The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-13
ENGLISH ART.
THE GRosvENoR GALLERY ExHIBIT1oN-TuE
pATNrEp's pApADySr

Never nave the WORKS modern British artists
more sumptuousy installed or moro approximately
displayed than in tho suit Of paatal saloons erected
through the enterprise and lberaiity Of sr Coutts
Lindsay, in Now Bond street, London which, under the
name OF the Grosvcnor Gallery destined to be.
como at once one of the most fashionable and tho
popular places OF art resort IN tho metropolis. Tho
collection Of oil paintings, water color drawings and
sculpture brought togo her BY special invitations adj
dressed TO the artists by The founder Of the institution
ana by the ready cooperation OF the poblcmen and
gentlemen to whom many OF tho works exhibited now
belong yesterday submitted to s'privaten view
the obvious outcome OF such privacy at the beginning
OF tho London season being that from morning upul
cusk the Grosvenor Gallery throngcd by elite
of rank. wealth and intellect, and this day the exLi-
bton will be opened to the public at large
DECORATIONS.
The great West Gaery-the saton d'honneur of this
brilliant Pinacotheca-is a really superb room i'm
posing alike in IT'S general architectural distribution.
in its altitude and its breadth, and in the harmoni-
Gus richness OF its embellishments Above the nigh
cove surmounting the cornice of tho ceiling and which
is painted In panels picked bright blue and with
graceful adornment OF stars, runs frisze most
gracefully ana tenderly bcdgnted with arabesques,
which might have been studied from such exq uiste
models OF enumeration as are to be found in the
Farnesina at Romo aud the Paazzo del re at
Mantua and above the rieze is the true fiat ceiling OF
diapcred glass-a ceiling cunningy and sue
cesslully adapted for the distribution throughout the
gallery OF an abundant supply OF light. adequate to
satisfy the weak-sighted, while 1t is equally appor.
toned and softly tempered to DO justice to
every picture exhibited. This is the first and by no
means the least important feature in the gallery
for which the public at large, and artists in
particular, have reason 10 be grateful 10
Sir Couus Lindsay. Tho walls Of the ives, and east
gallery are hung with extremely rich fabric OF
crimson satin damask, divided into compartments by
autcd pilasters OF the Ionic order highly enriched
with gold. Hypcrcrticism might object that these
very gorgeous crimson damask hangings are somewhat
too royants; that their ruulcundty OF hue sks the
carnations IN Mr.. Nais' portraits almost nnnhi-
latcs the dream tnts In some OF Mr.. Whisters tar
rangemens' that the superpostion OF SO many brand
new gold frames such mass OF red dazes the eye,
and that warm gray, sage or olive green, even
dul chocolate maroon back ground would have been
moro grateful 10 the utgued optic nerve Of the spec
"a or and IN the ong run more equitable TO the artist
We hold that ere criticism on TINS head the
fnallty OF dogmatism tho hangngs OF tue Grosvenor
Gallery must nc Lett, ike Lord Bacons reputation, to
time. We must wait and see what lew months OF the
atmosphere oil London Will do toward tonlng down
these ut present too conspicuous tnts and we the
jas lieu IN advising brief suspension OF judy
mont tnis respect when reflect That Ar, Edwari
Barry's magnificent saloons IN the National Gallery
have already begun to stone down. the brillianco
Of their gliding and the vlvdncss OF their coors, md
that 10 most significant extent For the resi- uotn-
against the porteres vi tapestry patterned with fow-
on suDdued blue ground, which drape the door
ways and the glowing tones Of Inc crimson walls are
again "carred 0n, technically speaking by the
kindred but aer hues OF the coverings 10 The splendid
antique couches and auleuls winch AZ intervals
break the continuity OF tho dado Whether the greea
material which at present covers TINS piinth iado
Is intended 10 DO permanent or whether il is in
temptation 10 replace It by skrting Of dark wood
marble unable authoritativey to decide but
hs regards the flooring, which Is at present IN
very incnoate condition, We may DC entitled TO
assume that IL will nc ultimately polished or laid with
pdrqucfer For the rest the Grosvcnor Gallery alter
a few more nnisnng touches have applied to it,
Will present well Eigh unique aspect OF rccepa.
Gle Tor works Of art not only handsomely decorated,
but comfortably furnished. In the GIosvenor Gallery
all modern requirements IN the way vi light and space
tuiy satisfied, while ~ the Same time SO generous
and SO judIcious has been tho furnishing OF tho
saloons that tho spectator Is often apt to forget haD
he IS In a modern exhibition room, aud Is apt TO
that lac Is wandering by special OF
the noble proprietor In some antique al Madrid
NJ Venice or Ut Rome.
THE PAINTINGS.
The artistic gems with which the taste and discrim.
ination oil Sir Coutts Lindsay have endowed the Gros
Gallery in ali respects worthy OF The costly
caket IN which thcy are enshrncd. Considering that
these gems comprise number OF extremely line
examples hitherto unknown 10 the general pnDc OF
the genius and capacity OF such artists as Mais,
Leeros, Whistler, hcnbuih, r.. Leighton, Watts,
Tissot, Albert Moore, Alma Tadcma, anu especially
OF Edward Burnc-Jones, VINO IS hero to BE-
seen III his very best and most poetic mood--to say
nothing OF the drawings Uf Richard Doyle and
OF the mcritorious artistic productions Of SIR Coutts
Lindsay himself and OF Lady l.ndsay-t IS obviously
impracticabc tn attempt within the compass oi neces-
sary brief notice. thing approaching exhaustive
exams nalion OF number OF performances, many of
which deserve and demand detailed criticism. For
The present, then, we must be content with
ncraon OF the most salient pictures Oh the wallis Of
the Grosvcnor Gallery, promising that IN arrange
mcn the admirably sensible plan has been adopted Of
giving each particular artist IN own particular guan-
vi space Tor the unstinicd display OF his collective
work. such plan Ii, We hold, thousand times pref
erabc 10 the .hggedy, piggIedy system" adopted
rowed from the well known Procrustcan pro-
or from tho equally familiar method en-
pIoycd in packing hcrrings In barrel, aud tho
result OF which is 10 force paintings into close juxa-
position whose totally diercnt styles aud manners
quirc that tncy should be kept lar The poles
asundcr. For example, Mr.. James Whistler has n
sweet itLlo isle OF his own the shape OF ample
allowance OF wall space all TO himself Tor The display OF
his six most noticeable works, Nocturnesn III black
and gold, In blue and silver Arr ingcmonts IN black
and III brown, and ''Harmonies." III amber and black.
These weird pr0ductons-enIginas sometimes
cult that Ed,pus might be puzzled TO solve them
need much Subtle dissection aud explanation; but the
lovers OF art not yet July initiated into tho myscr es
OF tho Whstlcran philosophy will derive less mingled
qualification from the talented artists really grand
and touching u!l.longth sitting portrait Of Thomas
Carlyle, which IL hung apart. as ~ deserves TO be- ~
tho top oi tho staircase To tne lett aud OF winch al
IL Is very striking and eloquent prcscntmcnt OF the
illnstrous historian, and II Is painted throughout
with u rciresnpg absence IRON hat .cccntrcity in
which Mr.. Whistler seems haDiluay.to take deli ht,
not pour cRcourdger but pour decouyaJer les ducs.
Adjoining the compartments allotted TO this Archimago
/ OF the iconographc dordton, or grapbiology OF the
hidden, Mr.. &. Il. Halle makes u very unprctcnding
but most satisfactory appearance IN "A ittle Blue
i
Mrs.. Henry Evans Gordon. Mr.. Edward poynter,
X A., among his eight pictures, claims equal atien-
iion and praise Tor .Andrumcuu,n aud the powerfully
| drawn and courcd egyptian sentry" Mr.. Watts,
a., strikes us us being furclbc, as learned ana
little fascinating when renew acquant-
ance with his magistcriaI work, "Love and Dcah,h
anu when we pay our homage TO The stately iuli length
portrait Of the Hon. srs. Percy wyndham, in which
thc artist appears deliberately to have oDscurcd tho
very richest OF tones OF that Venetian color OF
which no living artist knows oetter the secrets than
does Mr.. Watts. with disastrous admixture OF pure
Lonaon muddness. Mr.. Muis, X. A., sends four por
traits that Is to say four dazzling Jewels vi color ana
modelling THE Marchvncss oil Ormondc,n Tao
Countess Grosvcnor.n .l.ady Beatrice Grosvcnor,n
and "Iurd Ronald Gower.n ''Stitch stitch, Sticb,p
winch purports TO BIO illustration Of tho oong OF the
Sniri" Is naturally cever-ts IL not by Mr.. Miinis p
but IL is mere SKETCH ana does not convey any de-
impression OF anything except natural clevcrness