New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-26
RUSSIAN PICTURES.


directly next the passage leading to the north en-
trance. The IL not large one and Ia ony nan
lighted by window which s to be sure In the northern
end but up the close to the eastern side OF the
ROOM This OF the Inconvenience that are all inc
time resulting from what may call for lack OF better
name land 1t couldn't have better, tho "Muiieb
style of architecture the style that results from subject
ing the internal needs Of building TO the supposed arch
tectura of the outside There is no reason except
that il wouldn't have looked well outside. You KNOW
why tbs room, and all the rooms, in building expressly
intended for collections should not nave poeh
LIGHTED by sky-ght, or ut least by windows properly
placed The other rooms on this side OF Memorial nan
are not sufficiently light, but the windows are al any rae
placed where they should be. In Room " M
ON tho contrary and in Room 90" answering
20 IL the other side the passage, the one wlndo"
Which lights each is placed that tn" pictures on one
side the have too much light While those on the
other have too littothe pictures on the window emu
can't he seen all for the darkness, while those ~ inc
opposite end can't Dc seen for the glare
There are rooms In this building IN winch we are elSi!
reconcicd to the Muiletsm has made it impossible
to their but the Russian room IL not one oil
them. IL contains about seventy pictures OF "hch
number half dozen arrived too late to be inserted III
the new Catalogue but their titles are legby written on
large cards so that visitors not put to any incon-
yenicnce Gu the central line OF the room some pieces
az s,atuavy are arr auged with the exception OF BUST
in plaster OF DIR. Levoux by Theodore lyger of war
Jaw of these pieces are good enough Tor the position
thoy occupy, and the room Is so narrow thai We WISH
they could DO transferred to the Russian De-
partfnent in the, Main Building where they
yyould have room enough. and where they could
be well seen. Ryger's bust Of Dr.. LeyitouN IS
a spirited portrait OF a delicate. sensitive head. remind
ing one at first glance, OF Schiller. The hair Is wei
tcated and the whole work so Interesting that We can
not but surprised at his bust Of washington wnich
stands near it, ard Which shows neither power to seize
/ ugsiy char ngfe IL
artist could easily have procured likeness Of Washing-
ton TO copy from, surprising likeness was what he
wished 30 produce must suppose that he did not care
so much for the literal resemblance to make an ideal
head and We only ia ciyity express the hope that
he WAS not at the last pleased with the result OF his
labor His Washington is an able OF the LOUIS Nv. era
who il lkng gallant fight with Time by the help OF
the bairdrcssers curling-tongs, cosmetics ana pearl
powder. bas-rcef by the same artist OF the virgin
and Child executed In rather coarse marble IL not us
crediiab,ei although 1t is rather weak anu IKE inc
Washington is disappointing after seeing the bus' Oh Df'
IavitOux.
when we come 10 look well at tho pictures we are dis
J nj finding how little there Is here that Is essen
tialy Russian Rome. Munich, Dusseldorf, are repre-
ssnted here almost fully they are in the Spanish
cutlery though ia "a b. said that the subjects t6ch Dy
these Russians IN tho greater number OF cases h"h
from the scenery and manners OF their country "here
this the case It perhaps time lost TO complain ~ the
borrowed manncri,ms Of STYLE but artists who have
shown as much ability In treating their native SUBJECTS
as have Korzoochin, Lemoch. Gorimsh' Clever ana
Yo0raylof. ought have developed styles OF their
own Gerimsh, whose pictures are dated from
Ho1nc has o manner that loOds S"ue"hat III
dyidual In this room where tho general way
Of u,uting {. 80 coarse and commonplace. but
IL isamanucr easily CLASSIFIED ana many Frcrch' Ger
mn and Italian picture Of the early part oi ms cen
tuy or the close Of the ast shows the teaching ~
which orr Russian-or our Pole, rather, Tor Gernsh
comes from Warsaw-has been taught THIS exception
made We are compelled 10 class all tine remaining PIC
iarrs IN this collection tog,nc, as alike unininiesIg
end u,rii.c ~ their execution; the verdict OF an artist
must be shat there nothing 10 look al III the Russian
gallery. .
The visitors To the Exhibition. however. are not al
artists nor the pleasure uey take ~ WORKS G" at
deperd on what makes thea admirable 10 artists rms
,ic,,re. in this room which excite the most
int.rc,. are as I gathered while resting thore
an hour the two pictures by 10oraNIoh "hch
mentioned among those that came TOO tate 10 De oa"
l,rd Two these are Of good size; ihre are thr'c
tlcrs which arc smaller but the meri IN al oil them
nearly The same The subjects Of the two large ones "fe
Urs.ng the Bride before Marriage Russian Gus
tom and The Banquet after the Funeral or these.
e former being hung the east wall Of the room near
bo window gets the best Hight and can he scen tbOugh
for all that the light il very trying to the picture The
othrr picture would also. am sure, make many friends
| II IL were not hung too far along tho wall from
! IN. ,gind,g 10 get ANYTHING that fairly be
7
called Ught Ia the Blessing the Bride We arc III
troJuccd 10 q scene and surroundings that must be
| tmly depcted-they bear the stamp OF truth
~ clearly Ms a story by Tourguenc or poem by Push
kin The bride knoes upon square OF carpet dressed
IN the conventional white silk, with orange flowers and
vail and with her face buried in her hands Her father
and mother lave been going through certain ceremonies
the father is atutudnzing bit, but the homey stou
mother who is bringing her daughter what LOOKS hhe
cup upon cushion Is painted simply ana naturally In
the corner the the sacred pictures III thcir
elded frames filing up all tho space between the pillars
and sort of tabernacle arctraye, while another huge
nictnre adious this the neighbOr-wal Behind
| ,be bride and watching the proceedings are
| the bridegroom, an elderly lady, young
woman and a little boy all excellent studies.
The groom Is rosslookDg person. in spite OF his even
ing dress his hair parted In the middle, and his hnikin
attitude lie looks as IT he could say with Macbeth
had most need OF blessing" but perhaps lie Il more
silly than bad The little boy, the b!ide young brother,
who stands in front OF his future brothernlaw, dressed
in queer pink garment like dressing gown cut Short
and with high top boots Is character decidedly bad
dsh boy given much racket about the house. TO prac-
teal jokes and to having his way. lie seems good
deal puzzled at what gong and may be>wondeTng
whether big sister being wrongly punished for any
mischief OF his doing There two obvious criticisms
to be made this picture. One Ia, that the artist has
given such expression and action to his pers0nagcs
az TO puzzle us with doubt whether the siti-
alton simple the title would imply II looks as II
the bride were in confusion guilt just con-
fessed and while this would explain the slightly dra-
matte action OF the father, with that OF the elder sister
who leans upon the bridegroom shoulder. and the fool
ish wonder in the bdegrooms face, it would perhaps
leave nexpaned the serenity OF the two elderly women
So slightly puzzled, leave the picture with its title,
content 10 praise the obvious merit OF the painting The
other criticism have to make Is the color which Is
OF a crudeness truly German. The rspberry-red OF the
window curtains the eyescra,chlng combination OF tho