Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-05
THE FRENCH SALON.
TIE ARTISTS WHO EXPOSE PICTURES
THIS YEAR.
Some Account of the Work of American
Painters kbroad-Bridgman Mos
Ter, Sargent, Eealy

PARIS, May s, $780,
Were the pictures of the Salon not
classified and arranged in the order they
have been this year, the looking up of our
American artists would be like searching
for needles in hay-stack, for there are in
all 1888 artists who exposes. 957 of
whom expose paintings, 2,0S5 drawings,
70l sculptures, 80 engravings in medallions
and on precious stones, III plans of archi-
lecture, sos engrayings, 46 Autographs, Cd
art monumentals. There are just 1000
more artists who expose this year than last
year. Many familiar names among our
artists / do not find in the catalogue,
which proves that many have returned
to their homes after profitable studies
under the French masters. The great re-
proach made our young American artists is
that they very often lack color, are de-
fective In drawing and undertake subjects
entirely too difficult for them to handle,
and that they lack the slow perseverance
of the French. Most of these faults are
a necessary result of the American char
acter, which must go rapidly and quickly
and attain the end, but under the circum-
stances, finding ourselves behind other
nations in art, these same faults may be
rendered profitable The most difficult
thing is to keep them to their drawing,
which they regard as drudgery, and long
to dabble in paints. However, they are
not wanting IN perseverance, although of
another kind, for many on perceiving their
mistakes have returned to work and sur
prised all with their rapid progress. They
say that color cannot be taught that it
must be felt, and if not, that it is useless
to touch paints, yet it must be that many
of our artists had not felt long for color
before making their debut, to Judge by
their improvement in that direction. l
shall first speak of those
ARTISTS ALREADY KNOWN
To both the American and French public,
before referring to yogng artists whose
names appear for the first time in the cata-
logue. The picture of F. A. Bridg-
man, of which l spoke in my last letter.
was the smaller of two large pictures he
exposes this year. The larger picture is
also an Arabian scene called, d" Tentes de
Normades, (Bishral." Whereas the other
picture is an interior scene this one is an
outdoor one Two Arabian tents are seen
in the foreground, one farther back and
others in the distance. Women and chill
dren are seated here and there in groups
upon the ground. Two women stand to
the left nearer the foreground covered with
that peculiar Arabian head-dress; and one
has besides large drapery which covers
her head and falls down her back to the
ground the other woman has child at
tached to her back and the two stand
gossiping the same as in a Christian coun-
try Dogs are seen everywhere and one is
in the act of tapping the milk from bowl
in the entrance of one of the tents.
Around these tents are men lying asleep
stretched out in straw. The perspective is
very fine and the wide valley is terminated
by chain OF mountains whose peculiar
purple tint possesses strange character.
rect estimation of an Arabian scene, but
this artist is wanting He seems to have
changed his style why, cannot be said,
yet it may be he is striving at something
whose results we shall know later
F. a. Bridgman is young artist he is
hors concours and has been decorated
with the order of the Legion of
Honor One of the most pleasing
pictures in the section of the foreigners is
that by Henry Mosler of Cincinnati,
entitled {" La Toilette de Noce." To the
right is a young peasant girl standing
blushing, with her arm upraised, while the
son of the widowed merchant on his knees,
his back turned to the audience, is in the
act of measuring the skirt OF her dress.
Further to the right stands the .fance busy
pushing tobacco into his pipe
BY AID OF HIS THUMB,
And whose open mouth, laughing eyes and
undisguised expression of admiration pic
tured on his face as he stares at his sweet
heart, excite feelings of merriment. A
little to the left sits an old woman before
the counter closely examining a piece of
stuff which she pinches between her fin
gers with knowing experience. She has
placed her basket and red umbrella on the
floor Over the corner OF the counter
leans the old husband smoking his pipe
and seemingly confident of his wIfe's talent
as Judge of dry goods. The seller is an
old woman whose excited look and appar
ent eloqnence prove the Importance of the
sale she is about to make. The costumes
of all the persons are those worn in Brit
tany, and whose picturesqueness make
them a favorite subject for painters
Added to the brilliancy of the costumes is
the gay colo. ing of the different pieces of
cloth placed in the numerous shelves on
the wall, as we'll as articles of wear hung
on nails on the doors. The picture in its
ell semble is charming, and is painted with
largeness and vigor, in style which pre-
vents any master being traced behind the
lines, as happens only too often to some of
our artists. | met an old and distinguished
gentleman from Brittany, member of one
of the old families of that country, who
cling with tenacity to their traditions, and
he remained long, long time before this
picture, almost touched to tears with
its truthfulness and simplicity. Mr..
titled ola Fileuse" This is also Brit
tany scene, representing young girl in an
old fashioned Brittany kitchen at the
spinning wheel. Her round, bright face is
pleasing to look upon, and the rich color
ing ana DOluneSS OF tOuCH TeIueT IL d Naiu-
able picture. Henry Mosler until very re-
Gently has studied in Germany. He ex-
posed for the first time in France at the
salon of last year, when he received an
honorable mention, and his picture was
bought by the French Government. That
picture was quite remarkable and can be
seen at the Musee of the Luxembourg. 1t
is the first picture bought of an American
by the French Government, and we have
every reason to believe that it will not be
the last We next come to John S. Sar-
gent of Philadelphia, probably the most
promising of our
AMERICAN ARTISTS.
He is pupil of Carolus Duran, who,
young as he is, has turned out some fine
scholars, although he develops no magma
ton in them, since they generally follow
his example and confine themselves to
portraiture. Mr.. Sargent received an
honorable mention last year for portrait
of his professor, Carolus Duran, which