Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-05
TWO CENTS.
ART NOTES,

hibit their finished pictures. At present.
save the Corcoran Gallery, which can only
be used for that purpose under conditions
that are not always convenient for artists.
and especially for workers, the only place
where they can show the public what they
are doirg is In the show windows OF friendly
dealers in other articles. In addition 10 the
fact that they are there by suffersnce. and
consequently more or less SubOriinated 10
other things often widely removed from art,
pictures so placed are seen under the most
diSadV an tageous circumstances. trying alike
TO the patience of the beholdeT ana the repu-
tation OF the artist. The fierce white light
that beats upon throne" is as nothing com
pared 10 the trying cross lights which fall
upon picture thus exposed, eNaggerating
every little defect and hiding all the nner
touches and delicate shades, which neal both
carefully chosen position and rightly al
Justed light 10 be properly brought out In
deed, no picture. hpwevt r meritoriOuS ought
TO be thus subjected to tests that were never
contemplated in the painting. And yet IL is
"Hobsons caoice." that or nothing. It wOulc
seem, therefore. that one of the first and
most important tnings 10 b. done by the
Artists Club, lately formed, il 10 secure a
suitably located room combining the relui-
sites OF size, light. etc which could be made
10 serve the double purpose OF an evening
meeting place for the Club aud a proper eN-
hibitlon and sales room for the work OF its
members by day, as well as "a suitable place
Tor occasional receptions, sc, when desired.
In this way pictures could always be seen
under the most favorable conditions, lovers
OF art, visiting as well as resident. would
know where 10 look for the newest and best
things I'm that line, and closer and better re
lations would be established between the
artists and the public. The expense would q!
course he something. but not excessive when
divided between from twenty 10 thirty indi-
viduals, ana 10 Is quite certain that the
amount so expended would be retained 70
each one before the end OF the year THROUGH a
wider Interest in art and an increased patron
age, growing out ~ the facilities thus ar
fOrded. Until something better Is presented
II seems 10 us the artists owe this much no;
less 10 Themselves Jnan To the public and
once established, we are convinced that %
would be found so pleasant aud al the same
time so profitable that it would soon "a keits
place among the permanent institutions OF
the city.
- The collection Of pictures belonging 10
the late Mr.. S,onersen, on sale i'm lie Droit
Building for some time past, has attracted
good many visitors, but SO far apparently
very few buyers have been secured. Whether
the latter TACT * d3e To hard times or to the
rather round prices asked is not quite clear.
bat Il is likely that both causes had their
effect in making the sales slow and IN con
fniug them also 70 what might be cll!el, 50
far at least as size and prices go, the N nor
pictures ofthc collection. Senator T. imu ids
took the Peoples ia "A Vase" by Petit, az
Paris. for - .llCh 500 were ked, AMI Nj. j.
IL. Lathrop is set down as tue purchaser 81
TIE beautiful Forest vie -, 10y Wyugaerit.
mot Wyngehergke," as abSIrdly printed ia
the cataloSUel ne Landscape 10 Norway.-'
by Herzog, Might ON the Coast or MOI
mandy" by COriiuiul, aud Fruits" Uy
Melting, marked. respectively, at 200, S.-p.
500, and S2o0 the first namel OF MIR.
l2throp's purchases, though small In size,
is really one OF the most pleasing and "a IA.
able landscapes IN the lot. IL Is painted IN
the same key as Paul Weber's beautiful
glimpse OF nature In the COrcOrdn Gallery
counted by all artists ole of the gems OF that
collection,-and is always sure 10 be "A favor
lie, as well with Judges OF art as with the
general public. The whole collection, in
GLIDING the two marbles and the large plaster
cast, is valued at about ais 600; but by whom
this valuation was made, or whether IL was
based on the original cost OF the pictures or
on their present supposed market value, we
are not advised. Judged by their merits
alone, and quite Irrespective of the earlier or
later, reputation OF the artist by whom they
were severally painted, some OF the prices
seem quite high, while others are reasonable
enough. When he painted IL, Mr.. Bierstadt
asked $500 for the little"Niew OF MI. Adams
at Sunrise" which hangs on the east wall.
and we understand Mr.. Stenersen paid $1,000
for 1t. The price now asked is 500, and IL lie
extremely doubtful whether il will ever
bring tins amount. What the Corot, which
hangs just under the Bierstadt. cost. We have
no means OF knowing. 1t is likely, however.
that il was bought cheap, since IL is well
known that up TO the time OF the artists
death his works brought very little, com
paratively speaking. Since his death an
effort has been made and quite successfully,
TO give them fancy value, and il is just
ing the price OF this example OF bis style
at $500. AS Corot, and viewed in the
light OF his posthumous reputation, IL may
be worth, and may bring, that ngure: but,
judged simply as a work of art, without sig
nature or knowledge as 10 who painted IL, IL
is doubtful whether IL would bring the tenth
The last remark might also be made, We
think, with equal force IN regard 10 the Ma
rine," by Dupre, marked at 800. The high
est priced picture in the collection is - Mn
right Swedish Landscape" by cahIberg.
for which = 900 are ked. a. isa fine speci-
men of the artists best efforts. and Is thor
0ughly good in It's way, and pleasant in tone
and sentiment withal, but It's effect seems
rather light and sketchy for the amount
asked. The next In appraised value is the
Virgin of the Ruins, by Michel, which is
marked at 81 .OOO but we are by DO means
certain that the majority, even OF good
Judges, would not count IL as the more valu-
favorable notice at the Paris Salon OF IS72,
but 10 did not, we believe, secure the gold
medal, as has been claimed for il. The 'In-
terror OF the Palace of the Doges," by Han
sen, ranks next, being appraised al $500 10
fidelity 10 detail, management OF light and
shade, perspective, and indeed in all the re-
quisites Of picture OF its class, IL is among
the very best in the collection. IL belongs.
however, 10 class that is interesting rather
than valuable, and therefore not likely 10
find ready purchaser, except as an a1di-
ton 10 gallery or TO large private collec-
ton. Next TO this in price, but really one OF
the best In the lot, although rather souper
III gplpT. ~ llt Win Cattle the
joint production OF Roff.aen and Verbo ek-
hoven mott. i. Rossiter and Nerbeckhoof-
ven," as enormously printed). The fore
ground and the mountains in the middle dis
lance are admirably done, but the cattle are
hardly up TO the mark OF the celebrated min
iature cattle painters best work. Three
others are appraised al 5000 each, viz: Bos-
suet's Mayors Gate al Saragossa," Irving's
raphael" and Bertrand's "Marguerite,o
while Dejonghe's coincidence" ana Zlem's
Moonlight Scene al Venice" are marked at
$500. After these, prices drop down from
$3.50 TO $50, the whole footing up, as above
stated, about els, 600. including the statuary.
The life-siZe figure of .'Moiesty" (II Pufore),
by Corbellini, is, we may add, put down at
$500. 1t is a thoroughly good piece OF work,
but il is doubtful whether IL will bring the
price asked during the present condition of
financial affairs, especially as the marble Is
somewhat disfigured by ugly spots, which
detract materially from its value, as pur-
chasers OF a work OF art at that price prefer
TO have il In perfectly pure and unblemished
material.
An important addition 10 the art attrac-
lions about the Capitol will be male 10
few days by the unwilling OF one OF the mag
nincent pair OF bronze vases intended to
stand on the massive pedestals at the edge OF |
the park In front of the east portico. IL -
egw