New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-30
BERNHARDTS TRIUMPHS.
HER WORKS OF ART APPRECIATED.

IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEJ
LONDON, June 17.-AIle. Bernhard is reported TO
be of opinion that the English have never hereto
fore had Justice done them polite nation Since
Saturday she must have bad her opinion still more
strongly confirmed The attention paid to her ART
exhibition is of kind most tlattering to her.
described in hurried way Saturday, writing 10
catch late post, some incidents of the private view
ON that afternoon 1t seemed to then that
people were even eager to see Mile. Bernhardt
than to see her pictures. If that were so, Mondays
papers have made amends-though. indeed, 1t Is
not absolutely certain that the artist would think
any amends necessary for the homage offered to the
woman. But the papers have, at any rate, paid her
the compliment of taking her art work seriously
They publish elaborate notices Of her paintings ana
sculptures. 1t is disparagement to the intrinsic
merits of these works to say that, had they come
from any other hand, they would have attracted
less attention. They deserve all they have got
Mile. Bernhardt is certainly not a great painter
She took up tho brush for the first time about
eighteen months ago, and nobody, not even
woman Of genius, becomes great In difficult art In
eighteen months time. The most that can be said
of an artist at such stage of her career is that she
does OF does not show marked aptitude for the art
with which she is experimenting. She must be
treated either as student OF as amateur, which
ever character she may prefer. She must be con-
tent with the general opinion that she would be
capable of great excellence in painting should she
choose to devote herself to 1t.
Critics and artists are in fact agreed that Mile.
Bernhardt has q strong feeling for color, ana that
some of her pictures give brilliant proof of it, She
has done enough to show that she has not taken to
painting ont Of mere longing for notOriety There
are canvases on the walls OF her gallery which
are plainly the work Of person who had something
to express and who had good reason for expressing
it in that way rather than in some other way. Her
collection largely of studies of female heads
and figures her own among them. The drawing
is often faulty and the handling smacks Of the
amateur. But they are full of character and SIN
cerity.
In sculpture Mile. Bernhardt has had
longer practice Among the few pieces hero
exhibitedis q reduction of tho well-known
group, Apres la 1empetc, which was re-
warded with an honorable mention IN the
Paris Exposition last year. it is an echo of Michael
Angeles Peta, but it has. none the less, consdcra-
bic original merit. A drowned fisher boy lies across
the knees Of his mother in an attitude which few
Young sculptOrs would willingly attempt to repro
duce. Ii would be too much to say that the diff
cuties of the subject are vanquished, or that tho
artists knowledge of anatomy is profound But
the feeling there the story is told, the modelling
is full of spirit and purpose, and VI. Gambart who
owns the original. reckons it not the least among
the treasures of his famous collection. The head Of
NJ Emile dc Girardin. the great French journalist,
Is meant purely and simply a portrait and can
not be called more than moderately good likeness.
There are other busts in bronze and marble, and
none in which some touch of originality may not be
discovered in one or two of them even q trace of
tenderness Is not wanting. This last trait is not the
one which those that know Nlle Bernhardt best
would be most likely to look for. There II is, how
ever and the hints of It not less interesting than
the unmistakable intensity and energy which, both
in paintings and sculptures, and in whatever she
does seem but the inevitable manifestation of her
natural attributes.
When Mile Bernhardt first began 10 exhibit her
works of art in Paris there were plenty of people
who said they were not really the work of her
hands NJ Sarcey's testimony is worth quoting on
this point and may be found III the article devoted
to this lady in his admirable series of "COm6diens
and Condolences" / quote at second hand, but
from what seems an accurate version:
"Who has not heard of the dtejer of Nile Sarah
Be1nbGrdt2 One fine morning she awollc with
the idea that she had mistaken her vOcation-that
she was a born sculptor. She called for clay, took
dozen lessons, and began to mould buSts and
statues. She has exhibited, and her works have
occupied the attention of the critics. All very well
for asses to tell you with wink: Gets her friends
to do it all for her. Not bit of it, She handles
the modelling tool herself, and spends her time at
her work in one of the most tastelully appointed
studios of Paris and the prettiest thing in the
studio is It's Mistress with her dlshevcled hair, her
eyes-those bright stecl-blue eyes, cold and hard
in her sterner moments-lighted up with the fire Of
creation her plant and undulating figure and in all
her person that sovereign elegance Of attitude and
movement which she carries into even the most
familiar acts of everyday life"
The gallery, which was throngcd on Saturday by
brilliant company, was opened 10 the public yes
terday. public verdict Is, after ALL more decisive
than that of any coterie, however powerful; and
with some curiosity TO how far the genuine pub
lie shared the eagerness shown by more limited
circle / looked into tho gallery in the afternoon.
There was string of carriages about the doors.
The room was well filed, but not crowded.
and people were looking at the pictures
and busts-not at each other. and not at
Mile. Bernhardt, because she not there.
Her agent, who happened to be in the room,
told Inc that there had been a steady stream of COM
pany all day long. each paying his shilling. Now
for shlingyou may see the 600 works on exhibI-
ton few doors off in the Royal Academy. and here
You can see only thirty. So | concluded that the
practical Englishman. and not less practical Eng
ishwoman. were somehow getting, or believed
themselves to be getting, the worth OF their money
In one case as much as IN the other.
As an actress, meantime. Mile. Bernhard has
done much to strengthen her position with her
English audiences. She has at last given repre-
sentation Of the whole of "Ph6drC," and acted
I'm a style which NJ. SaIcey says she never equalled
in Paris. NJ Sarcey's opinion may be accepted on
this point without question, not only because he IS
the first critic in France, but because he Is much
..II hut hat aytra excitement about
Mile. Bernbardt now raging in London. NJ. Sarcey's