New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-26
THE FINE ARTS.
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
AN FxTRAoRpIXARY COLLECTION.
Z. - ~ n L. American 4 IT


allowed 10 pass from the public view into the caoe'S "
prjyae BUYERS without notice taken OF It's eA'''o
binary valne as representative OF ph'se VI or
manufacture that has now virtually taken tic pa
among the things that were Inc AFcry w
Lett, beIourinp to the Metropolitan Museum IL
a most satisfactory groundwork IN lis Deauly dnu '"
riety for the study of this subject; the sale OF MI ~
last April brought 10 our notice number OF specimens
of great merit which added TO orr knowledge Oh ee
rare varieties and Mr.. Moore's importaIios e'i
rs 70 carry our observations still further so tat II u u
own fault if we do not begin TO have clear ide 81 "a
has been accomplished in China In hela "H0" '",
were the first to till, and from WHICH 'he' nav
the most famous harvest. -,
The Chinese were the inventors Of porcelain ana oIne
nations have only been able to initiate 'heir
achievements afar OF, ana ""n MI,
technical skill. The excellences OF Chineso Po .
consst in the neness Of the material ana lts
Of manipulation in The first places next come INC pey
~ nrritv NJ the single cOlors which pieces large anu
u djsnlav and the boldness the dencacy' as Tue
case NAV be- of the flowers and arapesque7 WI" VIM"
others are decorated. Something, 100 must po 9"
tbe shapcs which often OF a beauty anu "si'' %
deserve almost TO be called classic the Chese III 'ne
;mnortapt pieces avoid singuarity and TIE ero'eSd"e
ond tber prity of line gives TO the larger pieces anu
even TO many OF those of small Size certain
gravity These great merits allowed we ma! DC Peii"
ted TO find IN the Persian poeuc si''o' GU"
in the japanese synpatheue rcihoS'
Chinese The Chinese porcelains' espeeHi9
, ol.s nj their manufacture are TO be seen al
Mr. Moores find their fitting home in those apartments
and halls of the rich citizen on the decoration oi WIN"
all the ski and all the splendor or elegance lat o'
ran uy have been layished on command ana WIN h''
or no particpation OF the owner Nor does II ilaA'
them less suitable TO such surroundings mat lh! "'
Themselves objects Of great and growing coslhesS-a
lipes 50 great and increasing steadily WIN every
wear that, in time, only princes OF Pi'uoo''
fortunea OF National museums can amor" !"
hold them Nothing, unfortunately, VIII so sr'he lno
mind OF the ordinary American or EngilSh NlS't ~
collection OF Mr. Mooies the prices attached 10 Tue
roatcr number OF pieces prices il will ast0nish the VS.
or still more 10 hear have been easily obtained 10 'he
artist and 10 the true lover OF art nothing can ne oi "
interest or importance than the money Value ~ "H'
any object Of art is held, and the fact thai any Suo
object Il continually mentioned in connection WIN IiS
Great value in the market inevitably suggests tha' IKE
some prizes in marimony 1t Is more Dependent On w.
bauk account for recommendation than on ts intrinsic
| charms o. sentiment beauty. And, indeed Will
he found We believe, that when an afus' OF az "'"
teur who has artistic feeling Is impeled 10 ohy 'ne
porce,an it will prove to he such as Is least Representa-
i ~ tb National manufacture such is allied by its
upexpected grace by It's charm OF color !" the p"uc
lions of Persia or Of japan Moreover In the decoration
- an artist,c room one in which color u made u pay
IFS legitimate part and in which, "a Il The happy la'o
of orr day. freedom and variety IN the elements OF e
decoration are not only allowed but insisted upon niue
can be done with Chinese porcelain, unless II DE win
| such exccutional pieces we have aindea 10
| ohove or with certain OF those single
colors the yellows the blues and the reds. III when
the Chinese so riumphantly excel II we are moved 10
this deuur fl is because think 10 occasion ouSh 10
he lost TO lyocatc the claims of freedom spontan'lly
indiviluasm in art in opposition 10 the socale1 laws
70 Journalism and 10 routine That there are laws III "
wc viii not venture 10 deny some fe" fundamental ones
are nerhans dscoverabe Bnt for the most part we are
NOT resolved what these laws and the tendency OF
those who are actively engaged in the arpropasanda
Of today is too much to insist on laws iahcrrd ny Wmm
unon dvspepsia The cOOr-bnd long tnrinencd rs Win
their color theories anl laws Of color until the women
oined hands with few artists and bore down as one
| ,oor on the horde Of "cpld grayyttes'; ana
we should have gone dwelling In academic decencic
and donestiriicz forever. had not the Spartan hdhd
from Munich aud Paris scaled the fort OF .Commonplacc
and made her strike her nag.
Aud 60 having learned gospel from the japanese
we do not willingly come back To SIT on the Chinese
forms We acknowledge all the refinement aud beauty Of
the more manufacture Chinese porcelain reflects with
ahsoute ruthfuness the characteristics that nave hhe
China what she she is her ORDER her ds'iphhr' her
tboroughness her unchangeaoeness and the severity o
her morals and her manners. Bat all Is maternal
ALI is hard matter-of-fact. No fancy plays
oror thasc nolished surfaces no individuality IL
reflected from these painted flowers there u no charm
IN all this finished satelness this proud retlcencc
There is more artfeelng in many hi o. ivory
carved by japanese no higher purpose than TO
keep his pipe from slipping ihrongh MS pel' 'h'h III "
this costly array OF Chinese skill
Mr. Moore was guided his making this collection Tor
the New York market by desire to get only pieces oil
exceptional excellence, whether for size. form. color
decoration and In he has secured specimen.
that had long been coveted by amateur but were sup
posed net to he in the market pair OF botl's
heoneinc 10 the Ming period will attract mucn atten
| upV In
autheiuuuis side, hut with sprays ana movers
lightly thrown each side rs 10 leave hn niue oi me
onuo1te side npcn The nrcks OF these bottles instead
~ being straight, increase slightly III ~ze ~ we mouth
The paste is Of the most exquisite qulity oI hbeht1s
Another bottle the Kcnong period u OF most dc
cate tint OF celadon, and is covered all over WIN an
engraved scroll ornament hrEe Jar 70 %nv i ia
moore gives the 81 Kahng Warc.ls OF handsome
green. decorated with ehrysanthenums ana mrd-.
Another of these kahng vases ~ d'Drlcu VIII
subjects with fine black employed IN th@ HieSr huf
In inscription boldly painted on one SUI t g it
two OF these pair. ana - tfF are OF c Pha y
and large size while black j. Of employment ~
i,. are held at high price Held IL, however,
not the proper word. since almost everything ldt II
high priced here sold some days ago. ,
The aToup OF yellow pieces is exceptionally me, ana
40 is that OF turquoise blue; some pieces pure
some with an engraved pattern under the
Glaze We find the most beautiful Of these turquoise
neccR 10 be bcakeT, the piece y Technically caicd
widely spreading foot and mouth connected by slender
body encirced 10y banda small specimen Dut olNeiy
There is also choice collection Of the Sang de benf or
Iivercol,red family in which many specimens that
viii delight the cOnnOisseur pieces III pure col"ri one
hgh-ghOuldered many sided bottle on the angles oI
Witch tbe red mas run of leaving them clOudcd while,
and another IN which the edges being SUM- nave retained
the color that they OF deeper red than me poy
II would Ike too much 81 space 10 even attempt
running catalogue OF these specimens anh indeed Mr.
MOOres collection has now assumed the proportions OF
a museum which, however. there ~ as lnuch ont oi
sight as there is displayed The collection includes not
only porcelain, but many beautiful and curious specl
mems OF Japaneses pottery, sun, worries crystal lac
quers and all that make this people remarkable whcr-
ever skill and valued. There Is constant sue
cesson here these objects but to-day the collectors
see nothing aud think OF nothing but the shelves aud
cabinets that hold the Of Chinese porcelain.
THE MARRIAGE OF MISS HARLAN.