The New York herald., 1879-11-24
FINE ARTS.

GALLERY NOTES = GALLArr's ''ITALIAN MOTHER"
1t is rarely our fortune to have picture to write
about by the veteran Belgian MASTER Louis Gallait.
His works very seldom seen in tho galleries Of
the dealers and rarely in the auction room- he il
now in his SEVENTEEN year. lives very retired life
since severe domestic affection. and devotes his
whole time to an immense work. ''The Procession
OF the Host in the Streets of Antwerp During the
Great Plague" destined for the Museum at Ant.
werp and on which he has already been engaged
some fifteen years. and TO the production of series
of historic portraits to fill panels in the Chamber OF
Deputies at BRUSSELS We examined. therefore. with
pleasure a fine specimen of his work, painted in
1866, an 'Italian Mother and children, which has
Just arrived from abroad. at Averys. 1t Is twenty.
seven by thirty-six inches in size and shows 4
peasant woman seated on low stone wall. with her
two small children on the grouno at her feet. On
the wall by her is jug, thick grapevine twnes to
tho left, and down below aud behind
the waters of the Mediterranean She has been
spinning; but struck by some pleasant maternal
Thought has stayed the bobbin and looks tendsrly
away. Her sturdy. naked babes are on white
cloth which lies partly in and partly out OF their
basket. One sits up with his back to us, and, in
childish action, is playing with his toes, while
the other lies prone and looks up ut his
mother. The coloring is rich and the tone good.
The two children painted with y masterly, solid
touch, every stroke OF the brush having told. The
broad modelling OF their strongly built little bodies.
the naturalness of the poses and the effects light
playing the bare skins are worthy of strong
praise 1t Is old masterish bit OF work. With the
exception OF the TACT that her right arm seems
rather stiff the figure Of the mother s finely
painted. Her dark skin contrasts admirably with
the fresher tints the childrens bodies and there
is much expression and fine tone in her pensive face.
The figures please much more than tho back
ground and than some OF the foreground setting.
At Knoedler u Co.'s there have boon added to the
gallery during the past week couple OF sheep pic
tnres. one large snowstorm scene. with animals
up against q rock on mountain side, by Schenck,
aud the other-a little Zugel-a group gathered by
roadside, watching and waiting tor the dog who
guards them to get drink. In comparing these
two works struck by the evident sincerity Of
the Zugel and with the equally papable insncerity
OF the Schcnck We do not deny that Schenck has
talent. and that up to certain point there is good
deal OF merit in his work. but beginning to
feel that he paints. one might say, by the yard,
sizes and subjects being assorted to taste With
o huge pot white pant. smaller ones Of few
other coors, sheepskin when models not at
hand, a vivid imagination and good deal Of dex-
terity, fancy that Nj. Schenck considers himself
equipped to supply the world. with subjects taken
from the misfortunes of sheep in the snow, for
number of years come. In Chleblowski's little
"Un Zeybeck Devant Ia Porte dun Mosque da
Broussa there is solid work than in the whole
of the largo Schenck.