T. Clifford one Whttredge an INTERIOR
Hicks q portrait OF Edwin Booth as Lago and L. H. May
large picture of Calvin going TO his first Communion
when We mention Boughtons two old Norman gossiFs
Passing the Shade" and Bouguereaus Going TO
the Bath" we are still far from exhausting tho cats
loO1la